Test Results for the Following:
Ammonia Level? Between 0 and .25 (change 50% of water everyday)
Nitrite Level? 0
Nitrate level? 20
Ph Level, (If possible,KH and GH and chloramines)? 8.0
Ph Level out of the Tap?8.2
Tank size (How many Gals) and How long has it been running? hospital tank, 7 gallon with aquaclear from main tank, aeration added.
What is the name and size of the filter/s? Aquaclear
How often do you change the water and how much?
How many fish in the tank and their size?
What kind of water additives or conditioners? Prime
Any medications added to the tank? Maracyn Two
Add any new fish to the tank?
What do you feed your fish? Medigold right now
Any unusual findings on the fish such as "grains of salt",
bloody streaks, frayed fins or fungus? Pop eye, fin rot, beginnings of dropsy near tail, whitish film on fins.
Any unusual behavior like staying
at the bottom, not eating, ect..? Still eating, still swimming

Help! My poor little guy is very sick. Unfortunately this resulted from trying to house a bunch of fry temporarily with my two pearlscales in a 40 gallon tank. Ammonia spiked to between .25 and .5. Thought everyone was okay after 50% water change. That's when I noticed the fin rot on my crown pearlscale. I immediately transferred him to a 7 gallon hospital tank with an Aquaclear filter and began treating him with Maracyn 2. I've been treating him for three days now and I really don't see any improvement. Is there anything else I can do for him?

Angela

Fin rot can be tricky. Are you seeing any more rotting away or has the rot halted? (Sometimes that is the only first sign in healing & the actual regrowth can take a bit).

Is the rot accelerating?

Also - if it is bacterial rot you may need to add/change the meds you are using for just as human bacteria are treated by different antibiotics, so are fishy ones. If it's not the correct antibiotic for the bacteria, you won't see any improvement & /or not much). It might reduce the colony count but it won't get rid of them.

Keep a close eye on the water params & post back soon!

Hi,

From what I can see the rot hasn't stopped. It hasn't affected any other fins, just the tail fin. However I do see a white coating on the tail and other fins. What could this be? Fish is also very lethargic. Usually very active. I'm also wondering why dropsy symptoms only appearing by the tail. The rot on the tail shows a definite whitish "line" at the edge of the rot with the white coating extending toward the body. Is this fungus? Can I combine a medication like Maroxcy(is that the name) for fungus with Maracyn 2? Really worried about he little guy.

Angela

Before your water change- what is your pH today? (I am asking because your pH in your tank is a little lower than your tap pH & I'm trying to figure out if it goes any lower as the water is in the tank.)

Does the area look fuzzy at all? like a fine powder? Coarse grains?

When you say dropsy symptoms are you talking about the scales lifting up or ???

Do you have any medicated food available to you?

Did you remove the carbon from the filter?

Post back soon!

Hi,

Thanks for your help. The ph always stays around 8 - 8.2. I think Prime may lower it the very slight amount from the tap to the tank. Area on fins does not look fuzzy. Looks like an even white coating, no grains, no lumps, no fuzziness and has an almost velvety appearance. Yes scales are lifting but only in area at the base of the tail, mostly on upper part. He has been eating Medigold going on 4 days now. Carbon was removed when medication started. Had to put ammonchips in though because he is too large for a 7 gallon tank and the ammonia began creeping up. Unfortunately, I don't have another tank to put him in. Very lethargic today. Has parked himself under the rock arch but is still breathing okay. Can you advise on possible other medications to try? Sure hope he makes it. He's such a friendly fish.

Angela

I would add Maracyn. It doesn't sound like fungus at first blush. Perhaps the Maracyn II is not the correct antibiotic. I would finish the course of it though. You can use these two meds together. I would continue the med food.

The cloudiness could be a slime coat problem leftover due to the water condition problem (from before).

The important thing now is to stop the rot. We can worry about healing it once it stops actively rotting.

Be forewarned - with ammochips you CANNOT use salt. Salt will cause the ammonia bound in the chips to release into the water.

What's the temp in the tank? Are your params still good? (They can go downhill fast in a small tank).

Hope this helps! Jenn

Hi Jenn,

I put the ammochips in because, being such a small tank, the ammonia did start to creep up. I haven't added any salt because I knew about ammochips and salt problem. Should I put a heater on the tank? If so what temperature should I set it at? Haven't got any Maracyn around. I'll have to wait until tomorrow to get it. Should I do a water change before I start the Maracyn? Oddly enough, all the other fish in my 40 gallon are thriving. Go figure. I feel so bad for him. He looks miserable.

Angela

I would check your water params. If they're OK I would add the maracyn without a water change. If they're not OK - I would do the water change & add both meds (have you tried the powdered forms to help get the dose right? )

What's your tank temp without the heater?

Had you added anything new to that other tank before the ammonia spike?

How's he doing today??

Jenn