Fin rot/Frayed fins and tired fish

[thptan]

Hi,

Anyone come across fish with such symptoms? Excluding fish that are victims of aggressive tankmates.

I suspect it is some sort of bacterial infection but there doesn't seem to be any discolouration(yet?) or obvious colonies growing on the fish. I have one bumblebee goby suffering from these symptoms but none of its other tankmates seem to be affected by this. Any ideas and/or treatments suggestions?

Cheers folks.

[michael lai]

Hi Thptan,
We need more information, like when was the fish introduced, the companions, your tank parameters. Alot of disease have those symtoms so it's anybody's guess. I ain't no Shaman or medium hor, no pun intended so help us to help you.

[thptan]

Sure.

Fish was introduced more than a month ago into a cycled 1.5ft planted tank.

Tankmates include another bumblebee goby, two zebrafish, two otos, three corys and a couple of shrimp. All were introduced into the tank within the span of a week.

One thing though, the sickly behaviour of the goby did coincide with a slight bacterial bloom that occurred a day before (result of a faulty filter). Maybe that's related to the symptoms...

I did a 50% WC to see whether the bugs have been brought under control. Curiously, has anyone seen any of their fish under distress immediately after a bacterial bloom has been cleared?

Anyway, will be isolating the fish later today and attempt to treat with mela- and pimafix.

Cheers folks.

[michael lai]

Hi Thptan,
First, my apologies it must be that time of year when the astro-magnetics fields in my office clashes because after reading my own post, I felt it sounded kind of curt. No hard feelings.
Now to get down to business, melafix is not bad but got to cut down on the amount of dosage. From my personal experience, the chances of survival is low. Quarantine the fish, got old water better still add a pinch of salt. This is the the old method but highly effective that is if the sick fish is discovered early. Actually it would be best if you have a running quarantine tank. The survival ratio is low because it's a small fish, any major change or change for that matter will have a very big impact on the little fella. The killer being the stress and not the disease.
I'm curious about the bacterial bloom but if I'm reading you correct, faulty filter=dead bacterial=nitrate or ammonia spike=stress to fish and onslaught of infection.

[thptan]

Hi Michael,

No worries and no hard feelings on my part too

I guess the whole situation is kind of weird for me because I do already own a few tanks, all of which are stocked with similar fish and inverts (albeit with no plants except for this) and I've had encounters with bacterial blooms before.

Inverts normally depart quickly but the fish somehow make it through when I do a 50% WC, which also normally solves the problem. Maybe plants add another dimension...

I was just shocked at the speed at which the onset of disease took place. Come to think of it, this is the first sick fish I've encountered in my stock.

Anyway, I'll see how(or if) the small guy pulls through after medication.

Thanks for the tip on the melafix.

Cheers