Fin rot question..

[plecohead]

Hey everyone!

I have a 5inch Pleco that has a serious case of Fin Rot, this is the first time we've had a fish that has got it, and I don't know how to fix it.. He seems to be in so much pain, his tail and fins look like someone took a pair of scissors to them and his body is covered with this white moss kinda stuff, he is also very red in places, looks like blood, like his scales peeled off, the area where he does his waste is all red and inflammed, i don't think he has "wasted" anything in about 2 days, he's not eating, or moving around like he usually does.

we went to Big Als and the guy there told us too buy Cupramine, which we did, and put a small amount in. Is this the best and fastest way of getting rid of Fin Rot??? i don't think he would last the 14 days that it takes to work the best, especially while he isn't eating..

He's in a 10 gallon sick tank right now away from the other fish, his water temp is about 78 degree farenhite (maintained with heater), he's under very dim light (not tank light, a small light beside tank..as the tank light is too bright for him), hes got filtration, water conditioner..

can someone give me advice please, i'm desperate, i don't want to lose him.

thanks so much

Lesley

 

[tetroid]

The guy at Big Als steered you wrong. Cupramine is for external parasites like ich. What you have sounds like a bacterial infection, possibly with secondary fungus. The likely culprit is columnaris.

There's different ways of treating it, but the quickest is to use an antibiotic like Maracyn. You'll find it in Big Als or most any place that stocks aquarium fish. Be sure to do a big water change before you add it. Also, if you can increase surface agitation, then do so. Your pleco needs lots of oxygen in the water.

 

[Jnam]

Or tea tree oil (malafix is the brand name i think). But be careful it will kill off your beneficial bacteria as well. So treat him in a QT tank

 

[Zagz]

Melafix is too mild IMO for the advanced stage you appear to have. You can use the Maracyn or get some Jungle's fungus elliminator which treats both bacterial and fungal infections.

 

[Tommy Gun]

I'm going with tetroid...sounds like your pleco's fin rot is the least of its problems. I do think the white "moss" you describe could be velet and perhaps that is what the Big Al's person was thinking about. I also think that you will need something much stronger than Melafix (which doesn't harm the bacteria, as far as I know). However, if you are going to try treating this fish, I think it would be hard to determine exactly where to start as it sounds like it has at least a few pressing issues. As a problematic optomist, I hate to say it but if your convinced this fish is really suffering, perhaps it would be better to help it move on to bigger and better oceans in the sky.

 

[Zagz]

Are you able to provide a picture? Parastic infestations like ich or velvet require quite a different treatment than columnaris or bacterial fungus. I'd also be inclined to think bacterial infection causing fungus rather than parasitic, a picture would be helpful.