Cichlid Looking Unwell

[Katty]

First off, 20 gallon tank, cycled, 78 F. Tankmates are three corydoras. Nothing new has been added recently.
 
I noticed just today that my Keyhole Cichlid is not looking quite right. It's been rather sudden because he was looking great this morning? The base of his tail and the base of his right pectoral fin is sort of red. Strangest of all is the mid area of his gill cover (the part with the little slit that isn't the main opening) has a sort of red filament protrusion with a bit of white fuzz on it. He is breathing very quickly and seems to be near the surface, but I'm not sure if he's at the top because it's near feeding time.
 
I had found some old bloodworm cubes in the back of the freezer either last night or the night before, they were a bit old but I used them anyways and I'm sort of worried that I gave them expired or infected food... In any case, should I treat him with something? I have Maracyn 2 but I'm not sure if I should. I will do a water change tomorrow.

 

[WILDER]

Bless HIm.
How many fish and which type are in the tank?
Can you post water stats in ammonia nitrite, nitrate, and ph.
 
Yes I would isolate him and use Maracyn 2.
It's bacterial.

 

[WILDER]

 


Fin Rot

 

 

Symptoms:

Fish may have deteriorating fins, often with red or white edges. Secondary Fungal infections often occur.
 


 

Cause: 

Bacterial infection caused by Aeromonas and/or Pseudomonas bacteria often precipitated by poor water quality, low water temperatures, or a combination of both.
 


 

Treatment: 

You will first want to determine the specific cause of the illness, so check your water�s quality Ammonia, Nitrite, pH, and Nitrate levels as well as the temperature. Be sure to provide optimal water conditions and the correct water temperature for the species of fish you are keeping. Treat with Kanacyn, Tetracycline, Furacyn, Nitrofura-G or Penicillin. Basically, you want an antibiotic specific for Aeromonas and Pseudomonas bacteria. The use of a medicated food is also wise. Treat the fish in isolation (i.e., quarantine tank) if only one fish is sick. If not, the whole tank should be treated. In either case, water conditions must be improved and proper temperature maintained for all fish. Adding salt to the water may be helpful.

The success rate for treating Fin Rot is good providing the illness is caught early and water conditions are kept optimal. Left untreated this infection can be deadly. Early treatment is essential! Once treated, fin tissue lost to this illness will grow back providing the fin rays and/or fin bases have not been damaged.

 


 

 

[Katty]

Just him and 3 bronze corydoras. The ammonia is 0ppm and the ancient and probably expired pH test said 7.4. Unfortunatly i lended someone my Nitrite and nitrate kit.

I used the maracyn 2 last night, and the redness and fuzziness appears to have gone down. However, the weird dark/reddish string thing is still there. I wonder if some bloodworm got stuck in the smaller gill flap and is rotting? Here are some pictures in any case
 

Edit: Ah, not that it really helps with anything but i figured out the thing is coming out of the flap of his "Preopercle": http/www.yosemite.ca.us/library/fishes/images/fish_diagram.jpg

 

[WILDER]

Wrap the fish in a cloth soaked in tank water. Ask someone to gently hold the fish down for you.,
Try and remove with some tweezers that have been sterilised.
If it is a parasite and it's alive don't remove it.
Just make sure it doesn't have a Y shaped tail end.

 

[Katty]

Hmm... He gets very... Erratic when I get the net out. Is there a video of someone doing this technique? I think he might hurt himself thrashing otherwise.

Also I seem to be in trouble with the Maracyn 2. I used the last packet (second day of treatment) last night before realizing i was out, so I went to four different stores today without seeing any maracyn 2... I grabbed some erythromycin thinking it was the same thing but it's not (it's basically Maracyn 1).
 
I know its bad news to not run the whole course of antibiotics, but i don't have access to any more Maracyn 2. I can't even find it to order online.
 
So, I dunno, as far as treatment, should I use the erythromycin instead or just change the water a lot and hope for the best?

 

[Katty]

Just an update: So I did some research and Maracyn 2(Minocycline) is a type of tetracycline. I went back to the store and got some T.C. Tetracycline since I'm guessing its better than nothing and closer than using the erythromycin. 

 

[Katty]

Oh jeeeez... Was just informed Maracyn 1+2 was discontinued and that both erythromycin and maracyn 2 were gram negative so I coulda/shoulda used that anyways. Tetracycline is gram positive so I might have just made myself a new mess. Water change + weird antibiotics spooked the poor cichlid so he keeps getting spooked when I go near the tank.

 

[KieranBoyne]

Lol. Not been your day has it?? Hope he pulls through

 

[Katty]

Just thought I'd update:

Clyde is looking much better now. After the antibiotics course and lots of hiding the dangly thing disappeared and the fuzzyness around his right gill went down.

Of course a day after I put carbon in to take the antibiotics out, his left gill preopurcle started looking swollen (the opposite side). Didn't want to go with antibiotics again so I added 2 Tbs salt per every 5 gallons and did water changes every other day and that seemed to fix that up. He is looking great now and is up to his usual antics. Thanks everyone

 

[WILDER]

How is the fish?
Tetracycline is a gram positive, and gram negative medication so it treats both bacteria's.