White Spot Traumas

[Wishful]

Well I did a little reading earlier about finrot and I'm not sure if that's what it is or not. They've both (I'm still working on the basis that I've seen them both, I'm sure the loss of tail is different, lost part of their tails, but the other symptoms I've read about - inflammation of the outer edge of the fin and red streaks in the fin - don't seem to be present. Could it be some other reason their fins are ragged?

I'm not cross with the tree root Nikki - when I start getting cross with inanimate objects I'll know I've finally turned the corner of insanity ;-) Seriously though - I am cross with myself - I just wish I'd thought of filling it with gravel before everything went wrong. It's making the whole thing so much more stressful not being able to see what's going on.

 

[Crystal]

Well I did a little reading earlier about finrot and I'm not sure if that's what it is or not. They've both (I'm still working on the basis that I've seen them both, I'm sure the loss of tail is different, lost part of their tails, but the other symptoms I've read about - inflammation of the outer edge of the fin and red streaks in the fin - don't seem to be present. Could it be some other reason their fins are ragged?

My fish are having the exact same thing, as well as the ich outbreak, so I am reading closely on this topic as well to see what will help my tetras.
good luck with your loaches!

 

[littleme1969]

Hi again..hehe
No ...thats bacterial fin rot (red blooded edges).. what you have sounds like Fungus realted fin rot...they just go all ragged and frayed and if left the whole tail incuding the bones will lost .. If they still have a resonable tail and its not down to the tail bed (where it meets the body) then you're in with a fighting chance .. Get some meds a.s.a.p.. Any fungus/finrot treatment should do a good job, just make sure it can be used with the other meds. (oh how I love Interpet )...hehe
The problem is when fish get one problem...i.e. white spot their immune system is compromised and so leaves them wide open to secondary infections..this can be either fungal or bacterial.

So get the meds in the water a.s.a.p... and put the melafix in there too as this is really good for repairing the fins once the fungus medication has worked.

These poor little guys have been through the wars, but i'm sure with a little positive thinking (and no tree root bashing ) they will pull through just fine

Fingers and toes still crossed

 

[Wishful]

Thanks Crystal - rotten isn't it?

Ah Nikki - where would I be without you

I'm off down the lfs tomorrow for Melafix and to try to find something for their tails that can go into to the water with the current treatment. It's truly amazing that all the other fish seem to be as healthy as can be - I just hope it all stays that way and that we can save the little guys.

Thanks for all your help and support.

(I never bashed a tree root in my life - I might have tripped over one once though.... )

 

[Wishful]

Well the little fellas are still alive. We're doing a water change today, and then starting a second course of treatment with the Protozin.

I emailed Waterlife (makers of Protozin) and they said that since our pH is over 7, we don't have to halve the dose of the Protozin for the loaches, so we're gonna go full strength. I can't use a finrot treatment with it (I know Nikki - I wish I'd used Interpet now), but as soon as the white spot treatment is finished we have to wait four days then we can treat with their finrot stuff. I do hope they survive that long....but they're proving themselves little fighters at the moment.

 

[aloaring]

Hi Wishful,
Just wanted to say have you tried raising the temperature in the tank as that quickens the the cycle of white spot - most medicines can only kill the white spot in its dormant form( when the spots fall off the tank) rasing the temp helps to get the white spot to this stage thus making the medicine work quicker.

As for the mangrove root i had one of these and had a Talking catfish get stuck in there i would hold it upside down while slowly pulling it out of the water the loaches will quickly come out!

Good luck!

 

[Wishful]

Hi aloaring

The temperature has been raised naturally recently because of the excessive heat and humidity we've been having. It's getting to nearly 80 degrees in the tank each day, so I've been a bit concerned about turning the heater up (the heater is set to 77). What temperature should it go up to? Will it have a negative affect on the other occupants of the tank that don't like high temperatures?

We did try turning the thing upside down when they first went in there, but they didn't come out. Whatever happens once the ich has gone, as soon as they are both out of there at the same time, I'm filling the 'legs' of the root with gravel - leaving just the trunk open for them to hide in. There are lots of other hidey holes in the tank so it's not as if that's the only place they can go. I also get concerned that sometimes these things have sharp edges on the moulding inside - I looked at one in the lfs yesterday that actually had a point on the inner side!

 

[Wishful]

Just lost the second of the clown loaches. Went to do a water change and he was only just taking his last few breaths. Poor little chap

While doing the water change I upped the temperature a little to about 80F.