Stringy Poop...scraping on bottom!!!!!!!

[Elisabeth83]

Hi,

I just keep having problem with my aquarium!! Treated for ich for 2 weeks...seemed to be gone. Stopped treatment about 6 days ago. I now notice my dwarf gourmi has lost almost all it's orange coloring and is now drifting around the bottom of my tank...tail hanging downwards. My kissing gourami is darting around weird. I now notice my female swordfish is pooping stingy poop as well as having a whitish film on the end of her tail. She is scraping on the bottom of the tank now. While treating the Ich I raised the temp to 28 but now I've lowered it to about 26. I have a 22 gallon tank. I've been doing daily water changes about 15-20%. I also notice my 2 mollies are hanging around at the surface of the water whereas usually they are swimming in the middle of the tank. I have no clue as to how to treat this...I can't figure out what disease it is. If it's internal parasites....do I treat with the same medication I used on the ich and for how long

All of this seems to of gone downhill within a night.

Please please reply I need help big time!!!!!!!

Elisabeth

 

[shmeepie]

I'm sorry, I have no idea what it is, but i will be praying for you and your fish I hope you find a cure

 

[Wyld-Fyre]

Sorry to 'hear' of this

After the stress of getting over the last disease, plus medication, I think your fishes immune systems may have been weakened, far enough so for another illness to take advantage.

Have you considered increasing the aeration to your tank? It really does help with maintainiing the water quality of your tank, boost the health of your fish, and helps with the nitration cycle.

I think you could try increasing the water change a bit more to say 30-40%. I'm sure this'll stress the fishes, but with this change, the benefits may exceed the disadvantage.

Give us more info once you've done this, especially how the fishes are coping.

 

[Elisabeth83]

I just did a 30% water change....an added some parasite medication...I also raised the temp to 82. Is this what I should do?? I'm really confused....I'm not sure if I should of added more medication or just did a water change??

What I'm worried about is maybe I have 2 diseases going at the same time?? I'm afraid I have the ich...although I can't see any white spots...and I'm afraid I might have a fungus disease because of the white flim like stuff on the end of my swoardfishes tail?? What should I do?? I feel like tossing in the towel and giving up on this whole fish thing...it's really stressing me out

I believe I have pleanty of aeration in my tank...lots of bubbles and flowing water.

Thanks for your help!!

 

[Elisabeth83]

Was just having a closer look...and I notice on my sailfin mollie that on his lower fins he has fluff on it like cotton. I just went and read up on it and it sounds like cotton fin fungus.....

I just treated for parasites because of the scraping the female swordfish was doing on the gravel....

what should I do here...??? I dont know what to treat for...seems like I have 2 things going at once or something....

HELP!!!!!!

 

[Wyld-Fyre]

Firstly, I'd like to say how brave you are for trying your very best for your fishes. Don't give up, you're doing the right thing by bringing this up. It shows that you care.

I'm sorry if I did aggravate your worries further, by suggesting that it could be an additional disease.

It's a step in the right direction, that you're increasing the level of your water change. Please check this site out...

http/uk.msnusers.com/fishtheaz/sailfinmolly.msnw

Adding salt is a good idea, and I've read somewhere that these fishes come from brackish water (salty rivers nearing the sea), so salt should do them a lot of good. If you can get some natural salt, why not give this a try.

As for the Ich medication, the temptation is there to give them more, but I'd strongly advise not mixing your medication, or over-dosing. If the fishes have gotten over Ich, then there is little need to continue with this medication.

As for the parasitical medication, not the same disease as Ich, can I suggest you might not have this affliction?

Can I say that I think you've just got poor water quality, and the fishes are showing the classic symptoms of this, ie fin rot and fungal infection. Molly's are prone to diseases from poor water quality.

Bettering the water quality, especially to the levels of this fish/es natural habitat, should enable them to fight future infections much more effectively.

Tell us how it goes with the salt.....

PS I know its painful taking each learning step, but you're doing well.

 

[Elisabeth83]

I just wanted to ask really quickly....

If I don't use any type of medication...and just let things be and do the 30-40% daily...will the fish be able to get over the illness or are they doomed?

How long should I keep up the water changes?

What is the best temp to keep the heater on? I have it on 27 right now??

I've got to go out for awhile...but I will write more when I get back!!

Thanks for your help...your kind words really make me feel a whole lot better!!

Elisabeth

 

[jvis0606]

Sounds like you and I are going through the same thing right now. My fish have all of those symptoms, the whitish/clear poop, flashing against objects, I treated for Ick already, my black Molly just hangs there with tail down, almost vertically. I just don't get what's going on anymore!

I decided to stop stressing out the fish with high temps and medications and stuff. I have been doing daily water changes (conditioning the water first). And I have started adding salt. Who knows, I guess now we just wait and see. I have a feeling my tank has still not cycled which is why these diseases are breaking out - too much ammonia, weakened their immune systems.

I guess I may be doomed as well... ?

 

[jvis0606]

I am noticing a lot of same symptoms now with my fish... what happened with yours, are they okay? What did you diagnose them with? A parasite? White stringy poop and flashing against objects. Otherwise they all seem hungry and rather active (one just kinda hangs there, almost vertically sometimes, he's a little worse off). Not sure!!

 

[Jae1525]

Just notice that my 2 dwarf fire gourami have tiny white spots on them!

I have the added problem of having no quarenteen tank, keeping shrimp (cant use copper based whitespot med cos it killes shrimp) and having catfish that are intollerable to salt and the other whitspot med besides the copper based one!

Aghhhh!!!
Also does whitespot harm invertabrates?