Expert: Ron Coleman - 11/25/2004

Question
I know that nearly all cichlid enthusiasts consider the Blood Parrot hybrids to be freaks, so I won't be surprised or offended if you aren't interested in this question.  In case you are, here's my problem.  One of our 7 parrots developed what I identified as Lateral Line disease.  Unfortunately, I initially thought it was an injury that was causing the spot on his face.  Once I realized what it was (I think), I went to my local expert, and he gave me Sea Cure copper treatment, which I was to use as directed ("1 drop per every gallon to  produce an ionic copper level of 0.15 parts per million")on the bottle once immediately, then again a week later.  The day after the first dose, the original fish succumbed, after having been listless and hanging towards the top of the tank, away from the others.  Two days later, I lost a seemingly healthy fish which had had no symptoms that I could find.  Now I am at 2 days after the second dose.  I have another fish behaving uncharacteristically, and am becoming a bit desperate.  We have had most of these fish for years, but the afflicted ones are different ages and sizes.  They are in a 165 gallon tank, which has been set up for 4 months.  Repeated nitrite, ammonia, and ph test come up at perfect levels.  Can you offer any suggestions?  Sorry about the length of this post, but you did say to provide details.  Thanks for your time, whether you can help or not!

Answer
Hi Kelly,
   I am a bit surprised at the use of copper to treat this diease.  I can't see how Lateral line erosion would benefit from copper, in fact the opposite seems likely to me.

   The trouble with lateral line disease (also called hole in the head) is that we don't really know what causes it.  We know that the tissue erodes away and we know that if you biopsy the fish, you will find certain bacteria in the wounds. BUT, and this is the biggee, we don't know if it is the bacteria that are causing the problem or are merely a secondary infection. Increasinly people suspect the latter.  

   The one thing that seems to assist with laterial line diseases is to increase the frequency and/or volume of water changes.  The disease seems most prevalent in fishes more sensitive to dissolved metabolites in the water (e.g., oscars being the most sensitive) and simply changing more water, more often frequently arrests the progression of the disease.  For example, with an oscar tank, I strongly recommend that a person change 25% of the water EVERY week to keep the oscar healthy, regardless of the size of the tank or the amount of filtration.  

  As for parrot cichlids, I have heard a lot less about this disease attacking them but my advice would be the same.

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
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