# My Pike Is Ill PLEASE HELP!!!



## iverson1024 (Sep 29, 2008)

:help:

I have a Crenicichla sp. "Belly Crawler" Pike Cichlid. He frequently rubs himself against every surface in the tank. His Lips are very swollen and there is a spot or two or where his skin is completely rubbed off. 1. What would cause him to rub all over the tank decor. 2. How bad is this for him. 3. what can be done to help him? 

thank you.

-Iverson

:help:


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Rubbing is often a sign of skin parasites like ich or flukes. You might want to net him and look him over with a magnifying glass to see if you can Id something. Look into dip treatments like quick salt baths


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Ouch.

Add 1 tablespoon of salt per 5 gallons and get some stuff called "MelaFix" & "PimaFix" and use them both simultaneously. That should help a bit with keeping things from getting any worse. After that it's time to identify and cure the cause, which is likely parasites like emc7 said. How many other fish are in the tank? How are they doing?


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## iverson1024 (Sep 29, 2008)

all of the other fish in the tank are doing very well, there are 2 green terrors and 2 firemouths, a needlenose gar (asian) and a pleco, they are all still small, gts and fms are about 2 1/2 to 3 inches, gar is about 7 inches, pikes about 5 inches, and the pleco is huge at about 11 or 12 inches. i will be moving them all to separate tanks as they grow. they're in a 75 gallon with 2 55 gallon filters, sand substrate and plenty of hiding areas. I have looked the pike over for hours and i cannot see anything on his skin, they've gotten ich once and i "cured" it, that was about a month ago though. Ill try the salt. Oh, the swelling has gone down on his lips. but it looks like he was injured somehow on the right side of his jaw. its a little lop-sided.


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## iverson1024 (Sep 29, 2008)

the skin on his sides is starting to heal up, so i have no idea lol


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Well, at least it's not getting worse.


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## Kurtfr0 (Nov 2, 2008)

My african cichlid rubs against everything, I think hes just weird, hes active eats like a pig, awesome color and theres no sign of a parasite on him.


Edit. Some say its marking territory (I don't think so), also some people say fish itch, but since they don't got hands yea. 

I don't know. If thats the only problem and hes healthy leave him. Mines been around forever.

Opps didnt remember you said his lips are swollen and stuff. Mine is not.

I put a feeder fish in his tank, so he becomes more territorial, and his colors flare up. he doesnt even touch the feeder fish, its been in there forever lol.

Also check for flukes


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