What's wrong with my tiger barb's fin?

[aadityav]

Hello. About 2 weeks ago, I noticed that one of my fish from my 10 in my 29-gallon tank was acting lethargic and wasn't swimming well, so I took a look at its fins and realized that its pectoral (side) and pelvic (front-bottom) fins were shrunken, red, and they were stuck to its body, so they couldn't open or move. So I moved the sick fish to a temporary bucket and treated it with Seachem Polyguard for ~1.5 weeks. I changed the water and redosed PolyGuard every 2-3 days, and also occasionally added Seachem Stress Guard in between if it became longer than 2-3 days. The fish is also eating fine. I checked the fish right now, and its pectoral (side) fins are now opening and they seem to have grown a bit, but its pelvic (bottom) fins are still ripped and "not working", and it's red and there's like a black spot in the middle. I checked the fish in my hand (photos attached), and the edge of its bottom fin seems really stiff and hard (feels like there's a small, hard plastic rod inserted at the edge of the fin), and if I try to gently open the fin a bit manually, it opens but then closes (like a spring) if I let go. What should I do now? It seems like its pelvic (bottom) fin has gotten worse than before. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Water Parameters:
pH - 7
Ammonia - 0ppm
Nitrite - 0ppm
Nitrate - ~30ppm
KH - ~70ppm
GH - ~140ppm

 

[Andy Sager]

The fin and red area is a bacterial infection. In your pH, the best antibiotic would have been Nitrofurazone green. While the Polyguard has a Nitrofuran ingredient, it's a minor amount and works more on internal issues than external. Nitrofurazone works on exterior issues like fin and tail rot. Even better, at your pH level, a combination of seachem Kanaplex and Nitrofurazone green is a better broad spectrum treatment. You'll want to treat the fish in a separate hospital tank because the recovery time for fins and bones to regrow is not quick. If you need instructions on setting up a Hospital tank, I address that in this thread ( post #2): Quarantine tanks and Hospital tanks, are they really different?

As for " feels like there's a small, hard plastic rod inserted at the edge of the fin", what you are feeling is the bones that make up the fin. Fins are like our hands. Think of your hand with webbing between every finger from the nail to the palm and that's a fish's fin.

 

[aadityav]

The fin and red area is a bacterial infection. In your pH, the best antibiotic would have been Nitrofurazone green. While the Polyguard has a Nitrofuran ingredient, it's a minor amount and works more on internal issues than external. Nitrofurazone works on exterior issues like fin and tail rot. Even better, at your pH level, a combination of seachem Kanaplex and Nitrofurazone green is a better broad spectrum treatment. You'll want to treat the fish in a separate hospital tank because the recovery time for fins and bones to regrow is not quick. If you need instructions on setting up a Hospital tank, I address that in this thread ( post #2): Quarantine tanks and Hospital tanks, are they really different?

As for " feels like there's a small, hard plastic rod inserted at the edge of the fin", what you are feeling is the bones that make up the fin. Fins are like our hands. Think of your hand with webbing between every finger from the nail to the palm and that's a fish's fin.

Hello. Thank you so much for your reply! I have separated the fish alone into a smaller tank right now so I can dose it individually. Also, I don't have any other meds (like Nitrofuracin Green) right now except for Polyguard, but I do have amoxicillin. Do you think amoxicillin would be helpful for this?

 

[Andy Sager]

Hello. Thank you so much for your reply! I have separated the fish alone into a smaller tank right now so I can dose it individually. Also, I don't have any other meds (like Nitrofuracin Green) right now except for Polyguard, but I do have amoxicillin. Do you think amoxicillin would be helpful for this?

There is a yes and no answer to this. Yes, you can use fish grade amoxicillin but not human grade amoxicillin. If you are taking some from your personal medicine cabinet, I wouldn't use it. Unlike many of the antibiotics where it doesn't matter, it's not the same as fish grade. With that, amoxicillin and any of the penicillins work better in higher pH water so with your pH being neutral, it probably won't be very effective and the disease could get worse during the treatment. I'd hit up your local pet store for Nitrofurazone and/or Kanaplex tomorrow.

 

[aadityav]

UPDATE #1:

I have been treating my fish with amoxicillin (50mg per 2 gallons) daily, and after 3 days of treating, I saw something white on one of the fins (only one fin, the other one seemed fine, like the same as before). So I took the fish to get a closer look and took a few photos (attached) (I didn't touch the fin at all, I just looked at it and took photos.) It looks like there's a white glob of something stuck on it, and like a red blood clot at the end. What's wrong now? Is this a fungal infection? How can I fix this? Thank you for all of your help!

LINK: Quick Share

UPDATE #2 (1 day after update #1):

I was changing the water today, and the white glob fell off randomly (probably due to the force from the water). So I took a few pictures, and the white glob also felt slimy and like a firm ball. Also, there is another white glob forming on the bottom of the fish near the other bottom fin, but I didn't touch it or anything. LINK TO IMAGES: Quick Share

 

[Andy Sager]

UPDATE #1:

I have been treating my fish with amoxicillin (50mg per 2 gallons) daily, and after 3 days of treating, I saw something white on one of the fins (only one fin, the other one seemed fine, like the same as before). So I took the fish to get a closer look and took a few photos (attached) (I didn't touch the fin at all, I just looked at it and took photos.) It looks like there's a white glob of something stuck on it, and like a red blood clot at the end. What's wrong now? Is this a fungal infection? How can I fix this? Thank you for all of your help!

LINK: Quick Share

UPDATE #2 (1 day after update #1):

I was changing the water today, and the white glob fell off randomly (probably due to the force from the water). So I took a few pictures, and the white glob also felt slimy and like a firm ball. Also, there is another white glob forming on the bottom of the fish near the other bottom fin, but I didn't touch it or anything. LINK TO IMAGES: Quick Share

As I tried to explain, none of the penicillin related drugs are really effective for the infection the fish has and especially not in your neutral pH water. Since it fell off so easily, what the fish most likely had is a fungus growing on the open wound. Fungi attack wounds because the protection from the fish's slime coat is missing. While there are meds best for fungal infections, what you need to do is address the bacterial infection first. If you get that part cured, there won't be a place for the fungus to attack. I still recommend the nitrofurazone/ Kanaplex combination since your fish's infection is extreme. If you can only get one of the meds, get the Nitrofuracin. If you can't get that locally to you, here's a link to get it online: AAP Yellow Powder- Premium Nitrofurazone
You can read the whole page and watch the video towards the bottom of the page.

 

[aadityav]

As I tried to explain, none of the penicillin related drugs are really effective for the infection the fish has and especially not in your neutral pH water. Since it fell off so easily, what the fish most likely had is a fungus growing on the open wound. Fungi attack wounds because the protection from the fish's slime coat is missing. While there are meds best for fungal infections, what you need to do is address the bacterial infection first. If you get that part cured, there won't be a place for the fungus to attack. I still recommend the nitrofurazone/ Kanaplex combination since your fish's infection is extreme. If you can only get one of the meds, get the Nitrofuracin. If you can't get that locally to you, here's a link to get it online: AAP Yellow Powder- Premium Nitrofurazone
You can read the whole page and watch the video towards the bottom of the page.

Okay, thank you so much for your help! I found that there is a difference between nitrofurazone (just this chemical), nitrofuracin green (this is nitrofurazone + sulfathiazole + methylene blue + sodium chloride), and nitrofurazone yellow (this is Nitrofurazone + Acriflavin), so which one is better/stronger overall for this case? I also found two links, one for nitrofurazone yellow and nitrofuracin green, which are the links you gave me, so I want to know which one I should buy (I will also try to buy Seachem Kanaplax). Also, I can use both nitrofurazone green and yellow with kanaplex right? Thanks again!

 

[Andy Sager]

Okay, thank you so much for your help! I found that there is a difference between nitrofurazone (just this chemical), nitrofuracin green (this is nitrofurazone + sulfathiazole + methylene blue + sodium chloride), and nitrofurazone yellow (this is Nitrofurazone + Acriflavin), so which one is better/stronger overall for this case? I also found two links, one for nitrofurazone yellow and nitrofuracin green, which are the links you gave me, so I want to know which one I should buy (I will also try to buy Seachem Kanaplax). Also, I can use both nitrofurazone green and yellow with kanaplex right? Thanks again!

I suggest getting the AAP Nitrofurazone yellow to mix with the Kanaplex. ( It's more yellow because of the acriflavin that is part of the mix. ) Their Nitrofuracin green has a number of other chemicals in the mix ( it's called N green because when wet, the chemical turns green from the other meds in the mix. ) I did not see any mention of using the N Green in combination with Kanamycin. I'd contact AAP to confirm you can or can't before ordering the wrong one.
( On a side thought, you may be able to get Kanaplex cheaper locally to you than on the AAP site. AAP also sells Kanamycin, the main ingredient of Kanaplex, so you may be able to get that through AAP cheaper than Kanaplex. Just confirm with AAP that their Kanamycin will work in the combination as the Kanaplex does as that may be a cheaper buy. )

 

[aadityav]

I suggest getting the AAP Nitrofurazone yellow to mix with the Kanaplex. ( It's more yellow because of the acriflavin that is part of the mix. ) Their Nitrofuracin green has a number of other chemicals in the mix ( it's called N green because when wet, the chemical turns green from the other meds in the mix. ) I did not see any mention of using the N Green in combination with Kanamycin. I'd contact AAP to confirm you can or can't before ordering the wrong one.
( On a side thought, you may be able to get Kanaplex cheaper locally to you than on the AAP site. AAP also sells Kanamycin, the main ingredient of Kanaplex, so you may be able to get that through AAP cheaper than Kanaplex. Just confirm with AAP that their Kanamycin will work in the combination as the Kanaplex does as that may be a cheaper buy. )

Okay thank you so much for your help! I will definitely get some Kanaplex, and I'll try to get some nitrofurazone (because it's not available locally for me), and I will also get some aquarium salt (I've heard it's really good to use it together with medications). Thanks again!

 

[Andy Sager]

Okay thank you so much for your help! I will definitely get some Kanaplex, and I'll try to get some nitrofurazone (because it's not available locally for me), and I will also get some aquarium salt (I've heard it's really good to use it together with medications). Thanks again!

Skip the salt for now. That is going to burn the fish for now. Once the ulcer is cured and a scab of skin is over it, THEN you can add salt.