): No clue...

[BakaMandy]

So my poor baby Lala has been having troubles...

About two-three weeks ago I realized her behavior was becoming strange. I had put her in my 10 gallon tank and she was really happy for a month or so before that. She usually woke up and was out of her cave as soon as I turned on the lights, eagerly anticipate being fed.

But I began to notice she didn't do that anymore, I had to nudge her cave gently to wake her up to be fed (or else she would miss the feeding since I usually have to work). I also realized that she began to swim around with her fins clamped and she would dart around and rub against things.

With no signs of ich, I shined a light over her to see what appeared to look like a dusting of gold covered her body, which I automatically presumed to be velvet. It matched with the symptoms anyway, with clamped fins and the lack of energy, and the darting around and rubbing herself on things.

Anyway, I bought both Coppersafe and Maracide, because I was going to put coppersafe in all the tanks and treat any of my cleaning equipment so it wouldn't spread to the other fish.

It did seem to spread to Shota by accident somehow, D: he quickly lost his colour and started darting around and I began treating him with Maracide along with Lala. However after a week of treatment, I didn't see an improvement with neither, so I took them of Maracide and started using just coppersafe.

At that time, Lala had even lost her appetite and was her breathing was heavy.

After a week of coppersafe, everyone seemed to improve. I don't know if the velvet was gone though because even though I shine a light over them, they still seem to be a dusted with gold.

Lately, Lala has taken a turn for the worst. A white spot appeared on her side near the base of her tail. It was a bit fuzzy and it looks like flexibacter. Maybe she rubbed her scales off? :S would it be best to still use aquarium salt in that case? And will they grow back?

She's is usually a dark royal blue with a black head and she has a bit of red in the tips of her fins.

): I started treating her with Maracyn+Maracyn-two combination, hoping that if it was flexibacter or fungus it would go away, but it even grew a little bit.

Her tail even started to seemingly fray, but it doesn't look like fin rot, I'm wonder if she's biting her tail. Her fins aren't as clamped as they used to be but she still darts around like crazy sometimes ):

I'm going to continue treating her with coppersafe, but I was wondering what the white spot could be... I tried taking pictures but they didn't really turn out.



You can see the fraying in the bottom one :S

[Oldfishlady]

What are your water prams numbers: ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH
How much and how often on the water changes and when was the last one?
I have found that daily 50% water changes, turning off the lights, holding food and adding 1tsp/gal aquarium salt, raising the temp to mid 80's for 10-14 days has worked better for parasite/pathogens than anything else, I also like to add oak leave or IAL to the mix to help calm the fish and for their antibacterial/fungal properties.
I rarely if ever use OTC medication especially any copper based meds due to their long term effect on the tank, plants and livestock and they seem to be really hard on the fish too. I like to stay as natural as I can with treatment and once I do start back feeding I add fresh garlic to their diet in small feeding 3 times a day for at least 6 weeks, and then daily for life.

[BakaMandy]

She's currently in a 1 gallon hospital tank, non-filtered but I change the water every 2-3 days. She's in the dark and the temperature is about 82-84 degrees F and she does have 1tsp of aquarium salt dissolved in her water. Unfortunately my ammonia, nitrite and nitrate kits expired so I have to go get new ones, but the pH is around 7.0.

): She's not eating right now anyway, so I'll stop trying feeding her then. Today is another scheduled water change so I won't add Coppersafe back into the tank this time around.

Unfortunately there aren't any oak trees in bloom in this area (winter still) and there are never IAL at the aquarium stores (they can never get them in due to high demand and when they do, they usually immediately sell out).

I'll probably go out and get some garlic extract for fish on Monday. Been meaning to get some anyway.

[Oldfishlady]

If your oak trees are in an area that is free of pesticides and chemical.... this is a good time to gather your leaves, you want to pick up the leaves that have naturally turned and fallen from the tree, already naturally dried and brown/tan in color. I like using the oak leaves mainly because they are free and do the same thing as the IAL that are never in any of my local shops. I keeps bags of native oak leaves in my barn and in buckets that I collect rain water in outside year around and for all the neat little critters (seasonal) that grow in the water for fresh live fish food. It is winter here too and things are just starting to thaw but more bad weather is expected...sure be glad when spring gets here...lol.....
The daily water changes is what has helped my fish more than anything else when problems arise.

[BakaMandy]

Oak trees are actually kind of rare where I live so I'll have to go hunt for one :S although I don't know if I can use leaves at this time of year that have turn and fallen from last fall and have started rotting with all the snow melting.

Yeah, :S She's constantly getting more and more pale every day, I added a 1/4 tea spoon more of aquarium salt. And there defiantly looks to be flexibacter growing from the white spot. I keep taking a cue-tip and gently wipe it away from her side.

[Oldfishlady]

Use some betadine on that Q-tip... just don't get any in her gills/mouth or around the face/eyes and stay on top of the daily water changes and salt, you can also go up to 3%, just watch her close and do it slow, flexobacteria also grows best in warm water as do most bacteria, so lower your water temp to 74-75F. good luck

[BakaMandy]

Okay, flexibacter is gone as far as I can see. Unfortunately don't have betadine, never heard of it or seen it in any local pet stores or aquarium stores.

): But now her tail looks absolutely ragged! It nearly became nothing in a day. It almost looks black, not with natural pigments either. Only her caudal fin is begin effected. )': if it gets any worst she won't have one anymore. I went and added some Maracyn-Plus because her condition is fairly bad, I hope her tail can be salvaged.

Other than that, she floats around at the surface all day and appears to be breathing fairly rapidly. I'll continue with salt dips and water changes.