Lethargic, slightly sideways fish

[Arctic Mama]

I'd recommend a course of a good broad spectrum - Metro, Maracyn 2 or Plus, Triple Sulfa, etc. If you didn't want to buy anything the General Cure for a two week course should suffice.

[Bmitchell486]

I'd recommend a course of a good broad spectrum - Metro, Maracyn 2 or Plus, Triple Sulfa, etc. If you didn't want to buy anything the General Cure for a two week course should suffice.

 

Thank you so much for the treatment plan.  I will get the Maracyn and Triple Sulfa today on my way home -- he's been with me for a long time and is definitely worth another $30 to me. Should I put the full recommended dose of all 3 in at the same time, or a reduced dose?

[Arctic Mama]

Start with the Maracyn Plus - dose as directed and check in with us. If it isn't already up, gently elevate the heat in the hospital tank to 76-78 degrees F. You should just need an air stone, power head, or empty filter for circulation, and keep an eye on water quality. We want it to stay pristine.

[Bmitchell486]

Aw man, this was posted 9 min after I logged off my computer for the Easter weekend.   Thank you SO MUCH for the treatment plan!

 

Yes, his water is at 78 degrees and I will keep it there.  He's had the general cure in his water all weekend.  His water quality has stayed good -- ammonia not reading over .25ppm (which prime took care of).  

 

I think he's slightly improving.  The redness on his tail is no longer bright red, but a darker color.  Not sure if it works this way for fish, but for humans it looks less like the blood color, and more like a scab? Is that an indication of healing?  He also seems to be slightly perking up more.  Sometimes when I walk into the room I catch him swimming around (when before he was always resting on the bottom until I walked in).

 

Anyways, I will change his water tonight and switch his meds to Maracyn Plus (I bought all the meds, but was off all technology for the weekend so didn't see this post in time to see the treatment plan).  Let me know if you think I should stay with the general cure, or use both.

 

Thanks!

[Bmitchell486]

Okay, I figured I'd post an updated to let you guys know how things are going:

 

10 days total in QT (with .1% salt, feeding soilent green, water 78 degrees)

- First 4 days he had no meds in his water

- Next 3 days he had API General Cure

- Next 3 days he had Mardel Maricyn Two (I said Plus earlier, but realized later I had Two).

 

He is no longer rolling to the side.  He still hangs out a lot with his fins touching the bottom, but I don't know if it's bc he's not feeling well, or if it's bc he's bored in QT.  The redness on his fins still looks more dark red, like a scab color.  He's still eating well (he's not used to being fed so little, so he's begging quite a bit).

 

Taryl mentioned a 2 week treatment plan, so I will continue him on his current course of meds for another 8 days, and then check back in with you guys.  I'll let you know if anything changes with him in the meantime.

[Arctic Mama]

Continue with the Maracyn 2 for at least a week and check in again. He needs a full course and that wouldn't be less than seven days at the normal dosage. We may extend that a bit if needed.

[Bmitchell486]

I was inspecting Angel after his water change this morning and I noticed he's beginning to pinecone  I got some outside and inside pics of him.  It's hard to see unless you get very close to him, so I tried to get close up pics.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Please let me know if/how I need to alter his treatment plan.  He's in water with .1% regular salt and Maracyn Two.  He's still eating his repashy with gusto, pooping well, and is actually swimming around a little bit more than he was a week ago, but still bottom sitting frequently.  The redness in his tail seems to be almost completely gone.

[koko]

Talking in the back hun

 

BRB

[LisaCGold]

Hello!

 

Can you summarize the treatment you have done so far (meds, salts, and length of time)? It is easier for us when we can see everything at a glance. Thanks!

Edited April 2, 2016 by LisaCGold

[Bmitchell486]

Hello!

 

Can you summarize the treatment you have done so far (meds, salts, and length of time)? It is easier for us when we can see everything at a glance. Thanks!

 

Hey!  Yes, of course!

 

14 days total in QT (with .1% salt, feeding soilent green, water 78 degrees)

- First 4 days he had no meds in his water

- Next 3 days he had API General Cure

- Next 7 days he had Mardel Maricyn Two

 

He is still eating well, tail redness is gone.  Yesterday he seemed perked up in spite of some raised scales, but today he is 100% laying on the bottom (rightside up, not sideways).  I went in there to check out his scales, and they look completely better to me.  All scales are tightly laying against his body.  Maybe the first row of scales behind his gills are barely raised, but I can't tell for sure (doesn't show up in pics).

 

I'm more worried today bc he is super lethargic today.  When I was handling him, he just let me, no fighting.  Even when I walk in there and try messing with him, he's just laying on the bottom.  He only swam to eat his food.

 

Thanks so much guys for your help.  If let me know if/how I need to change his treatment and I will make it happen.

 

[Arctic Mama]

You have a choice - if you have a metronidazole on hand beyond what is in the General Cure you can begin that, or you can order a medicated food from one of these two locations and administer a course of it when it arrives. Your choice:

Antibiotic 2

http://www.angelsplu...dAntibiotic.htm

http://www.kensfish....fc9906002a7e044

Either way it looks like we haven't gotten on top of whatever is ailing your fish but I'm not seeing signs of parasites, so the next step is a course of another type of antibiotics. There is no guarantee it will work but I'd like to see if the switch in type of medication and delivery method yields better results.

Which route do you want to take?

[Bmitchell486]

I'd like to go the route of the medicated food.

 

I have tried clicking on the links, and for some reason they keep directing me back to this page.  I tried just copying and pasting the link into a new browser tab but the whole link isn't copying.  I searched for the food on the angels plus site and kens fish (couldn't find it on kens fish) -- is this it (Anti-biotic II)?

 

http://www.angelsplus.com/FlakeMedAntibiotic.htm

 

If so, I'll go ahead and buy it.

[Bmitchell486]

So, I meant to just look and see how much shipping was, and I must have been on auto-pilot because I bought the food    I'm pretty sure it was the right one - Anti-biotic 2 from Angels Plus.

[Arctic Mama]

I was at church and wasn't checking the boards - yes, it's antibiotic 2.

[Bmitchell486]

I'm hoping you guys can provide me with an opinion.  This weekend, my husband and I are going out of town (I'm a bridesmaid and am helping to throw a shower for the bride in her hometown... not something I can get out of).  I have friends/family in town who feed my fish in my absence, but to be quite honest, none of them have ever kept fish and I'd be worried to ask them to do daily water changes, and what if they mis-measure something or the temperature variance is too great with the new water, etc.  I think he's going to have to be on his own for 3 whole days.  I don't have the funds to go out and buy a bigger tote, or to buy another filter.  I've already spent $45 on his meds and medicated food so far.   I'm thinking of options of what to do with Angel this weekend:

 

Option 1: Fill his QT tank all the way to the full 20 gallons.  I'm worried that his ammonia can get too high in 20 gallons in the 3 day timeframe though.

 

Option 2: Put him back into the main tank for the 3 days.  He was already bottom sitting in there for probably a month, and none of my other fish were messing with him, especially since he would still swim around from time to time.  I'm worried about this option bc I know that interrupting his medication can make him sicker (and create anti-biotic resistant bacteria in him).

 

Option 3: Clean and rinse, rinse, and rinse again my bathtub, measure out 30-40 gallons and add enough meds to the water and put him in there.  I'm just worried about possible soap residue, since it's a shower.  I'm also worried that somehow the tub drain could slowly leak during those 3 days and he could run out of water.

 

Option 4: I've got one ranchu , Cheeks McGee, in my 29 gallon, set up since last year.  It is fully cycled, and Cheeks and Angel are about the same size.  I could move Cheeks to my main tank and put Angel in the 29 with medication.  I'm just worried with this option that somehow I could introduce illness to Cheeks or my other fish in my main tank since they've never been together or exposed to each other...

 

What do you guys think?  Also, is there another option that I haven't thought of?  I think my bathtub is probably the largest container I can think of, and the 20 gallon tote is the largest tote I own.  Thanks in advance for your opinions on this.

[Bmitchell486]

I just re-read my post and it makes me sound like I'm a huge worrier.  I'm not usually, and am super relaxed about my fish.... except when they get sick because I don't want anything to happen to them, and I don't want to mess up their treatment.  I've had Angel for a long time.  I went 5 years without losing a fish, and now have lost 2 in the last 6 months.

 

Anyways, I was just worrying that you guys would think I'm a worrier!   

[Arctic Mama]

Don't worry, just fast him while you're gone in the hospital tote. Continue the medication when you return. Simple.

[Bmitchell486]

Don't worry, just fast him while you're gone in the hospital tote. Continue the medication when you return. Simple.

 

Thank you.  I was so worried the ammonia would build up too high in there.  But you're right, since he won't be eating, it shouldn't.  

[Arctic Mama]

You may get just a little bit honestly it shouldn't be an issue for so few days

[Bmitchell486]

Sounds good to me.  Also, he was much more active yesterday and almost like his normal self.  I hope that continues!

 

Also, today marks 10 days that he's had Maricyn Two in his water.  Once the medicated food arrives (hopefully today or tomorrow) should I remove the meds from his water and just feed him the medicated food? Or should I continue with the Maricyn Two for the full 14 days?

[Bmitchell486]

The medicated food is out for delivery, so I will have it today!  Should I feed it today/tomorrow, and then resume again on Sunday night when I am back home?  Or should I wait and begin feeding it on Sunday night?

[Bmitchell486]

So I decided to wing it, hopefully I've done it right.  I kept the Maricyn Two in his water (so it will go the full 14 days as prior advised) and I started feeding him the Antibiotic II food last night.  He eagerly ate it (I think he was getting sick of noting but soilent green for the last 2 weeks!).  

 

I haven't fed flake food in 3 years, since I had my tropical community tank!

[Bmitchell486]

So I changed his water this morning, put the last dose of Maricyn Two in his water (Sunday should be day 14).  He'll be on his own this weekend, hopefully the ammonia doesn't build up too much.

 

Earlier, it was mentioned to keep the Maricyn Two in his water for at least 14 days.  Let me know if I should continue to use Maricyn Two after Sunday, or if he needs to continue to be fed the medicated food only.

 

He's still bottom sitting a lot when I'm not in the room (I walk by and see him).  But he's still eagerly eating, and is energetic when I approach the tank.  

[LisaCGold]

I reported this to the mods, and fantailfan1 recommended just using the food. Since both are tetracycline products, no need for both.

[Bmitchell486]

I reported this to the mods, and fantailfan1 recommended just using the food. Since both are tetracycline products, no need for both.

 

Thanks Lisa and fantailfan1!  It was my last dose, so it's nice to know I won't need to go back and purchase another packet of the Maricyn Two before Monday.