Flesh eating disorder or war wounds

[snowangeltae]

I had my fish in another aquarium where I thought the big sore on her back was from one of the other fish. I moved her to another tank w/ a tank divider and after 2 weeks, the sore seems to only be getting worse. I have attached a link to the best pic I could snap. Also, at the bottom of the tank, there seems to be pieces of flesh sitting there. As if it is falling off her.

http://www.geocities.com/snowangel@swbell.net/NewImage.jpg

 

[Puriti]

when my betta had a flesh eating parasite thingies she just had a hole in her side that just got bigger it never looked like that... that's strange .__. It looks more like a fight wound to me but I'm no expert....

 

[snowangeltae]

Here's a top view.

http://www.geocities.com/snowangel@swbell.net/NewImage2.jpg

 

[Zagz]

I still think it is an attack wound getting secondary infection. What are you treating with? Melafix and pimafix will not be strong enough to help that IMO. Time for something stronger. Is she in a tank of her own?

 

[Devilishturtles]

I am not sure if it is war wounds. I have seen entire shipments of fish come into my place of work, from the supplier, with wounds that look exactly like that.

My first couse of action would be to get yourself a broad spectrum antibiotic(tetracycline, would be a good choice). It would definitley seem to me that it is some sort of vibrio, or bacteria that are just loving the cozy home of your fish's cells.

After you take a course of action to kill the bacteria, a treatment of melafix and pristine water would be reccomended, to help your fish regrow the eaten tissue. It would be very important to keep good water quality during this entire treatment, to make sure your fish doesn't contract a secondary infection. Therefore, like suggested, you may definitley want to look into getting a 10 gallon QT tank, to make your life much easier.

Best of luck.

 

[Zagz]

I think I am getting my threads confused, LOL . I thought this was a progression of another thread relating to war wounds. In that case disregard my advice LOL, it was meant for another thread. I really should sleep more.

 

[snowangeltae]

I set up a 10 gal QT and I am using an erythromycin powder. Do fish normally recover from this sort of infection. She is still eating normally.

 

[Puriti]

My betta fish did, she's perfectly fine now, just has the scar from where the scales reformed

Hope your fishy lives ^^

 

[snowangeltae]

Ok. So I have tried an erythromycin powder for 5 days (as directed on the package) and my fish isn't getting any better. Should I try for another 5 day treatment, or should I try tetracycline? Is tetracycline a better antibotic than erythromycin?

 

[Devilishturtles]

Erythromycin is so commonly used that you run the risk of finding bacterial strains that are immune to it. I'd go for the the tetracycline.

 

[snowangeltae]

Should I do a 20% water change first before using the tetracycline?

 

[Devilishturtles]

In your 10 gallon tank, I'd do more like a 50% change. Treating with both antibiotics in the water may be overkill. A 50% change should get enough out, IMO.

 

[snowangeltae]

I bought the tetracycline and I also got some mela fix. Can I use the 2 together, or should I treat w/ the tetracycline 1st and then do the mela fix?

 

[Devilishturtles]

I would do the tetracycline first, than the melafix.