Fuzzy fish tail

[Puggle88]

Have a strange story about my neon zebra danios. When I came home on Friday from college I noticed that my red zebra danio was missing so I assumed that it had died and got eaten by the other fish. Saturday I looked in the rocks by a barrel decoration I have and saw a red thing inside the rocks so I assumed that was its dead body.

This morning when I woke up I saw my red zebra danio swimming around with his buddies. I have no idea how it got unstuck. All seemed well, but I looked at his tail fin and I noticed almost half of it is missing and covered in white fuzz. The same looking fuzz that covered My albino Cory eggs when they used to lay eggs. Should I separate the red danio? Is it ick? Is he a zombie? Please help me!!!

 

[DavidAl]

If the tail area was injured, it could be fungus, aka saprolegnia, which consumes dead tissue. Otherwise what you're seeing is a stacked bacteria, known as Flexibacter Columnaris.

Can you post some pictures?

David

 

[Puggle88]

Ok I got a picture but only one because when I take one picture now with my phone of I want to take another I have to delete 4. My memory is full. :/

 

[Puggle88]

But the fuzz is just on the tail. Are my other fish in danger? Do I need a fungus treatment?

 

[DavidAl]

Hi puggle,

I do not believe this fish will recover. You can isolate him and try a Methlyn Blue dip and see if things get better. You can also try a Potassium Permanganate dip. In either case, I think the chances are slim. It looks like there is some fuzzy stuff behind the operculum too. The best thing you can do now is remove him from the tank. If he happens to get better, swab the affected areas with a half strength solution of hydrogen peroxide and then treat with Kanamycin. Again, it doesn't look good...

Sorry,
David

 

[bkiggy]

+1 with David. That's pretty severe tail rot. You can treat for both diseases David said; but....... That looks bad

 

[Puggle88]

Another strange thing. His tail is missing and so is the fungus. WTH?

 

[Puggle88]

Will the fungus come back?