Sick Ram

[Barday]

Hi all,

One of my rams is looking pretty poorly . I noticed yesterday that his tail fins were all clamped up and he was not swimming at all, he was just in one position in the top corner of the tank next to the filter (where the current is weakest) I came home today to find him lying pretty still in the same corner but at the bottom, and his tail fin has almost totaly dissapeared.

Usualy i would just give the whole tank a treatment of melafix every day for a week, but I have only just stopped a treatment for ich. I really dont want to add more meds to the tank, coz my fish have been through enough stress this week.

I then got this Idea to put him in a little free floating isolation/breeding trap, and I would just medicate this. This is the first time I have used it so I washed it out a bit and noticed that it has little holes and the water flows in & out of it . I have left him in there to stop him geting stressed by other fish at least.

Anyone got any ideas what to do?

 

[Barday]

Anyone?

 

[dixaisy930]

If at all possible, I would get him into a quarentine tank, but I have a feeling that's not an option right now.

I don't think Melafix would help...it sounds a bit more serious. Sounds like he's suffering from fin rot and clamped fins.

How often do you do water changes, what size of tank and what other tankmates are there, and what are your water perimeters?

Sometimes, both of these problems are caused by poor water conditions. There are a couple of pinned topics about common diseases (both in the Emergency section, I believe). Start by doing about 25-30% water change. A medicine like tetracycline, Maroxy, or Maracide might help. I'm not sure which one of the three would be best though. Hopefully someone can give you a better idea of meds to use.

 

[Barday]

Thanks for the reply dixaisy930
Usually I do a 20% water change weekly, But I've just finished treating for ich so I am doing 20% every other day.

Its tankmates are in my sig

I thought it was finrot too, which is why I am trating with melafix. It is a finrot treatment right ???

My water conditions are:

Nitrite : 0
Nitrate about 40ppm (it is pretty high from the source and r.o is not an option)
PH just under 8 (also high from source)
Ammonia : 0
--edit-- Tank is 30 U.S Gall

 

[dixaisy930]

Are you vacumming the gravel everytime you do a water change? If so, this could be depleating your biological filter...however, since your water perimeters are ok, I don't think that's the problem.

Techincally, you're slightly overstocked, but the water tests don't show that, and it sounds like you keep up the maintence on it.

Melafix will definately help with the fin rot and grow back the tail, but you might want to try something a little stronger since it's so far along.

How long have you had the ram? It may not have been ok when you got him....

 

[Barday]

Yes I am vacumming the gravel every time, mainly to get rid of the ICH spores left behind.

I chose melafix for a couple of reasons,

1 Because It's a natural remedy and causes less stress for the fish
2 Because I have finished a harsh treatment of nasty ICH med, and I didn't want to add another strong med straight away.

I've had him for about a month now, and he has only just shown signs of stress/ilness. I think it might be a result of the ich treatment - meds & High temp

 

[dixaisy930]

I would probably hold off on the gravel vacuming for now...try and let the beneficial bacter to regroup.

If you can find it, using Pimafix with Melafix should help. I can see why you wouldn't want to use anything harsh so soon.

 

[Barday]

I've never sen Pimafix - I usually buy my meds online, but none of my usual online shops have it.....Maybee they dont sell it in the UK. I've heard of some people finding it hard to fing Bettafix too

 

[dixaisy930]

It's made by the same company that makes Melafix...it's actually formulated so you can use it with Melafix...it's also all natural and safe. I would think that since you can get Melafix, that you could find Pimafix too...although it's hard to find.

 

[Barday]

Hmmm, I'll try my LFS 1st and if that fails I'll order it from a U.S site - The'll probably rip me off with the shipping

Oh well thanks for the advice anyway