# Jack Dempsy Twitching and scratching?



## andygace (Jan 1, 2009)

We have had a oscar and a jack in a tank for about 3 weeks now thry are both about 3.5 inches. They were both looking very good... colors going out really good after a few days etc... but now the jack keeps having twitching fits and then starts swimming sideways on the gravel like he is scratching? He is not eating much either if I feed blood worms they he will slowly pick at them for abou 10 mins until they are gone. The oscar is doing great though eating a dew worm as I type this...


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## pat3612 (Jan 29, 2008)

Where did you get the dew worms you could have introduced something into the tank. Are you only feeding the Jack bloodworms. has he lost any color.


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## andygace (Jan 1, 2009)

pat3612 said:


> Where did you get the dew worms you could have introduced something into the tank. Are you only feeding the Jack bloodworms. has he lost any color.


We got the dew worms from a local bait shop. Jack eats both blood worms and cichlid pellets and he hasn't lost any colour.


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## aeri (Sep 9, 2007)

is the jack flickering against the gravel or ornaments looking like its scratching its body? that would sound like ich.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Sounds like either ich or flukes, or some other external parasite irritating the mucus membrane.

Watch him for two or three days - the symptoms might subside and disappear. If he starts having white spots, it's ick. If he continues to scratch without any outward symptoms, he might have flukes, in which case you need an anti-parasitic medication.

Jungle tabs anti-parasite meds sound like people have success with it. If you have it or can get it, try prazipro. It will treat the flukes, as well as any internal parasites you might be introducing with live foods.


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## andygace (Jan 1, 2009)

I added a bit of salt into the tank and i increased the temp should be around 78 by the morning


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## andygace (Jan 1, 2009)

Also he even looks better since I added the salt... being alot more active and hes looking around th bottom for more food


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## andygace (Jan 1, 2009)

It is now official, Jack has ick. Luckily we caught it early on. We just added salt and ick guard to the tank, any other advice? Oscar hasn't caught it yet. We also raised the temp. to about 80.


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## pat3612 (Jan 29, 2008)

Make sure there is no carbon in your filter thats about it . IT should clear up.


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## MacFish (Jun 15, 2006)

What was your temp before you raised it? Normally, I like to slowly raise to 85 degrees over a couple days. Normally I don't use meds so check to see what they recommend. If it's safe, bump it up slowly. Make sure you increase the water circulation though since there will be less oxygen at those temps. Do you have an extra air pump you could add?


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## andygace (Jan 1, 2009)

The temp is at about 79 degrees right now and it was about 76 3 hours ago. We dont have an extra air pump so we are stuck there...


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## MacFish (Jun 15, 2006)

Do you have 1 air pump in there now? What is your filter? Is there a lot of movement on the surface?


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## andygace (Jan 1, 2009)

MacFish said:


> Do you have 1 air pump in there now? What is your filter? Is there a lot of movement on the surface?


Yes we have an air pump and I dont know the filter exactly but its rated from 20-40 gal.


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## MacFish (Jun 15, 2006)

As long as there is a lot of surface movement, I'd bump it to at least 82 - 83 assuming the meds don't advise otherwise. 

If you see your fish look like they are breathing heavily, back it back down a touch.


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## XbrandonX (Nov 22, 2007)

MacFish said:


> As long as there is a lot of surface movement, I'd bump it to at least 82 - 83 assuming the meds don't advise otherwise.


Ya I always understood to raise the temp to 84 and add some salt and your Ich's a gonner...


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