Sick fish - which situation is better for him?

[pwrflpills]

I have a Panda Cory with bacterial fin rot. All other fish show no signs of illness. I think it was due to the fact that I put in eco-complete substrate 3 weeks ago and had not vacuumed or done a water change since. (I did a 70% water change and vacuumed tonight). Parameters are ammonia 0ppm, nitrite 0ppm, nitrate +/- 10ppm, pH 7.0-7.2.

Today I bought 4 Von Rio tetras and some mondo grass, which are now in the tank. I have since moved the Panda to my 5 gallon bucket with some plastic plants, an air line, and treated with Melafix. However, I do not have an extra heater and that is my concern.

Now for the question: Is the Panda better off in the QT bucket on his own with treatment, but with no heater and temps that will probably drop into the low 70's? Or should I put him back in my 20 gallon and treat the 20 gallon with Melafix? I could also put him in my hanging breeder "tank" so he's in the warm water, but will not come in contact with the other fish. But then of course I'm putting him in the tank and possibly unnecessarily treating the whole tank.

Any other ideas? My resources are somewhat limited. Thanks!

 

[An t-iasg]

Melafix is a natural treatment and not a medication that needs to be removed with carbon after treatment. So it wouldn't really hurt the tetras to use Melafix in the tank, if you put the cory back. But what I would do is leave the cory in the bucket, since he's already in there, with the Melafix treatment. I did a few google searches on panda cories and their preferred temperature is 72-75 degrees F, and they will tolerate temperatures down to 69 degrees. I don't think you have to worry about the temperature in the bucket if it won't get any colder than 69-70 degrees. Just remember to acclimate the cory back to the warmer temperature of the tank when you put him back. When I acclimate one of my fish from the QT back to the main tank, I put the fish in a small container with some of the QT water, and pour a little bit of water from the tank into the container every 10 minutes or so for about an hour. I use a digital thermometer to monitor the temperature in the acclimation container. Then, if necessary, you can top off the main tank a little.

Also, mondo grass is not an aquatic plant. It will rot and die in your tank. I would remove it before it fouls your water. When I did google searches to verify that, I saw pictures of plants that I have in my backyard garden!

 

[pwrflpills]

Wow, thanks for researching that for me. And BTW, Go Steelers (I was born just outside Pitt in a town called Sewickley.)

I had a feeling the Pandas were tolerant to lower temps, I just hadn't had the time to research it yet tonight. I'll go ahead and leave him in the bucket. I hope Melafix is enough treatment. I've used other "Anti-Bacterial" and "Anti-Fungus" treatments by Aquarium Products in the past, but I can't remember any fish ever surviving when they were used.

I've read how mondo grass is not an aquatic plant in the past, but my fairly respectable LFS stands by the belief that with enough light they do just fine. I have about 1.4 wpg. So I spent $3 and we'll see how it goes. I've actually had another small mondo grass in my tank for a couple months and while it hasn't grown and has a little algae on it, it's still just as green as Day 1.

 

[An t-iasg]

I'm sure your cory will get better! Sometimes bottom fish get some mild finrot from resting on the substrate where all the detritus is. I had a betta once that sat on the bottom of the tank a lot. His anal fin got a bit raggety. That's when I figured out how to make my bettas a little java moss bed to keep them off the bottom, and all my bettas have loved it! Planted tanks may not need vacuumed as much as a non-planted tank, but you can still vac up the bigger messes and around areas of greater waste accumulation - like a spot in the tank where the current may carry the detritus.

Continue to keep an eye on the mondo grass...mine outside in my garden now is still green! I didn't know what I have was generically called "mondo grass". The name on the tag was Liriope muscari 'Majestic'. Interesting how your lfs says it needs good light in a tank - mine grows thick and full in the shade outside! The leaves are tough - I'll cut most of the old leaves off in the spring and new leaves will grow in fairly fast. Keep us posted on how it does in you tank.

The Sewickley - Osborne area is very nice! I've taken walks around there to photograph some of the interesting archetechure.

And welcome to Aquarium Advice!

 

[pwrflpills]

As an aside, I think what I have is dwarf mondo grass b/c I too grew up with "mondo grass" all around outside, but the leaves are nowhere near the broadness and thickness of those leaves and the plants seem fairly mature, but the size of a tennis ball, if you will. The mondo grass is what they use in a method called Xeriscape down here, which I believe was developed in the 80's to curb the use of heavy watering plants in time of drought. As you can imagine the freshwater supply in South Florida can be turned off like a light if we don't get enough rain in a season. I also noticed a LOT of grasses being used in residential landscaping when I was last in Pitt last year - bigger, wispier grasses. Seems to be all the rage up there.

Ya, I love Pittsburgh and especially Sewickley (and your picture there too). I can picture myself standing at the waters edge at Point Park there, or whatever it's called. I was just up there (Sewickley, Allison Park, Fox Chapel and I got to play Oakmont!!!) in September (unfortunately for my grandfather's funeral), but something inside me always wants to consider moving back up there. Great people in the area compared to the ones down here in FLA help that urge. If you or anyone you know is thinking of moving down here, DON'T. Save yourselves. It's miserable.

Anyway, thanks again for the advice and the welcome!

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

Keep in mind, plants when they are submerged take on a different shape of leaf, typically thinner.. The stem also thins as it doesn't have the weight to support.

 

[An t-iasg]

pwrflpills, LOL - I have cousins in the Tampa area (Palm Harbor) and Jacksonville. I love visiting FL and was last down there in February 2000. I had a great time, but it was too hot for me in February! I told my cousin we'd visit in the winter, and wow, was it hot already! My cousin in Jacksonville had an outdoor wedding on the beach in July! I was never so hot in my life! When I was in FL, I collected seashells on the beach, and when my cousin came up here, we collected orange and red fall leaves for her to take home!

Although "mondo grass" is usually not an aquarium plant, maybe yours will work out. It's hard to know sometimes how lfs label things - if you had a scientific name you'd know for sure what you have. Good luck with it, and with the cory!