Dying Dojo Loach (Bloody/Red Spots/Tumor?)

[hazymorning]

I was away at college for 4 months and asked my family to watch over my loach. (Couldn't bring him since it's a 9 hour car ride). I came back to find my loach looking like this:

Five days later (today), my baby looks like this:

I have been doing constant water changes but he is only getting worse. Does anybody know what is causing this? Should I euthanize him instead of trying to save him? He used to be very active and playful and now only wants to sit in a couple spots for long periods of time. He used to go crazy when I fed him but now he usually ignores the food. He has no other tank mates with him (previously did).

 

[hazymorning]

The thing on his head just popped:

Continuously changing the water. Will buy antibitotics or will euthanize tomorrow depending how how he is. Anybody know what might be causing this??

 

[Delapool]

Could be something like a bacterial pimple - sometimes with parasite at centre or just something bacterial. Generally they pop and fish should recover. Yours is in a bad spot around head though.

Furan 2 for the bacteria and metronidazole for bacteria / parasites is what I’d try but anyways at this point - hospital tank using same water, keep water clean and antibiotics treatment is my thought.

 

[Autumnsky]

Very sorry to see the trouble you and the little guy are having. Could have been water quality issues, cause stress, cause susceptibility to a parasite. Or it took a long time for the problem to complete a life cycle.

How long did you have the fish before you left for school?

 

[hazymorning]

Very sorry to see the trouble you and the little guy are having. Could have been water quality issues, cause stress, cause susceptibility to a parasite. Or it took a long time for the problem to complete a life cycle.

How long did you have the fish before you left for school?

I've had him for maybe 2-3 years?

 

[Delapool]

That’s a good point - have you done or had the store do a water quality check? If nothing new has been introduced to tank, than water quality may have slipped.

Anyways even with the meds treatment I’d still check water quality as you want it as good as possible while meds work.

 

[coralbandit]

I would look into septicemia...
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...romonas.html&usg=AOvVaw3B7jblw2Vsy1YxDNYYXWTI

 

[hazymorning]

UPDATE:
This morning he was better than last night, as he was swimming around a lot more than he has lately. I went out and bought medication for him to try to treat the issue and got anther testing kit. You can now actually see his other eye better than yesterday, he seems to have more energy, and the thing on his head is gone (but is still slightly bleeding).
Now since I've medicated him he seems a bit more active as well (no longer sitting in one spot for 30 min- 1 hour) but moving frequently.

 

[Autumnsky]

Do you know about the KH/GH of the tank? pH?

I am glad this tough little guy is looking better.

 

[hazymorning]

Readings:

pH: 7.3
Ammonia: 0.25 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 30 ppm

 

[Delapool]

What were meds that you got?

 

[hazymorning]

What were meds that you got?

I got melafix and aquarium salt (only used a little bit and made sure to dissolve before putting it in the tank). There weren't many options at my nearest pet store.

 

[Delapool]

I got melafix and aquarium salt (only used a little bit and made sure to dissolve before putting it in the tank). There weren't many options at my nearest pet store.

Can you get any antibiotics at all? Melafix is more a preventative / low infection levels and salt at low levels is basically the same. Yes, they can work but odds are better with antibiotics as more targeted and mostly safer for fish - it’s really as suits of course for yourself but for background information have copied in a link. Here as meds are also limited - I’d grab triple sulpha which I’ve found in established tanks to cause no issues for fish, plants or nitrifying bacteria.

With the melafix and pimafix - make sure they are well mixed into tank water (same as salt) FYI.

http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquarium_Medication.html

 

[hazymorning]

Sorry for the last response. He's gotten better but also worse. All red spots are gone, his eye is almost back to normal, etc. However, now he has severe swim bladder issues. He's usually always in an upside-down "U" shape now, draped over a leaf or upsidedown under a plant. He does barrel rolls when he swims too now. Should I euthanize?

 

[Autumnsky]

I would try some Epsom salts for a day or so, and access.

First a good water change 30-50%
Epsom salts dissolved into the (treated) water. No additives, colors fragrances, etc. 3 Tablespoons slightly rounded per gallon of tank water.

Then add a little in at a time over the course of about 8 hours, I would recommend longer like a day, but he might not have that long.

Maybe a 1/4 of the concentrate - initially half of that (1/8) and then in an hour the rest of the first portion, being the total of the 1/4.

Then depending on how much time you have to be around the house, divide the rest in approximate amounts every hour for the next 7 hours until it is all in the tank.

***Must always be using treated water before it goes into the tank, of course, even if it is not stated.

I use really hot water in a quart of water to dissolve the salts, then add the other quart of water being very cold so that is adjusted to tank temp. Basically when it is cool, tank temp, I add the water treatment - don't forget it.

If you need more than a quart of water to dissolve it, that is fine too, just use your judgement, and account for that in room in the tank for the amount of water you will be adding back in.

You can do it in which ever way works for you just a way to do it if you didn't know.

Also if you feel it is even more critical in time, you can do it over a couple hours. 1/4 every 30 min.

Doing the Epsom solution gradually is good, but when there is the serious possibility of death, I have had decent results using all the methods above given the critical time in different situations of urgency.

If the swim bladder doesn't really change after a day the euthanization would be my recommendation. (real/pure) Clove oil is what I would use. Pharmacy or cake decorating departments are places to check. Pharmacy can order it. Mine came in
the next day. There is a "sticky" thread in unhealthy fish with your options if needed.

 

[Delapool]

And no more melafix - I’ve had otherwise healthy fish have issues with it.