I've got a 220 Mbuna (mostly) tank. A while back I noticed a couple of my bigger males had swollen lips. I figured that there had been some lip-locking scuffles and thought nothing more of it. Everyone was eating and acting normal so I just chalked it up to the typical Mbuna battle scars.
It's now a couple of months later, and there is clearly something vey wrong. Whatever it is that I'm seeing, it isn't from the fish tussling with each other. Here's what I see in terms of symptoms. Near as I can tell symptoms first start in the dorsal fin, with some irregularity to the top edge. Normally I'd think there had just been a bit of nipping. Following that there is weird swelling of the mouth/lips, and even weirder deformation and swelling to the fins, plus changes to coloration. All behavior seems normal: swimming, protecting territory, eating, I've even got a female that is starting to show symptoms that is holding fry, so they're even spawning.
But in the couple of fish where I first noticed symptoms there's unmistakably something vey wrong. Any help anyone can provide is deeply appreciated.
Out of desperation I've tried a couple of random things to no avail:
Tank details:
Cherry Red Zebra
Cobalt Blue Zebra
The beginnings of symptoms in other fish, I think
It's now a couple of months later, and there is clearly something vey wrong. Whatever it is that I'm seeing, it isn't from the fish tussling with each other. Here's what I see in terms of symptoms. Near as I can tell symptoms first start in the dorsal fin, with some irregularity to the top edge. Normally I'd think there had just been a bit of nipping. Following that there is weird swelling of the mouth/lips, and even weirder deformation and swelling to the fins, plus changes to coloration. All behavior seems normal: swimming, protecting territory, eating, I've even got a female that is starting to show symptoms that is holding fry, so they're even spawning.
But in the couple of fish where I first noticed symptoms there's unmistakably something vey wrong. Any help anyone can provide is deeply appreciated.
Out of desperation I've tried a couple of random things to no avail:
- Raise the tank temp to 81 degrees for a week: no change
- Drop the temp to 76 degrees for a week: no change
- Dose the entire tank with Metronidazole for a week: no change (except a lighter wallet)
Tank details:
- 220 gallon mostly Mbuna tank (there are a few medium/large haps, plus a medium sized Frontosa)
- The tank is established, it's been up for about a year
- Temp: about 79 degrees
- Filtration: 2 Eheim 2217s, 1 Fluval FX5, UV filter. All established.
- Typically do two or three 15 - 30% water changes a week. I use Prime to treat the water.
- I haven't done a water quality test lately (I'm colorblind and need the wife's assistance, when she's willing), but I rarely have issues that I can trace to water quality.
- pH is typically high 7s
- I don't have KH & GH specs handy, but if it seems like they'll help the diagnosis I'll corner my better half so she helps me
. I use a homemade buffer of aquarium salt, baking soda, & epsom salt, plus there is aragonite substrate in the tank.
- Ammonia & Nitrite are usually close to zero. Nitrate tends to be a challenge, often above 40 - 50 ppm.
- Generally I think the fish are happy with the water quality, it's rare that I don't have any spawning/holding.
Cherry Red Zebra
- Huge swelling of the lips/mouth
- Ragged edges of fins
- Big growth on leading edge of anal fin
- Coloration is a bit off, his colors looked much better when he was healthy
Cobalt Blue Zebra
- Splotchy coloration
- Ragged edges of fins
- Mouth isn't quite right, but no where near as bad as the Red Zebra
- Growths in the leading edges of both pelvic fins
The beginnings of symptoms in other fish, I think
- Seems to start as what could be mistaken for nips in the dorsal fins
- Also note the difference in the coloration of the below cobalt blue zebra and the one above. This is how they both used to look.
