Malawi Cichlids sick please help

Guys heres one of my Cichlids...

two of them look like this and they are both going bling any ideas?

 

I think it may be ick

Oh and i think The Prof is overseas for work

 

The Prof is away for awhile. This isn't ick. It looks more like a bacterial infection. Do a 30% water change immediately and then try and get hold of some Microbe-Lift Artemiss, it is a herbal treatment or alternatively get your hands on some Waterlife Myxazin and start treatment as per instructions asap.

 

Please tell me this isnt in your 2 ft?

Looks like a bacterial infection or some serious fighting from the other Venustus male. Your Venustus might loose that eye, water quality also looks bad.

 

Neilh, no the Malawi's are in my 1.5m office tank...

The water is actually really good my phone cam is really bad, it seems to have moved to another Venustus...
The guys who set up the tank added 4 of them I have read that this is fat to many for this tank?
I will post some photos of the tank today...

 

Just because the water is clear, doesn't mean its healthy. And yes, 4 Venustus's are WAY too much for a 1.5M tank. They get to around 20cm fully grown and males like you have there, can get very aggro. I only have 1 in a 1.8 for that exact reason.

Some salt could help or like Vee said, meds to treat the infection

 

I need to get ride of them but my boss wants to sell them...
I have bought some bacterial meds maybe I should try salt tomorrow as well how much should I use...

 

This looks like the same stuff I had in my tank...
do a water change and if you can't find any micro-lift the you can try fungal stop from tetra, alot of people here say its crap but I used it and it saved my fish.
follow the instructions 100% and it should be gone in a few days.

 

I would first do a salt bath.

Put aquarium water into a bucket, add salt (Not sure of dosage tho) add fish for 2 minutes, put fish back into tank. Do this every day for 3 days. If no response, then look at going medication route.

Be careful of antibacterial meds, they can wipe out/damage your filter.

I don't like Tetra fungal stop... it is cr@p!

 

The Tetra Fungel stop cleared my Fish in a week worked very well for me...

I will do the salt bath but it is not going to be easy...
these fish are quick, I need to know the dosage tho

 

These fish are showing signs of advanced infection, I would not try the salt route first - yes salt will most likely work in the early stages of infection but it is too slow a route for advanced stages of infection. Just my 2c worth.

 

ok meds first them? should we clean filters first or leave filters they are due for cleaning but we were doing in next week...

 

Leave the filters for now - you want as much 'good' bacteria in your tank as possible. Do the water change and add meds.

 

will the bacteria not be in the filters?

 

You still need filtration when medicating or else you are going to have major hassles with your tank spiking which will make matters worse. If you have carbon in your filters just remove that. Once you have finished medicating and your fish are healthy again, then you can clean your filters again.

 

ok cool thanks for the advise...

 

Well for product I use aquaplus conditioner and cycle on a regular basis...and medication waterlifes protozin and myxacin which i havent used in a long time.Kindly note that prevention is better than cure.Maintain good water consistantly and you should not have to experiance these problems.I dont medicate my tanks as a "just in case thought".Your fish should build up their own immunity system

 

ok I the other guy did a filter clean before I could stop him thanks to me being in with a client...

I will follow the instructions to the letter now and see what happenes, will treat them for the next 3 weeks on the same instruction...

 

Before panicing. When did you first notice the fish to be in this state? It is always advisable to add some salt when you first notice some form of possible infection/problem as it is seen as a mild form of medication. Most of the diseases are single cel formation and by adding salt you help to get them to release themselves from the host thus allowing the medication to work better.
From a salt point of view I would suggest you add a good heaped table spoon.
When adding in medication it is always advisable to do a water change. 20%, before adding. Most medications have some sort of affect on the good bacteria so it is also advisable to add some extra bacteria culture.
I would look at some anti-fungal treatment as it looks to me as though your fish have been fighting with each other.

 

Guys heres and update!!!

The fish this morning were swimming around, and not hiding... The one Venusus thats sick is being attacked by the healthy fish?
Is this normal?