Sick Fish - Mouth Sore And Black Patches

Tank size: 31 Gallon
ammonia: 0ppm
nitrite: 0ppm
nitrate: 30ppm
tank temp: 77 degrees F

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior):
The first symptom I notice is that one of my Blue-red Tetras has black patches. I could not get a picture because he is hiding in the back. He seems skiddish around the other fish. The patches or on his body, both sides, look like black mold spots, not perfectly round an not regular in colour, they are lighter in some areas. Some are bigger than others, but all are quite small, 1mm at most. I have 3 other blue-red Tetra's that all seem fine. I noticed this 2 days ago and did a 20% water change 2 days ago and yesterday.

Last night when doing my water change I noticed that one of my Serpae Tetras has a sore looking thing by his mouth. There is a bit that is hanging off and it looks white around his mouth. This seems to be localizes to one side, he is staying away from the other fish. None of the other fish have this problem. I have attached a photo although it was hard to get one cloe enough to see the detail.


Volume and Frequency of water changes:
Like I said I did 20% two nights ago and another 20% last night.

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank:

Tank inhabitants:
4 Blue-red Tetras
8 Serpae Tetras
3 Bronze Corycats
3 Pygmy Corycats

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration):
Nothing has been added since I bought the 4 Blue-Red Tetras 2 months ago.

I am writing a final exam in 2 hours and so can't go to the store to buy any medicine until tonight. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

What test kit are you using.

Black patches can be ammonia burns that are healing, fighting wounds, digging, fish tb.
Do you have any snails in the tank.

Is the mouth rotting away as it sounds like flexibactor columnaris. (false name, mouth fungus)


Look under black spot and black patches.

http/www.fish-disease.net/diseases.htm

Wilder said:

What test kit are you using.

Black patches can be ammonia burns that are healing, fighting wounds, digging, fish tb.
Do you have any snails in the tank.

Is the mouth rotting away as it sounds like flexibactor columnaris. (false name, mouth fungus)


Look under black spot and black patches.

http/www.fish-disease.net/diseases.htm

Click to expand...

Hi,

I use the API text kit for all my measurements. No snails in the tank.

The mouth could be rotting, it look sore, it looks like a flap of skin is hanging off it and it's all red and white. It's hard to get a good luck.

Anywhere I should start treating?

Thanks for your help, I really want to fix my fish.

Jaclyn

Okay I bought some medication just to be ready, so if someone could give me some adice right away it would be appreciated.

I bought API Fungus Cure (3mg Victoria Green B and 30mg Acriflavine)and API E.M. Erythromycin (200mg Erythromycin)I also got some carbon for my filter for after.

I don;t know which I should use (if either).

I have a 5 gallon tank with a Betta in it. Should I consider re-homing the Betta in a bowl for a few days while I quarantine the sick fish and treat them? I only hesitate because Some of my other fish are looking sick now too...swimming tilted, pale in colour.

Will Antibiotics kill the good bacteria in my filter and if so how can I protect my filter during this time?

Help me please, I want to make my fish better. I'm going to do another water change too.

I would use this med E.M. Erythromycin (200mg Erythromycin)

I would keep an eye on water stats as it could wipe all the benefical bacteria out in the filter, with it being an antibiotic.

If you have other tanks you could always kick start the tank again by taking a mature filter sponge from another tank, once black carbon and water changes have been done after the med course is up.

If other fish are sick I would add the med to the whole tank now.

Erythromycin
Bacterial medication that treats gram positive & some gram negative bacteria, including those that cause fin and tail rot, Gill Disease and Molly Disease.

Wilder said:

I would use this med E.M. Erythromycin (200mg Erythromycin)

I would keep an eye on water stats as it could wipe all the benefical bacteria out in the filter, with it being an antibiotic.

If you have other tanks you could always kick start the tank again by taking a mature filter sponge from another tank, once black carbon and water changes have been done after the med course is up.

If other fish are sick I would add the med to the whole tank now.

Erythromycin
Bacterial medication that treats gram positive & some gram negative bacteria, including those that cause fin and tail rot, Gill Disease and Molly Disease.

Click to expand...

Great thanks!

Can I take one of the baskets of filter media out of my big tank and put it in the little 5 gallon? Will that keep the bacteria alive? I'm thinking that at least it would be better than nothing

I'll start treating right away.

Jaclyn

You would need the sponges in a filter.
I would also do water changes on the tank the sponges go into, to dilute the bacteria down.