# URGENT HELP blood parrot cichlid



## redkid_nine (Oct 6, 2008)

Hi, My Blood Cichlid is growing a bubble out of her but, Please help me release her pain. Here's a link and an image. Thank You very much.
http://www.geocities.com/redkid_nine/Picture10.jpg


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## Little-Fizz (Aug 19, 2007)

Oh wow that doesn't look very comfortable... I'm not really sure. Can you answer a few things before someone can help you out?

What size tank is he in? Whats the water parameters? what kind/how many tank mates. How long has this growth been there? Is it preventing him from passing waste? How long have you had this guy? And finally is it possible to get a better picture with more detail of the growth?


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## redkid_nine (Oct 6, 2008)

*RE:URGENT HELP*

The aquarium is 20g. He used to live with a smaller parrot but sadly killed it. I just started adding salt water and changing about 25% of the water every week and the water is kept warm at all times. The lump is been there for at least one or two months; but about a day or two it started turning bloody. It looks like he is able to discharge feces. Recently he's been swimming sideways and trying to swim correctly. He eats normally and is of a bright color, thus his scales seem to be flaking a little. This are closer pictures of the mass.
http://img88.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture11sj0.jpg
http://img508.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture15ct7.jpg
these are from a couple weeks ago.
http://img508.imageshack.us/my.php?image=picture15ct7.jpg
http://img88.imageshack.us/my.php?image=85208585eb0.png


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## Little-Fizz (Aug 19, 2007)

I have sent a pm to bettababy.

I think this is some kind of tumor but I'm not really sure. Bettababy will be able to help you out and give you advice for your fish. 

Best of luck! I hope everything works out ok.


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## bettababy (Oct 12, 2006)

Hi, I'll do what I can to help, but will be honest... the photos aren't real clear and there isn't much information provided.

My first question is: How big is this fish?
Then I also need to know what the water params are for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH? If there is medicating that needs to be done I will need the water params in order to find a safe treatment plan for you.
And can you tell me the water temp? (this is also important in deciding medications)

It's hard to tell in the photos if this is a bubble or a solid mass. There are a lot of possibilities for what this could be, which makes it difficult to diagnose something like this via internet. The appearance of the red veining is evidence of a bacterial infection, but the cause of that infection is not so obvious. The infection would be secondary based on your description and the photos.

When the fish is passing feces, can you watch to see if there is any sign of little (very tiny) red worms protruding from the anal opening? 
It's going to be very important to get as accurate of a diagnosis as possible before we choose medications. 

As much as I would like to offer you hope, at this point all I can say is to get the info needed to me asap and we will take it 1 step at a time. I make no promises, this is a very advanced situation... but I will do all I can for you.


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## willow (Sep 9, 2006)

gosh that looks not nice at all. 
hope he pulls through.


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## redkid_nine (Oct 6, 2008)

*RE:*

He/She is about 4 inches long. 
NO3- 40
NO2- .05
PH-7.5
ALK- 120
TH- 120
ImageShack - Hosting :: picture028oh3.jpg
ImageShack - Hosting :: picture024tw0.jpg
ImageShack - Hosting :: picture022du7.jpg
ImageShack - Hosting :: picture027kb9.jpg

No worms were seen, but the red spot is gone now and the skin is pealing. Her/His feces is not in strips, it is more like cloudy junk at the bottom of the aquarium. I started giving it medicine : Parasite Clear (Tank Buddies) also.


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## redkid_nine (Oct 6, 2008)

please someone help. His scales are falling off the spot and now speading out! what can I do????


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## redkid_nine (Oct 6, 2008)

She can't swim or keep staight anymore. i continued the medicine, the aquarium salt, temp 85. A clear bubble has formed, she is eating normal but can't swim or stay staight, she lays on her side where the bump seems to be bigger.


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## ben2et2le2 (Nov 6, 2008)

*Blood parrot ciclid*

I was just "googling" blood parrot ciclids on lineage when I came upon your message that I felt I had to respond to. I may be too late to answer.

From the previous replies and photos, I surmise that your poor blood parrot ciclid has is a "cloacal" herniation. Basically the insides of the fish, namely the intestines, is pushing out through a weak area of the cloaca. If it gets too large, it will interfere with the buoyancy of the fish.

It is not uncommon among fish as I have experienced a few times myself over a couple dozen years especially early on. There is a greater chance of developing it when fish are overfed! Parrot ciclids have voracious appetites (I have a few in my tank). There is no medical treatment. If it is small and recognized as such, limiting feeding amounts may regress it, but the potential for reoccurence is there. The most humane thing to do now is to euthanize the poor creature if it has not expired already.

Parrot ciclids are a man-made hybrid resulting in many deformities physically and internally. It is not a "healthy" strain. Some purists feel such a breeding is an atrocity while others find them strangely attractive.

Though it is sad to lose a fish, there will be others. Do yourself a favor and buy another one. Good luck.


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