Ailing tetra (cont'd)

[reg2k2]

From 4-06-03

But the fact that other fish are having prob's leads me back to some kind of bac. infection. Which brings me to fish #2...
Another H&TL. He has like a white strip at the top, not quite half-way down, just before the dorsal. I believe he had this in Jan., but quarantine was not an option as I was treating a diff. fish for a completely diff. problem, and hoped it would go away, which it did. At the moment, it looks like it *may* be healing, about half of the area looks a grey color, maybe the scales growing back? His behavior is fine, eating.

Noticed a dark spot at the top of the fish, then a darkening around the area.
After tranferring this fish, after about a week, I saw that the area actually had a sizeable open wound. Been treating w/ Melafix for almost 3wks in hopes the discoloration would fade as the wound closed. It didn't. Well, the wound's not completely gone yet, but better.

I'd thought it might be columnaris (saddle-back), location of wound is accurate, but many other symptoms just don't seem to apply:

highly infectious (he's had it a while?)
edges of wound red - no, black
loss of appetite - no, he's eating fine
fins/mouth/other not affected


Any thoughts on this? Some form of bacteria/fungus?

 

[bigfish]

what is your water chemistry like when you discovered this? anything out of the ordinary?

 

[reg2k2]

At the time, pH: 7.0, Amm:0, NitrIte:0, NitrAte: 10.0
Lost two other fish w/in the last 2mo., I think to bacterial infection. (orig. post)

Back in Nov, Dec, I had 2 H&TL's, then added 2. Of those two, one had a wht mark on his nose, which he was treated for.
I'm guessing this is the other. Earlier the shop where I bought 'em had some w/ wht. hf-circles at the top, didn't buy 'em at the time, but I figure this cd. be whatever they had.

But I dunno if it's bacterial, if I sh. add antibiotic, treat for columnaris or not.

Gonna up wc's & continue Melafix for now...unless someone advises otherwise...