Losing Haps and Peacocks

[Marc]

A couple weeks ago, I made a purchase of a Nimbochromis Fusco and kept him in a quarantine tank for about a week with no signs of any problems. Shortly after putting him into my 185 gal all male mixed hap and peacock tank, I noticed that his lower lip looked white and ripped apart some. At first, I assumed that it was due to fighting as I noticed he and my male venustus went a few rounds establishing dominance in the tank. Gradually the lip just got worse as it seemed to be deteriorating away. I took him out and put him back into the quarantine tank. After reading a few threads on here, I decided to treat him with Marycyne-Two. It just kept getting worse and eventually the fusco died. I also tried to use Melafix and Pimafix with no results. Other fish in my tank started to get the same problems all starting in the mouth area, and then other parts of their bodies started to decay. They were immediately removed and placed in quarantine tanks. I have a 30 gallon which is being treated with marycyne-two and a 46 gallon that I decided to try furan-2 in. Several peacocks and the venustus have been in the 30 and showed progress, but then unexpectedly the peacocks wound up dying, but the venustus seems fine. In the 46, several fish have died as well and others don't seem to be getting any better. Every day it seems like I end up with a few more deaths and a fish or two that I need to take out of the 180 to put in the quarantine tanks.

Right now I am at my wits end trying to find something that will make a difference. Through researching posts on here and other sites, I chose to try the Marycyn-two, furan-2, melafix and pimafix, and aquarium salt. Please note that the only meds that were used simultaniously were the melafix and pimafix, and salt was used with all treatments.

I've already lost 5 Adult Male peacocks, a placidochromis electra, a Protomelas Taeniolatus(tangerine tiger), the fusco, a blue dolphin, and a pair of aceis. There are about 7 fish in quarantine right now as well.

I've been keeping cichlids for about 4 or 5 years now and haven't experienced anything like this before. I'll try to post some pictures to see if that will help.

If anyone has any suggestions, any input would be greatly appreciated. Sorry about the long post, but I really don't know what to do next.

[Marc]

Here are a few pics of those afflicted. Sorry that some of them are blurry.

[Afrabat]

I am so sorry to hear this! Things like this happen sometimes. I'm not gonna give advice here because you are doing what I would be doing. I hope this will clear up and I will keep you in my thoughts. If there is any new progress please post it.

[joe_jaskot]

It looks like a bacterial infection to me. Here is a link to fish diseases with pictures and possible medication to use: http://badmanstropicalfish.com/fish_palace/tropicalfish_disease_identification.html#External

[jman]

this happens and is not that common to malawis they get this disease from stress and in this case moving from tank to tank.
just like tropheus the deadly bloat moving from tank to tank.
GO TO JEHMCO.COM and buy nitrofurazone.
if you have some tangs throw it in the most infected tank and i bet you nothing happens to him.
forgot about melafix pimafix that stuff is over rated and dont work.
if you dont put in the right medicine now you will lose 90% of your malawi. if you have a tank not already infected dont use the same fish nets.
that disease your fish got is so contagious but only with malawis, tangs are mostly immune to it. it takes 3-4 days for the nitrofurazone to kick in by day 5 you should see your fish get better. the pictures look like the fish been sick for about a week already. but i think they can still live another 2-3 weeks without the right medicine.
good luck.

[DJRansome]

jman is the illness you suspect columnaris or another infection?

[Heyguy74]

Looks like columnaris to me. You may need to treat with a more powerful anti biotic. I believe that regular Maracyn is better than Maracyn 2. Try treating with both maracyn and maracyn 2. You need to treat the main tank. What ever it is is already in there. If you dont you will just keep reinfecting fish in that tank.

[Marc]

Thanks for the advice everyone. Columnaris is what I initially suspected after going through many posts on here and another site. I initially chose to try Marycyn-Two because several people stated that it was a gram negative strain infection and that Marycyn treated gram positive and Marycyn-Two treated gram negative infections. I then came across another post which stated that Furan-2 was effective against columnaris so I figured I'd give it a go in another hospital tank. The main ingredient in the Furan-2 two is nitrofurazone which jman suggested. I am awaiting a shipment of Jungle Binox which should be here either today or tomorrow. I was planning on treating the 180 gallon with that as it is more economical to use in such a large tank. I'm willing to give anything a shot.