bennyblee
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Hey everyone, would appreciate some guidance/advice on treating my sick guppy. I think it is columnaris but I'm not sure and am seeking second opinions. I am on my third day of treatment, as described in detail below. My specific questions are:
1. Is this columnaris and is acting as columnaris usually does? I am treating with aquarium salt and Kanaplex, but furan-2 is no longer available anywhere. Any other options for treatment? I realized I underdosed Kanaplex last night (only treated the volume of water exchanged, not the full tank)--should I redose another half dose now?
2. If not columnaris, what else could I be missing? Fungus. Internal parasites?
3. How can I get my sick guppy to eat again? I have tried to soak food in a solution of garlic juice, with no success.
The background here is that I discovered Ich in my tank almost 2 weeks ago. I began a treatment regimen of increased temp (to 80F) and daily 30% PWC + Ich-X. That regimen seemed to go really well, no white spots for almost a week, I think after one more treatment tonight I will be done.
However, during the treatment regimen, two of my guppies got sick (as I was warned might happen due to the increased stress). One (named Glory by my kids) developed a large white patch at the base of the tail that caused it to clamp, along with a discolored region along and behind the eye. The other (named Greatness, again by my kids
) started to look really wasted, developed a bright white swelling of the lower lip, fin rot, and a raw region along the back near the base of the tail.
I went out and got a small 5g hospital tank. I bought it used from LFS, very old, have no idea what kind of make/model, but it's split with a silicone barrier in the middle and has an old HOB-style filter. I disinfected prior to use with a vinegar solution. I moved one of my filter sponges from my main tank into it to seed, added API aquarium salt (1/2 teaspoon per gallon as per instructions), treated with Kanaplex, then moved the two guppies into it.
Unfortunately, Glory crumped rapidly. Within 24 hours of having detected the lesions, she stopped eating, got dropsy, and clearly was dying, so I euthanized her.
Greatness is much more active. After the first day of treatment, the white swelling of the lips completely resolved. However, the raw spots on her back are still there and not improving, she shows interest in food but spits everything back out, and spends every minute pooping, alternating between white mucous and what looks like normal poop (so maybe she is eating a little bit that I just haven't noticed?)
Unfortunately, the first day the hospital tank had an ammonia spike to 0.5 ppm, which I'm sure contributed to Glory's demise. As soon as I detected it I dosed Prime to bring it back down. I didn't want to do PWC yet since then I would be removing the Kanaplex. Now, ammonia and nitrites 0 ppm, nitrates 5 ppm, temp 75F, pH 7.8.
It's now the third day, I did 50% PWC last night and re-dosed both aquarium salt and Kanaplex, although underdosed the Kanaplex by mistake
. Should I re-dose another half dose now?
Sorry to be so long-winded. Additional details below.
1~Affected fish: Female guppy. See above for specific issues.
2~Parameters: In both hospital tank and main tank, ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 5 ppm, temp 75F, ph 7.8.
3~Tank details: Hospital tank is 5g, set up 3 days ago. Main tank is 20g high, set up 2.5 months ago, finished fishless cycle 4 weeks ago, stocked 3 weeks ago.
4~Filtration: Not sure for hospital tank, bought used. For main tank, Marine slim S20 HOB filter filled with sponge media, ceramic biorings, and Purigen (removed during Ich-X treatment). Not sure on flow rates for either, just titrating to get good water movement/bubbling at the drop-in.
5~Fish details: Just the sick guppy in the hospital tank, in the main tank one more female guppy, 5 neon tetras, 6 celestial pearl danios, all are well and thriving.
6~Water changes: for hospital tank, did 50% PWC last night, planning every other day to time with kanaplex dosing. For main tank, still am doing Ich-X treatment so have been doing 30% PWC and vacuuming daily for last 9 days, will do one more tonight then be done. Will then resume weekly PWCs.
7~Stocked the main tank ~3 weeks ago. Acclimated by floating bag in the tank, gradually adding small parts tank water until most of the bag was my tank water, then scooped and transferred in.
8~Tank additions: No new additions other than the medications as noted. During the Ich-X treatment, I have been using sodium thiosulfate for my water conditioner for the main tank since it is suggested not to use Prime with Ich-X. I know this has been adding ~0.25 ppm ammonia with each exchange (which dilutes down to <0.1 ppm) since I have a lot of chloramine in my tap water--but my filter cycles this out in hours. For the hospital tank, have been using Prime.
9~Food: alternating Fluval tropical flakes, Omega One micro pellets, and frozen brine shrimp. Tried to soak pellets and shrimp in garlic juice, to no avail. Also tried mash cooked peas, Greatness appeared to nibble on it for a few seconds once.
Thanks!
1. Is this columnaris and is acting as columnaris usually does? I am treating with aquarium salt and Kanaplex, but furan-2 is no longer available anywhere. Any other options for treatment? I realized I underdosed Kanaplex last night (only treated the volume of water exchanged, not the full tank)--should I redose another half dose now?
2. If not columnaris, what else could I be missing? Fungus. Internal parasites?
3. How can I get my sick guppy to eat again? I have tried to soak food in a solution of garlic juice, with no success.
The background here is that I discovered Ich in my tank almost 2 weeks ago. I began a treatment regimen of increased temp (to 80F) and daily 30% PWC + Ich-X. That regimen seemed to go really well, no white spots for almost a week, I think after one more treatment tonight I will be done.
However, during the treatment regimen, two of my guppies got sick (as I was warned might happen due to the increased stress). One (named Glory by my kids) developed a large white patch at the base of the tail that caused it to clamp, along with a discolored region along and behind the eye. The other (named Greatness, again by my kids
) started to look really wasted, developed a bright white swelling of the lower lip, fin rot, and a raw region along the back near the base of the tail. I went out and got a small 5g hospital tank. I bought it used from LFS, very old, have no idea what kind of make/model, but it's split with a silicone barrier in the middle and has an old HOB-style filter. I disinfected prior to use with a vinegar solution. I moved one of my filter sponges from my main tank into it to seed, added API aquarium salt (1/2 teaspoon per gallon as per instructions), treated with Kanaplex, then moved the two guppies into it.
Unfortunately, Glory crumped rapidly. Within 24 hours of having detected the lesions, she stopped eating, got dropsy, and clearly was dying, so I euthanized her.
Greatness is much more active. After the first day of treatment, the white swelling of the lips completely resolved. However, the raw spots on her back are still there and not improving, she shows interest in food but spits everything back out, and spends every minute pooping, alternating between white mucous and what looks like normal poop (so maybe she is eating a little bit that I just haven't noticed?)
Unfortunately, the first day the hospital tank had an ammonia spike to 0.5 ppm, which I'm sure contributed to Glory's demise. As soon as I detected it I dosed Prime to bring it back down. I didn't want to do PWC yet since then I would be removing the Kanaplex. Now, ammonia and nitrites 0 ppm, nitrates 5 ppm, temp 75F, pH 7.8.
It's now the third day, I did 50% PWC last night and re-dosed both aquarium salt and Kanaplex, although underdosed the Kanaplex by mistake
. Should I re-dose another half dose now?Sorry to be so long-winded. Additional details below.
1~Affected fish: Female guppy. See above for specific issues.
2~Parameters: In both hospital tank and main tank, ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 5 ppm, temp 75F, ph 7.8.
3~Tank details: Hospital tank is 5g, set up 3 days ago. Main tank is 20g high, set up 2.5 months ago, finished fishless cycle 4 weeks ago, stocked 3 weeks ago.
4~Filtration: Not sure for hospital tank, bought used. For main tank, Marine slim S20 HOB filter filled with sponge media, ceramic biorings, and Purigen (removed during Ich-X treatment). Not sure on flow rates for either, just titrating to get good water movement/bubbling at the drop-in.
5~Fish details: Just the sick guppy in the hospital tank, in the main tank one more female guppy, 5 neon tetras, 6 celestial pearl danios, all are well and thriving.
6~Water changes: for hospital tank, did 50% PWC last night, planning every other day to time with kanaplex dosing. For main tank, still am doing Ich-X treatment so have been doing 30% PWC and vacuuming daily for last 9 days, will do one more tonight then be done. Will then resume weekly PWCs.
7~Stocked the main tank ~3 weeks ago. Acclimated by floating bag in the tank, gradually adding small parts tank water until most of the bag was my tank water, then scooped and transferred in.
8~Tank additions: No new additions other than the medications as noted. During the Ich-X treatment, I have been using sodium thiosulfate for my water conditioner for the main tank since it is suggested not to use Prime with Ich-X. I know this has been adding ~0.25 ppm ammonia with each exchange (which dilutes down to <0.1 ppm) since I have a lot of chloramine in my tap water--but my filter cycles this out in hours. For the hospital tank, have been using Prime.
9~Food: alternating Fluval tropical flakes, Omega One micro pellets, and frozen brine shrimp. Tried to soak pellets and shrimp in garlic juice, to no avail. Also tried mash cooked peas, Greatness appeared to nibble on it for a few seconds once.
Thanks!
