Post by Charis on Jan 3, 2007 17:47:45 GMT -5
Okay so I don't know how fin rot developed. The water is kept clean but it looks like I have caught it very very early. I would post a pic but it is such a small patch and greatly resmebles his natural coloring. He has dark red marbling on his fins and on the end of his anal fin it looks darker and slightly receded and torn a bit. It is almost blackish-brown color along a small portion of his fin. It is small and he acts like himself so it is not far advanced. I read to treat it with tetracycline and fungus medications. I have the tetracycline but no fungus meds. I'll have to work on getting some. What do y'all recomend for treating him? Or am I on the path of recovery - I change his water every three days; give him tetracycline and feed him one pellet at a time to avoid any dropping to the gravel below and rotting; polluting his water. Any advice would be appcieated. What is not surprising is this is my fish that is immunocompromised and has chronic SBD. He is my sickly child but I love him none the less.
I would start with a 30 minute bath with methylene blue at double strength, which is very effective for most bacteria and fungii. Methylene blue also helps with the ability of the Hemoglobin in the blood to carry oxygen.
As for in tank treatments (which I would use in conjunction with the baths), I would not recommend the continued used of Tetracycline for a weak fish, Tertracycline is generally more effective for gram positive infections (which most aquatic maladies with the excetion of some eye infestions are gram negative). Also Tetracycline will lower the red blood cell count in fish which will further weaken this fish.
This may be columnaris from your description, which Kanamyacin would be a better choice. Other treatments to consider would be Nitofurazone (which can be combined with Kanamycin), Triple Sulfa, or even Pimafix for a natural and relatively safe treatment.
Another consideration is checking your aquarium Redox, a proper Redox will give away free electrons to free radicals acting much like anti-oxidant vitamens. This is very mis-understood subject in aquarium keeping where there is new un going research in (I have had to change some of my views here based on new evidence).
For more info about methylene blue and more medications ( a growing article):
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquarium_Medication.html
For more information about the Redox Potential (also a growing article):
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Redox_Potential.html
Carl
Aquarium maintenance since 1978
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Quickcure.html
I would start with a 30 minute bath with methylene blue at double strength, which is very effective for most bacteria and fungii. Methylene blue also helps with the ability of the Hemoglobin in the blood to carry oxygen.
As for in tank treatments (which I would use in conjunction with the baths), I would not recommend the continued used of Tetracycline for a weak fish, Tertracycline is generally more effective for gram positive infections (which most aquatic maladies with the excetion of some eye infestions are gram negative). Also Tetracycline will lower the red blood cell count in fish which will further weaken this fish.
This may be columnaris from your description, which Kanamyacin would be a better choice. Other treatments to consider would be Nitofurazone (which can be combined with Kanamycin), Triple Sulfa, or even Pimafix for a natural and relatively safe treatment.
Another consideration is checking your aquarium Redox, a proper Redox will give away free electrons to free radicals acting much like anti-oxidant vitamens. This is very mis-understood subject in aquarium keeping where there is new un going research in (I have had to change some of my views here based on new evidence).
For more info about methylene blue and more medications ( a growing article):
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquarium_Medication.html
For more information about the Redox Potential (also a growing article):
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Redox_Potential.html
Carl
Aquarium maintenance since 1978
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Quickcure.html