Butterfly pleco needs desperate help

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If you look up cauliflower disease, you find it has never been reported in catfish.It usually cures itself in fish that are afflicted, and since it is viral, there aren't any medicines for it. My experience with Erthromycin is that it is useless for anything but blue green algae.


Yes, that's what I saw as well. Which seemed strange but I saw two references to this flicking through google.

Edit - to catfish not getting it I mean
 
Not sure as of how much salt but the so called expert said a fist full. Sounded like to much for me but I been using slightly under that.. How many teaspoon full should it be for this situation in a 20 gallon qt? Yes I used fungal and bacteria medications.. Got one more day to finish the general cure treatment, and after that i really don't have many options.. It's double in size now poor little guy
 
He's in his beloved cave that he loved from main tank.. I will post a updated pic as soon as he comes to front glass.. Thanks again guys
 
So what I've been reading up on is that you want to remove the healthy fish, not the sick fish. So that they can't get the virus from the water. And no, don't treat the tank. It's not going to do anything except maybe stress the fish, which will make them more susceptible to the virus. Remember, antibiotic meds also kill many of the beneficial bacteria that live in your fish and help keep them healthy, and there are always side effects to meds. Use only when they will actually help. If I were you, I would sterilize your tank completely (complete tear down and reset up) and then re-introduce your healthy fish (might have to recycle too to be safe...) read up on it though. Do more research. Do the best for your fish.
 
Pleco needs help

Hopefully it don't spread I wouldn't be able to house them all in qt too many fish.. But he's been qt for 16 days now everyone is thriving doing there thing. My fish are my 2 child iam always looking at them I yanked him as soon as he had a little bump.so hopefully the time spent watching them pays off..as for my boys mouth it got a little bigger but he's been eating the garlic soaked shrimp pellets.he hasn't been eating much nibble here nibble there.He's out and about total 360 with his personality so iam really counting on salt and the best water he can have.guess we will see
 
I know he's why I was worried so much it took me a long time to find him..my Cory catfish are usually the first ones to start acting weird when it's time for a water change,and all of them are doing really good.Thanks a lot I got my fingers and toes crossed on this one.
 
Not sure as of how much salt but the so called expert said a fist full. Sounded like to much for me but I been using slightly under that.. How many teaspoon full should it be for this situation in a 20 gallon qt? Yes I used fungal and bacteria medications.. Got one more day to finish the general cure treatment, and after that i really don't have many options.. It's double in size now poor little guy


I usually work on 1 to 2 tablespoons of salt for catfish but just curious as he seems to be handling it well.

Is the flesh being eaten away around the growth or does the growth look fairly clear-cut edges? What is your QT temp?

If it is viral (like cauliflower disease) somehow then you can only try to wait it out and hope it goes after a few months.

I can only think of trying a gram negative antibiotic next.

Or a dip / painting the growth directly.

Edit - a pic if possible sounds great.
 
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You can't tell from picture it started getting darker..kinda getting brownish. Iam hoping that's a good thing and it's dying and will go away. Iam just doing water changes replacing salt with what I took out and crossing fingers
 
Awww man.... Well if it's like bba than the color change could indeed signify a die off.. I feel bad for the poor little guy..
 
No everything seems fine from what I can see.. He's deff doing better. He's back to being in cave I can tap on glass and throw some garlic soaked pellets and before they hit the floor he's on them so I mean that's gotta count for something..should I do wc everyday or every other day? I been doing it every other vacuuming and brushing walls the whole nine.
 
Get a heads up from someone more experienced than me for what I'm about to suggest. But, I would buy some l-lysine and mix it into his food. In humans it helps minimize some viral attacks and when my cat's paw gets inflamed from viruses, the vet puts him on liver flavored l-lysine paste. But, make sure an old timer says trying something like this is ok. I'm just trying to think out of the box. I hope he gets well soon.
 
I'd be tempted to keep to same routine as he is improving. What are ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? How much do you change each time?

Edit - can't comment on the l-lysine as never used.
 
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Think iam gonna keep up with the salt only cause his appetite is back.. I am definitely gonna get the researching on that.sounds interesting
 
All good.

I have a working theory that a ph below 7 helps in these situations but need another 10 years to test it.
 
Yea my fish seem to live better below 7.. Schooling play fighting chasing, very fun to watch.and above 7 my Cory's and barbs start acting weird staying to themselves and what not
 
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