Not sure what to do/how to treat Castiel & Bobby

[DefyingGravity]

First some tank details:

Divided 22.33 Gallon tank (apparently from working out dimensions)
Live plants
Rock in each tank - Bobby's covered in Java Moss, Castiel's yet to be covered fully.
Heater & Filter
Temp usualy around 28* C (82 degrees Fahrenheit?)
50-75% water changes once a week with the use of Prime conditioner.

Let's start with Castiel first.

A few weeks ago, he got sucked up while I was doing a tank clean, and it damaged his fins etc, however recently it seems to have got worse. His scales look strange and his fins seem all clamped.

I did have a slime issue with the tank these two are in, however it got a full clean today, so hopefully that might help. He has been fairly active, and still eating, up until the water change/tank re-do today. He is currently just sitting on the bottom of the tank. I've started to add some aquarium salt (hardly any - 1/2 tablespoon for the whole tank).

Here are some pictures:







What do you think the best course of action is. If need be, I can put one into a much smaller tank (1gal) to treat, but I don't have any other tanks.

Bobby on the other hand is not worrying me as much as Castiel. When I got Bobby he had a lovely full tail, however the next day it was almost all gone (I'm assuming he bit it, most likely due to the stress of moving to a new tank, and one with a stronger filter). I'm just concerned as it seems his tail isn't healing at all (but doesn't seem to be getting worse) while Chuck's is almost completely healed, and his was already chomped when I got him home. There is no difference in the tanks, what I am feeding them or anything, except for the slime issue.

Some pics:







Could the slime have been stopping their healing? Should I start to medicate either of them?

I stress so much over my fish :(

[dramaqueen]

I would go ahead and try Maracyn. I have no idea if the slime problem caused their condition or not.

[Romad]

If it were me, I would do a few low doses of the Maracyn I & II combo in case it's bacterial and not just nipping or damage. Then I'd continue with salt baths and adding AQ salt to the water changes. Keep the water clean clean clean after treatment.

Don't forget to remove any filter pads that have carbon in them while you're treating with Maracyn. And put a new one in after you're done treating.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[kelly528]

Dumb question... Are these tanks cycled or uncycled?

Also, I think water stats are an order before you go ahead with meds.

[DefyingGravity]

The tank is cycled. I'm already adding salt. I wasn't sure if I could do a salt bath for this problem, but I might give it a shot then.

I can also only give pH levels, thats all I have a testing kit for (and that the only testing kit I've ever seen around here). Which I will do when I get home, cos I'm currently elsewhere :)

Thanks guys!

[Noko]

Castiel looks like my Alpha (color and whats going on with him). Alpha however has what looks like a cloudy eye, and yesterday had what looked like skin peeling off of his head. If you figure out what is wrong with Castiel, I would be be really appreciative to know what it is! If Alpha has the same thing, I would be amazed, but right now I am just looking for what it might be.

Good luck to you and I hope both of your bettas get better! I would try to help, but I can't figure out even the simplest of diseases :(

[JamieTron]

I would try the salt baths too, it would not hurt. Once or twice a day for a few days with a break then you can go at it again. I have a betta that bites his fins and sometimes it progresses to fin rot so he gets salt baths as soon as I see fin damage other than his nipping. It looks like your second betta's fins are maybe too short for him to be nipping them anymore, he could have gotten the bacterial infection. The salt baths work for me, but if they do not seem to work I would try the meds they suggested above because you don't want rot to progress to the body. The salt baths will help you heal Castiel's wounds as well, preventing infections which is good. You could give it a try. Make sure your salt baths are the same temperature as your tank water so you don't shock them with temp change and lower their immune system though.

[DefyingGravity]

Just a quick update. I've started salt baths, I've done two in the last two days. Tomorrow I'm going to do 2, and then none on Monday, and then start again on Tuesday.

I don't think they like it, because as soon as they get back in their tank, they go and hide from me ;)

Castiel still looks worse for wear, and almost seems paler, but I'll keep trying.

So far, I haven't seen any Maracyn anywhere, so I'll keep looking :S

[DefyingGravity]

Sorry to bring this back to the top again. I did some salt baths for a little while, but they seem to be getting worse. No one has Maracyn here. Castiel's fins are incredibly clamped, and his colour is horrid (just like what happened to Sammy before he passed), and even Bobby is losing colour, and his tail looks worse. Both of them are very lethargic, and spend all of their time just laying on the gravel. Mum has thought they were dead a few times.

What do you think the next option is? Is there another medicine I can use that I might find in Australia? Bobby is the worst, so should I put him in my 1.8 gal, change the water every day and add aquarium salt to it every day?

Ughhh! I swear this big tank is cursed. It's the one Sammy & Dean were in originally, and both of them died :(

[dramaqueen]

Can you find tetracycline?