Ill Swordtails

Mikaila31

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I bought two new swordtails today. They are both sick, I knew they were sick when I bought them but this kind is hard to get a hold of. So I picked the two healthiest ones and they are in my quarantine tank now. Both have clamped fins and are resting on the bottom. They both also have finrot, they did eat when I offered them food. I was going to treat with melafix and Primafix, but now I am thinking of using something stronger. The tank I bought them out of had fish with a wide variety of diseases; parasites, fungus, and bacterial :( . So any ideas on how I should start treatment?

qtank.jpg


Thanks,
Mikaila31
 
Give then a 3% salt dip for 60 seconds.....

and do daily water changes, treat the water with some salt or melifix
 
I did the salt dip, both went through it without too much stress. They are no longer clamping their fins, but they are both gasping for air. I have increased aireation in the tank, but it doesn't seem to be helping.
Also how much water should I change every day(15gal tank)?

thanks,
Mikaila31
 
I would treat this problem with myxazin at double dose every 12 hours.Continue until symptoms have passed,remember to remove any carbon from filtration. Also, make sure your tank is salted at 1 teaspoon per gallon.
 
I would treat this problem with myxazin at double dose every 12 hours.Continue until symptoms have passed,remember to remove any carbon from filtration. Also, make sure your tank is salted at 1 teaspoon per gallon.
I don't think I can get that med over here without ordering it, and from looking online no one seems to know it's active ingredient(s).

Here are some new pics of the fish. This one is swimming around more then the other one, but has less of a appetite. It also is still gasping for air and has either a fungal or bacterial problem with its fins.
newfish002.jpg

This ones fins are clamped again and it is very shy. It rests on the bottom a little, but has been eating all of the algae off the glass. It also has ragged fins, so i'm thinking possibly bacterial.
newfish003.jpg


I'm debating if I should start treating with Maracyn-two. Any suggestions?
 
i would start them on maracyn one and maracyn two ASAP. this should take care of the bacterial problem(external). To be sure that they dont have any internal bacterial infection, treat them with medicated food(Jungle labs make one). For external parasites, treat it with copper sulfate(sold as copper safe by Mardel). Note that plants could take a toll with this. Also give the two medicated parasitic food by Jungle to take care of any internal worms. Use melafix and pimafix throughout the treatment to serve as a mild antiseptic and antifungal and your fishes should rebound in no time. During treatment, I would suggest having the lights off and keeping up with water quality.
 
I have them on maracyn one, maracyn two, and copper safe. The top of the one females fin looks a lot better. The fin looks like it is dead in some spots, but it is no longer white. Today I noticed both fish flicking and have found what appears to be the beginning of ick. There is only about two spots on each fish at the moment. Both fish are eating, but one is still clamping her fins. I was wondering if I should do another salt dip or not, would this help at all?

thanks,
Mikaila31

edit: anyone?
 
The tank was looking hazey last night and when I woke up this morning it was very cloudy. I changed 3gal of water but I had to go to school so I couldn't do a water test. When I got home I did a water test and here is what I got:
ammonia:0ppm
nitrite:4-5ppm :blink:
When I got the nitrite reading I did a immediate 50% water change. I had snails in the tank when I added the coppersafe, could they of caused the nitrite to spike. I didn't think there would of been enough of them, a few got introduced about a week and a half ago. When I did the water change I cleaned the filter and removed all of the gravel in the tank to try to get rid of all the snails, I also added some prime and salt to the tank.

I waited about a hour an did another water test.
ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite:3ish ppm
Nitrate: 10 ppm -this is low, tap is usually 20ppm

Should I do another water change? any advice would be helpful

thanks,
Mikaila31
 
Increase the temp to 82F. The copper safe would have killed off the snails ad hence causing the ammonia/nitrite spike. Keep up with the water changes and provide plenty of aeration. Adding salt was a good thing. Dissolve it in water before dumping into the tank otherwise it can burn their skin. Salt concentrations should be around a tbl spoon per 5 gallons temporarily. I would also treat them with the medicated foods to get rid of any internal parasites/bacteria. I would wait off on the salt dip also. While it will kill of any parasites, it can cause quite a bit of stress to the fish itself. The copper safe should do the trick. It is mild as compared to a Formalin/Malchite green treatment(sold as Quick Cure). So wait for a week, if the ich does not seem to improve do a massive water change to remove most of copper and treat with the stronger malchite green treatment. I usually dont advise treating with malchite green as its a carcinogen and can affect the fish and its offsprings in the long term. Good luck and ask if you have any doubts.

P.S. Have you removed the carbon from the filter?
 
I will try increasing the temp, I had it at 82 but I lowered it to 80 cuz they where breathing so hard. I found the antibacterial food and will see if I can get them to eat it. I did another 50% water change and Nitrites are at about 2ppm, I will do another one in the morning. I added coppersafe back into the aquarium, but I held off on adding the salt back in. One of the females seems to be in the early stages to dropsey :-( , her scales are starting to pinecone a little.
Should I keep adding the maracyn one and maracyn two?, I haven't added any since I did the 2 50%water changes. So I don't think there is much medication left in the tank. I have epsome salt, should I add this to the water instead of the regular aquarium salt? Will it harm the other fish at all?

yes I removed the carbon

newfish013.jpg
 
Yes add maracyn one and two. Keep up with the water changes or look for an ammonia removing resin/ material during treatment as ammonia/nitrite can really take a toll on the fishes and impede them from making a recovery. Regular aquarium salt will suffice. What other fish do you have. Remember to add the necessary medication back after each water changes to restore the proper level. Again the most imp thing you can do right now is to remove any ammonia/nitrite through water changes or through a removing agent.
 
I have been doing lots of water changes and at the moment nitrite is >.25 ppm. I will do another water change in about an hour and I will start medicating the tank again. I am still holding of on the regular aquarium salt, cuz I know it will speed up dropsy. I am still looking into using epsom salt, but I don't know if it will mess up the other medications. The two swordtails are the only inhabitants of the tank right now.

thanks,
mikaila31
 
As far as I am aware, aquarium salt will not speed up or bring on dropsy.I would add a tbsp per 5gallon of water as livebearers like salt in their water anyway. Good Luck! Salt will not mess with other medications.
 

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