Parasites or water quality problems.

[mordor]

The only symptoms I can observe are folded fins and scratching. Ocassionally fish is shaking like it wanted to shake something off. Fish do not loose colors and eat normally but gradually start staying apart form others. It attacks only Macmasteri and related apsitos so far. Other fish including different species of apsistos are fine. When I first noticed this I did 80% water change and 50% next day. It did not help and I lost big Macmasteri male in 3-4 days from first symptoms observed. Two weeks after it died I start observing that slowly Viejitas got similar problems. Is it some sort of poisoning or parasite infection. I just increased temperature and put rest of Copper safe I got into this tank. I need to buy more medications. What would you recommend. I think I have to treat this entire tank.

 

[Randall]

The only symptoms I can observe are folded fins and scratching. Ocassionally fish is shaking like it wanted to shake something off

Dear Mordor,

The above sounds like an external parasite infection. I'd treat the tank with Formalin (formaldahyde) daily until a cure is effected.

Good luck!

Randall Kohn

 

[mordor]

Formalin seems a little bit radical to me. I did 70% water change and added new dose of CopperSafe. Viejitas seem to respond well to this. I haven't seen them scratching today and male is stretching his fins. Mardel recommends using this medication for 1 months so I guess it's not very strong. I guess plants and snail would suffer from copper but I hope parasites too.