need some experienced advice

[aquaholic85]

ok well i think one of my cpds is getting fin rot..it’s tail fins are not flared out and looks ‘cramped’ together..the fish has been hanging out at the top of the tank and not really eatting. i just had the same problem with another fish and melafix treatment didn’t work…fish actually died when i put back in the community tank.

so has anyone had this problem before with their fish or other speices? whats some ways to cure?? Anyhelp wiill be appreciated…

and how is everyones breeding projects going??

[L777]

Ryan,
sounds to me like it could be water quality, parasites, or old age — sort of hard to tell from those symptoms. What has changed recently in the tank of the sick one?

My wild-caught breeding group started producing again a few weeks ago. The only change in their tank since they stopped earlier was my ramping up again the number of live feedings per day. The water quality in the tank when the second batch started arriving was actually a bit worse than when they had stopped after the first big spawn.

[aquaholic85]

Damn dude..fish passed aWAY last night it sucks..besides water changes what are other ways i can improve my water quality and/or remove parasites?

i tried the melafix for a few days and it didn’t seem to do any good. So what would you do in my case?

Others pls. reply and wheres steve been?

[atlantis_child]

Sorry to hear.

How did you use the melafix treatment? What tank size, doses, water changes/filter, salt or not etc.?

Any additional info will help to figure out the why.

– Atlantis

[aquaholic85]

I have a 20 gallon with cpds, neons, an oto, and few RCS. If i had poor water wouldn’t my RCS be dying off first?? As filter goes i have a cascade 200 and keep my temp around 79F. No i don’t use any salt in my cpd tank cuz i have plants and don’t think the fish would be into the saltiness.. I only use salt in my African Cichlid tank. I do water changes every 2-3 weeks.

I used the melafix treatment in my spare 10g that i’m bout to dismantle..I applied with a dose every day for a week and din’t do a thing. when i reintroduced the fish back to the community tank it started going bonkers..swmming crazy flashing off the glass, substrate and ornaments, and within two days it croked. So I don’t know whats going on.

I love the RCS but i put them in my tanks sort of as a ‘Canary’ and warn when things aren’t good.
I use Eco-complete plant substrate that i’m starting to be come un-fond of because it seems to trap debris .

HELP ME OUT PEOPLE.
-Ryan

Where has STE been??

[atlantis_child]

Oh I was asking for stats about the treatment tank really. Sure your water is great, but even that doesn’t keep away all the nastys.

Salt on a regular basis isn’t good unless you have fish that apprecaite a little, like my dwarf platys.

At work how I use the Melafix (I’m the fish doc there) is add the dose it says on the bottle and two rounded table spoons of aquarium salt per 10 gallons.

The fish medication is somewhat smothering, and the salt helps the fish breathe.

Forget using a filter int the “sick fish” tank. Use a gravel vacumn to take out half the water (from the botton, as that’s where the most salt is, and too much salt is not good. Replace it with declorinated water about the same temperature and and do another full treatment of medicine and salt.

Helps if both the start up and additions after are from the same tank as the one you took the fish from if possible.

I couldn’t say for sure but it might, might have been Chilodonella. Not a very common thing though, but matches them symptoms closer than others.

– Atlantis

[maximumbob]

I have found the best treatment for mystery illnesses in the tank is daily water changes and carbon filtration combined.

I have a little tiny filter with some carbon in it which I pop into the tank. Daily 10-15% water changes with a little extra decholrinator.

If symptoms persist I use a broad spectrum treatment such as Esha 2000. Its a dutch treatment which covers a wide range of illnesses.

I would make sure that your dechlorinator binds heavy metals as that can sometimes cause erratic swimming and behaviour.

Max

ps. Ste has got important family business to take care of at present. I’m sure as soon as its settled he’ll be right back.

[Aquaseafoam]

Do you have a test kit to measure the actual level of ammonia nitrite and nitrate? those would be helpful in determining if your water is actually “fine”. I have found my rcs to be pretty hardy, so I wouldn’t assume that they would die before you fish get sick.

[Author]

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