My Pepper! Update: He's Showing Improvement

[jollysue]

Well other than my son, Billy, and his wife, Jeanne, insisting that I need to check out their place to move to. I have two places that will do. I had hoped to find a place with tile instead of carpet in the dinning room. But while I can find that, I can't find the tiled dinning room that also takes my Yorkie and has in unit washer and dryer. The Yorkie, Whiskers, is a given and the washer I will only lose as a last resort. So the Fish Room will have carpet.

Going to VA actually could work. I have been given some network connections for work. But I just can't imagine packing to move across country in two weeks. That is close to what I will have left (and my work is calling me in lots) when I get back from VA.

So I have gone ahead looking and will take the first one that is ok'd. I will turn in the apps Monday for two.

Thanks for the Great story!

 

[jollysue]

Well, the little pepper is soaking in two cups of water with 1 tsp of dissolved salt.

I have cleared and cleaned a 3 usg for him. I put in one weighted bottom sword plant and an upside down cup with just enough room to hide under. I am keeping the light off.

He is in his new tank. He is not especially happy. He is busy swimming around looking for something that isn't there.

He soaked in the salt for more than 20 minutes. I am preparing to soak him again.

I don't really know what to treat him with in the tank. All I have on hand is the Mardel antibiotics, some Furanase, and the Nalidixic Acid.

His little dorsal is almost completely gone now. The cotton has not gone past his dorsal onto the body yet.

 

[Barracuda518]

Im very sorry to hear about all your troubles. I know it must be hard. Im glad you were able to catch him and get him some good treatment. I know they are hard to catch, it took me forever to catch mine when I got a bigger tank for them. It will all work out in time and your tank will be up and running again

 

[jollysue]

Thanks, Barracuda.

I've decided to try the Nalidixic Acid the lfs manager gave me. It's a short treatment. I am waiting until later in the a.m. because the water must be changed 24 hours after the treatment. It messes with the genetic structure of the bacteria so they can't reproduce. The cory is adjusting to unpleasant circumstances and lets me catch him easily now

I put the popeye bronze cory tank on Maracyn 2 just to be safe. I have a sunken city that keeps bobbing to the top. The cories like to hide under it. Maybe the bronze baby got bopped?

Yes, the big tank is responding to the barrage of treatments finally. I hope all will be well soon in all the tanks.

I have probably 300 to 350 usg of fresh water fish. Bound to have a few bumps in the road--or should I say holes in the boat?

I feel a little better now the pepper is out in a quarantine tank.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi jollysue

Have you seen any good results yet? Salt treatments usually begin to act quickly and you should see benefits after the first few.

If you have MelaFix, add some to his water. It seems like the salt will clean the white stuff up, and the MelaFix will help slow it's regrowth. The two treatments used together have worked well for me in the past. I hope they work as well for you.

 

[jollysue]

Hi Inchworm

He seems a little better. The cotton isn't gone, I don't think, but it is not advancing, and it's not as fluffy cottony. I gave him a single dose treatment this morning of the NA. He tolerated it without any visible distress. I made sure I did not overdose. The front dorsal is pretty much a white stump. I believe it is bone or cartilage. There is a scond fin that appears untouched. I can see no growths or redness anywhere else--especially the gills. He seems to be breathing naturally.

I saw him eat a black worm yesterday, well at least I saw him wrestling with them. His appitite is low, but at least he is eating. I may add some garlic to the water to encourage his appitite.

How long should I do the salt dips? Do I still do several a day? I am doing 1 every hour or 2, when I am up.

The NA is a 24 hour treatment. 1/3 water is changed after 24 hrs.

Tomorrow morning I will do a 1/3 water change. That night I will do another 1/3. Then I will start the Melafix, probably the Pimafix, too. I am running low on Mela/Pima Fix from treating the 100 usg. But it seems to be working and I have not lost any more fish since I started the treatment. I was losing several a day before. All of my smaller tetra are down by at least one per school.

On another note, I have two apartments with suitable amenities with downstairs apartments. One is $45 or $50 dollars more. The cheaper one is a little larger, and for the extra $50 dollars I can get more storage--a garage even with $75. The landscape is woodsy lakes in each. The more expensive one is newer, smaller with free excercise and club rooms. The landscape is better and I think it has more patio. It is very much more upscale.

The less expensive one reminds me more of a mountain vacation. It is quiet, too, like a mountain vacation. Everyone seems subdued, even the teens. Drawbacks: no club or excersize amenities, small slab patio, stairs for upstairs apartment in front (tacky), may have to pay extra for the covered parking.

more expensive drawbacks: more expensive, no garages, smaller, but clubhouse and excersize.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi jollysue

I don't know about treating him with Naladixic Acid. It's not one of the medications we usually use for corys. And please skip the garlic in the water. That poor fish is sick and just isn't going to eat much under the best of circumstances. If he were human, he would probably be eating jello or maybe some tea and dry toast!

But seriously, it is possible to over medicate and do more harm than good. I won't address the situation with your other fish, but with the corys, it often turns out that less is more. Once given a course of treatment, it sometimes takes a little while in clean, fresh water for them to come around. By trying too do to much, you could well just be giving them additional stress, which is the very thing you are trying to avoid.

I'm surprised that the peppered cory isn't responding better. I would have expected you to see a dramatic difference after the first day of the salt dips. This is not a good sign.

_____

I can't wait to see which apartment you choose. The first one reminds me of my last apartment, except for the outside stairs, and I liked it a lot. If you will take advantage of the exercise room, it might be good, but be realistic about it. There is no sense in moving somewhere because you "might" want to get involved.

I am finally down to unpacking the last box of kitchen stuff, and hope to have that done today. I will have to decide whether or not to keep a set of dishes I don't use often. I don't have a lot of extra room left. I really like the bright and cheerful pattern on them, but they are heavy and I have been using the lightweight Corelle lately.

 

[jollysue]

Ha! I took the upscale apartment. I walked in and it was a done deal. Apparantly the other place has a poor reputation for upkeep. Carolyn, my new manager, said she would give me a list of wonderful places, but please don't go there. "The Horror! The Horror!" The horror stories she has heard!

Anyway, as soon as I drove up I was sold. Very neat and clean--sculpted. The apt is a little one off to the back, out of the way, with a neat little puppy pooper garden! and free pooper bags!

The other place had potential, but there was a hint around the edge of tackiness. Something felt wrong. Of course I may be sorry in the long run for the cost of the one I chose, but I don't think so.

I pick up the keys and gate card tomorrow morning. Then the calls and appointments and hauling begin.

I am so excited!

Ok, to more serious business. I did a 100% water change this morning while the pepper was sitting in his bath. I added the Mela/Pimafix treatment. He is quite saucy now. It is 1 tsp per 2 cups water? Do I need to use a new solution each time?

It is way after my bedtime. I have another big day tomorrow.

I'll let you know.

 

[Barracuda518]

Anyway, as soon as I drove up I was sold. Very neat and clean--sculpted. The apt is a little one off to the back, out of the way, with a neat little puppy pooper garden! and free pooper bags!

That does sound like a great place to live. I like wooded areas too. Did you say there was a lake?

 

[Inchworm]

Hi jollysue

I'm glad you decided on a place, and am sure you will be happy there. The little dog garden is a great idea. I don't think anyplace around here offers that nice touch. It sounds like a really classy complex!

Will you have help packing, or will you have to do it all yourself?

I'm glad too that your cory seems to be improving. I like to mix up a fresh batch of salt solution for each treatment. It will have more oxygen in the water than the old one after it sits for awhile with no water circulation. Is the white stuff going away yet?

 

[jollysue]

The little pepper is clearly feeling better. The growth has receded a bit; it has not progressed; there is a peice of bone or cartiledge showing at the top; but there is 1/8 of an inch of the fin base showing too., and that has not spread since the salt baths started. He is a game little fellow. I will call him "Rocky."

The fuzz is not as fuzzy. It is more like a q-tip than cotton candy now. How often should I do the salt baths now--still 6 x's a day. I actually have only done about 3 today.


Yes, I am very comfortable with my apartment choice:

Lakeside

God saved it for me. A man had rented it and was set to come pay the initial payment and pick up the keys that day. When I talked to the manager, she was very interested but just didn't have any apartments until mid Dec. I had set a move-in target date of Nov. 15.

I went to see the other place. When I got home there was an excited voice on my voice mail saying the apartment had come empty and it was just right for me and Whiskers. Was I interested?

I called back, "Yes!" The rest is history.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi jollysue

I would keep up the salt baths until I was sure the stuff was gone and would not start to regrow again. If it's looking good, cut back on the number of them to make it a little easier on him. He must be a sturdy fish to be surviving all of this and it would be a shame to lose him now!

_____

I love the apartments you are going to move into. They look very plush, but the price is excellent. Here in New York, I pay more than that for a rather basic 2 bedroom/1 bath. I like the separate entrance from outside too, and the patios. We call that a Garden Apartment here. Which one will you be getting?

And, did you tell them about your fish?

 

[Barracuda518]

The little pepper is clearly feeling better. The growth has receded a bit; it has not progressed; there is a peice of bone or cartiledge showing at the top; but there is 1/8 of an inch of the fin base showing too., and that has not spread since the salt baths started. He is a game little fellow. I will call him "Rocky."

The fuzz is not as fuzzy. It is more like a q-tip than cotton candy now. How often should I do the salt baths now--still 6 x's a day. I actually have only done about 3 today.


Yes, I am very comfortable with my apartment choice:

Lakeside

God saved it for me. A man had rented it and was set to come pay the initial payment and pick up the keys that day. When I talked to the manager, she was very interested but just didn't have any apartments until mid Dec. I had set a move-in target date of Nov. 15.

I went to see the other place. When I got home there was an excited voice on my voice mail saying the apartment had come empty and it was just right for me and Whiskers. Was I interested?

I called back, "Yes!" The rest is history.

Thats great about the apartment and that your pepper is feeling better. Im glad everything is working out

 

[jollysue]

Haha Yes I told Carolyn about the fish. She is a little particular, which of course is why the place looks so trim. She looked wide eyed "How many?" I replied, "Lots." Then she said, "Well, of course, you will have pet insurance." That is already a requirement for Whiskers in these apartments. Some managers would say something like, "As long as you replace damaged carpet. " Others said, "Well, just use a fan to dry it out right away. I'm sure it will be ok."

Garden Apartment is an apt description. As a matter of fact I think I will put the goldies on the patio with potted plants. It is very like a well kept park with duck lakes and fountains. The apartment is small, only 642 square ft. I could have gotten much larger, but not with the pet policy, the washer/dryer, the freeway access. Just one bed room and bath, a small dinning room and a moderate livingroom. But except to store things, Whiskers and I don't need much space. I believe I can get a dressing table, high boy, lingerie chest and maybe a chair in the bedroom, so they are well enough apportioned.

There is a locked security gate at night.

Yes, thanks for working with me on the little pepper, Rocky. He is a dear. I don't net him, usually he lets me scoup him up in my hand, and I never feel a slime coat. It's not his favorite time of the day, but he seems to trust me. There has only been one treatment of the Melafix. (It's difficult to be precise with a 3 gal tank.)

Oops! Time to go!

 

[Siamese Fighter05]

Great news to hear he is doing well jollysue
Your apartment sounds very nice and cosy!