Help!

[Mcor]

Hi all, really hoping someone can chime in here, I have a leopard danio who has a cottony fluffy white patch on his back and part of his tail fin missing. I have pulled him out of the tank for a moment to see closer. The tank is a 66g planted with 2 gold gouramis, 2 opaline gouramis, 12 danios, 7 penguin tetras, 6 platys (+ fry), & 2 BN plecos. Water quality is good (0, 0, <5, ph 7.6 - api master test kit).

Here's some photos. What do I do!?

 

[Mcor]

Another pic

 

[Mcor]

Anyone? I retested the water. My nitrates are really high, I forgot to shake the bottles the first time. 50% water change happening as I speak. It's RED. I can't tell if its 40 or 80 but too high in any case. A nice helping of prime going in too. Sick fishy still in a jug at the moment. Really need some advice as I'm stuck for what to do with him.

 

[conniedearest]

I'm not expert in this situation. But, because of the situation in my tank, I've been doing vast research on different illnesses that can be caused by insufficient water levels. In any case, I think you have a fungal infection. The fungal infection predisposes the fish to fin rot was from my understanding.

Chances are the rest of your fish have it too. So, I would just put him back in the tank, unless you prefer to quarantine him, but either way, you'd be treating both. My friend has recommended to me Pimafix by API. It has a vast range of antifungals, and they believe it to be more effective. Once you start treatment, I would keep testing the water every day, daily partial water changes, and then add the antifungal.The treatment of the antifungal lasts about seven days, and the instructions say then you do a 25% water change after, but I would just monitor the water every day and do partial changes as the levels go.

 

[Mcor]

Thank you for your response. I don't have pimafix but I do have melafix which says its good for finrot/fungus/bacterial infections etc so I've just dosed my tank with that. I think you are right about there possibly being more casualties. No others show any visible signs but some are clamping their fins so obviously not happy. I'll see what the morning brings.

 

[Mcor]

The fish died. Now others in the tank are starting to look a little worse for wear. One zebra danio is swimming erratically and has a tear in the tail fin. I need some help quickly. Anyone know what this might be and the best way to treat it? I dosed the tank with melafix yesterday evening.

 

[conniedearest]

I'm sorry that your fish didn't make it! Have you checked your water parameters today? And, what meds are in the melafix? For finrot, you would want any of these three: Chloramphenicol, Oxytetracycline, and Tetracycline, since they treat gram-negative bacteria. Raise the temperature to 80-85 degrees, and if you have an air pump, increase the rate or add an extra stone since higher temps decrease oxygen levels.

And, perhaps, another partial water change too...is your food for them outdated or expired in any way? Old food can cause finrot. Adding aquarium salt can prove beneficial too as long as you don't have any scaleless fish.

These are just something I read up on! I hope they get better soon.

 

[spiketooth]

Looks fungal for the fish you showed, but for the dino with the torn fin, thats does not soind fungal. most likely fin nipping from other fish. Do you have a picture of your tank. Also reduce the amount of time you have your light on, it will help reduce stress

 

[Mcor]

Well he's swimming erratically and his fins seem 'floppier' than normal. Another seems to be favouring the fins on one side over the other. She's slightly sideways when she swims.
It's scary how quickly things go wrong. We've had a really healthy tank with excellent water parameters and now suddenly out nitrates have climbed to dangerous proportions and the fish are suffering. I haven't tested the water today but with the 50% change we carried out last night we've hopefully dropped the levels a fair bit. I'll be testing again and changing the water some more once kids are in bed. We're off to the LFS soon to get some advice and maybe better medication. I haven't got the melafix to hand but I believe the main ingredient is something closely related to tea tree oil. Somehow I'm thinking its a crock and what I've read on many forums is it usually doesn't help.

 

[spiketooth]

What kind of filter you have and whe was the last time you cleaned it?

 

[Mcor]

We have a large trickle filter. Has carbon, bio balls, ceramic bits, and purigen in it. We clean all the tubes and rinse the wadding in tank water with every water change.

 

[spiketooth]

Have you added anything new?

 

[Mcor]

Not in a few months. I'm totally flummoxed. We spoke to someone at the LFS. I trust him, he seems to know his stuff, he has several tanks of his own at home and is the go-to guy for all the other staff. He said it looked like the beginnings of an ulcer. He said the fuzzy stuff goes a bit solid and scabby, then falls off and leaves an open wound which ultimately kills the fish. His recommendation was the melafix which I am using and to continue with it for 7 days. We'll see.

 

[Mcor]

By the way, thank you for your help. Even if we don't find a solution, it's reassuring to know someone else is following our progress or lack of it.

 

[Mcor]

Tested my water again. Ammonia is 0, nitrite is 0, nitrate is much better (between 10-20 - more orange than red). Interestingly, our ph has dropped a little. Does anyone know if melafix affects ph? It was and has always been a steady 7.6 and now it's more like 7.2. If I have to repeat the dose daily for 7 days, what is it going to do to my ph levels!? This drop was from one single dose. No-one looks sicker, but the two danios I'm concerned about don't look better either. Thinking of pulling them out into a little quarantine tank we've just set up. Though if we need to medicate the whole big tank anyway I'm thinking its not worth it until 7 days has passed and only if they are still sick with no other casualties.

 

[Mcor]

Just seen one of my platys has that same fluffy growth on one of his eyes. Is this columnaris or ... What is it!?! Anyone!?

 

[spiketooth]

Normaly fungal dont spread like that, spreads when the fish skin gets damage and they lose some of there coat. Look around your tank, do a head count. Make sure there is nothing dead inside your tank. If it was a ulcer like your lfs said, then it would only affect that fish. When i get a little down time at work i will do a little more research. Whats the current temp of your water?

 

[Mcor]

24-25c. All accounted for. I've emailed wet web media too to see what they say. I'll let you know their input.

 

[Mcor]

I will say, the fuzzy eye looks no worse, possibly marginally better but definitely no worse. It's not bothering him as far as I can see. Hopefully that's the melafix working. 2 doses, 5 more to go. I'll check my ph this evening.