toomanypets
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
I have a Boesemani Rainbow that has been sick for over a month and I have been trying to treat it for over four weeks.
My tank is a 29 gallon tank that has been up and running for almost a year. There are two Boesemani Rainbows, two Dwarf Neon Rainbows, two Turquoise rainbows, six Glass Bloodfin Tetras, and five Amano Shrimp. It is a lightly planted tank. The Boesemani Rainbows were the first fish in the tank.
pH of the tank is 7.5, ammonia is 0, nitrite is 0, and nitrate runs around 20 to 30 ppm. Temperature is typically 78 but I increased to 84 after illness started.
I do a weekly 35% water change and vacuum gravel. There have been no changes to the tank (added fish, etc.) for over three months.
The first symptom was a small fluffy white spot at the front of the dorsal fin. After seeing this I raised temperature and added a low level of aquarium salt. Over the next two weeks the area got larger and got somewhat red. Went to the LFS where API Tetracycline and Melafix were recommended. Removed carbon filter from tank and treated. That treatment lasted four days until Tetracycline ran out. Went back to LFS and they were sold out of antibiotics. Went to the other LFS (20 miles away actually) and they had furan 2 and Erythromycin. Treated with Furan 2 and Melafix for four days. No improvement and my tank was a mess so I relocated the sick Rainbowfish to a 10 gallon hospital tank filled with water from main tank. I continued treating the fish in hospital tank with Erythromycin and Lifeguard for ten days. The fish’s condition was stable but no improvement.
Then I went on vacation for five days. I returned to find no change for better or worse. Took pictures of fish (September 16th) and went back to LFS. They suggested Erythromycin and API Fungus Cure. I am now 9 days into that and no perceptible change other than the wound is a bit less fuzzy. The fish behavior was normal in the main tank. In the hospital tank is still eats and swims but mostly hovers in one area. Second set of pictures are today. Fungus cure made the water green so color is a bit different. Water changes in the hospital tank have been 25% every two to three days as recommended in medication instructions.
No other fish in my tank have any issue. This fish is 2½ to 2¾ inches in length.
Someone help me please. Do I keep treating or leave it alone to get better or worse? Any other things I can try?
Thanks!
My tank is a 29 gallon tank that has been up and running for almost a year. There are two Boesemani Rainbows, two Dwarf Neon Rainbows, two Turquoise rainbows, six Glass Bloodfin Tetras, and five Amano Shrimp. It is a lightly planted tank. The Boesemani Rainbows were the first fish in the tank.
pH of the tank is 7.5, ammonia is 0, nitrite is 0, and nitrate runs around 20 to 30 ppm. Temperature is typically 78 but I increased to 84 after illness started.
I do a weekly 35% water change and vacuum gravel. There have been no changes to the tank (added fish, etc.) for over three months.
The first symptom was a small fluffy white spot at the front of the dorsal fin. After seeing this I raised temperature and added a low level of aquarium salt. Over the next two weeks the area got larger and got somewhat red. Went to the LFS where API Tetracycline and Melafix were recommended. Removed carbon filter from tank and treated. That treatment lasted four days until Tetracycline ran out. Went back to LFS and they were sold out of antibiotics. Went to the other LFS (20 miles away actually) and they had furan 2 and Erythromycin. Treated with Furan 2 and Melafix for four days. No improvement and my tank was a mess so I relocated the sick Rainbowfish to a 10 gallon hospital tank filled with water from main tank. I continued treating the fish in hospital tank with Erythromycin and Lifeguard for ten days. The fish’s condition was stable but no improvement.
Then I went on vacation for five days. I returned to find no change for better or worse. Took pictures of fish (September 16th) and went back to LFS. They suggested Erythromycin and API Fungus Cure. I am now 9 days into that and no perceptible change other than the wound is a bit less fuzzy. The fish behavior was normal in the main tank. In the hospital tank is still eats and swims but mostly hovers in one area. Second set of pictures are today. Fungus cure made the water green so color is a bit different. Water changes in the hospital tank have been 25% every two to three days as recommended in medication instructions.
No other fish in my tank have any issue. This fish is 2½ to 2¾ inches in length.
Someone help me please. Do I keep treating or leave it alone to get better or worse? Any other things I can try?
Thanks!