SGcvn69 23 Posted January 7 So my black comet was unwell last Thursday as I was going out of town for the weekend. I quickly threw some salt in the tank. It looked like his slime coat was sloughing off and maybe some ich. I had no time to dose him nor would it help to have just one dose so I started treating the whole tank on Saturday when I got back. The white dots are gone, but the slime coat is still sloughing off. Tail is shredded and find are red. Dorsal looks a bit red too like maybe an ulcer starting to form. Everyone else had blood streaked fins. Water parameters are at 0 for nitrates, nitrites, and ammonia. I have hard water so pH is around 7.2 at least. Think I should separate him and treat him separately or think it is a waste of time since he has friends? I’ve been treating with Seachem Kanaplex, Metroplex, and Focus on a rotating basis twice per day. 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Arctic Mama 3,625 Posted January 7 Wait, what? Rotating basis? Go ahead and fill out the diagnostic form and then type out the weekly/daily schedule timing for the meds and the duration you’ve already done. I’m confused already 🤷♀️ Test Results for the Following: * Ammonia Level(Tank) * Nitrite Level(Tank) * Nitrate level(Tank) * Ammonia Level(Tap) * Nitrite Level(Tap) * Nitrate level(Tap) * Ph Level, Tank (If possible, KH, GH and chloramines) * Ph Level, Tap (If possible, KH, GH and chloramines) Other Required Info: * Brand of test-kit used and whether strips or drops? * Water temperature? * Tank size (how many gals.) and how long has it been running? * What is the name and "size of the filter"(s)? * How often do you change the water and how much? * How many days ago was the last water change and how much did you change? * How many fish in the tank and their size? * What kind of water additives or conditioners? * What do you feed your fish and how often? * Any new fish added to the tank? * Any medications added to the tank? * List entire medication/treatment history for fish and tank.Please include salt, Prazi, PP, etc and the approximate time and duration of treatment. * Any unusual findings on the fish such as "grains of salt," bloody streaks, frayed fins or fungus? * Any unusual behavior like staying at the bottom, not eating, etc.? 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SGcvn69 23 Posted January 7 1 hour ago, Arctic Mama said: Wait, what? Rotating basis? Go ahead and fill out the diagnostic form and then type out the weekly/daily schedule timing for the meds and the duration you’ve already done. I’m confused already 🤷♀️ Test Results for the Following: * Ammonia Level(Tank) * Nitrite Level(Tank) * Nitrate level(Tank) * Ammonia Level(Tap) * Nitrite Level(Tap) * Nitrate level(Tap) * Ph Level, Tank (If possible, KH, GH and chloramines) * Ph Level, Tap (If possible, KH, GH and chloramines) Other Required Info: * Brand of test-kit used and whether strips or drops? * Water temperature? * Tank size (how many gals.) and how long has it been running? * What is the name and "size of the filter"(s)? * How often do you change the water and how much? * How many days ago was the last water change and how much did you change? * How many fish in the tank and their size? * What kind of water additives or conditioners? * What do you feed your fish and how often? * Any new fish added to the tank? * Any medications added to the tank? * List entire medication/treatment history for fish and tank.Please include salt, Prazi, PP, etc and the approximate time and duration of treatment. * Any unusual findings on the fish such as "grains of salt," bloody streaks, frayed fins or fungus? * Any unusual behavior like staying at the bottom, not eating, etc.? I'll have to go home later and test all that so I have the current info. I don't want to give you partial info. 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SGcvn69 23 Posted January 7 Ok! Here are the results as of 6:30pm EST Test Results for the Following: * Ammonia Level(Tank) - 0 * Nitrite Level(Tank) - 0 * Nitrate level(Tank) - 0 * Ammonia Level(Tap) - 0.5 * Nitrite Level(Tap) - 0 * Nitrate level(Tap) - 0 * Ph Level, Tank (If possible, KH, GH and chloramines) - 7.2 to 7.4, 7.3? They were kind of in between. KH was 3/4 and GH was 8 * Ph Level, Tap (If possible, KH, GH and chloramines) - 7.4 and KH was 3/4 and GH was 5 Other Required Info: * Brand of test-kit used and whether strips or drops? API, drops * Water temperature? 60.4 F * Tank size (how many gals.) and how long has it been running? Spring 2019, size ? They are in temporary winter housing. Guessing 20-30 gallons * What is the name and "size of the filter"(s)? Large sponge filter * How often do you change the water and how much? 25% everyday to every other day at the moment or so * How many days ago was the last water change and how much did you change? This morning, 25% * How many fish in the tank and their size? 4, the other three are very small * What kind of water additives or conditioners? Prime * What do you feed your fish and how often? Normally I rotate between homemade gel, Bug Bites, Hikari goldfish Excel formula, and New Life Spectrum Thera A+. Right now getting only Hikari and Thera A+ because it is easy to soak * Any new fish added to the tank? 2 added a month ago after quarantine and treatment. * Any medications added to the tank? Jungle Ick Guard * List entire medication/treatment history for fish and tank.Please include salt, Prazi, PP, etc and the approximate time and duration of treatment. Salt on 12/29 and 1/7. 1/2 Kanaplex PM, 1/3 Focus AM & Metroplex PM, 1/4 Kanaplex AM & Focus PM, 1/5 Metroplex AM & Kanaplex PM, 1/6 Focus AM & Metroplex PM , 1/7 Kanaplex AM & Focus PM. All Seachem soaked in food. Worked well for me last time I had a fish with slime coat sloughing off. * Any unusual findings on the fish such as "grains of salt," bloody streaks, frayed fins or fungus? slime coat shedding, grains of salt, frayed/bloody fins, small ulcers starting? * Any unusual behavior like staying at the bottom, not eating, etc.? Floating. Can't tell if eating 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SGcvn69 23 Posted January 8 14 hours ago, Arctic Mama said: Wait, what? Rotating basis? Go ahead and fill out the diagnostic form and then type out the weekly/daily schedule timing for the meds and the duration you’ve already done. I’m confused already 🤷♀️ Test Results for the Following: * Ammonia Level(Tank) * Nitrite Level(Tank) * Nitrate level(Tank) * Ammonia Level(Tap) * Nitrite Level(Tap) * Nitrate level(Tap) * Ph Level, Tank (If possible, KH, GH and chloramines) * Ph Level, Tap (If possible, KH, GH and chloramines) Other Required Info: * Brand of test-kit used and whether strips or drops? * Water temperature? * Tank size (how many gals.) and how long has it been running? * What is the name and "size of the filter"(s)? * How often do you change the water and how much? * How many days ago was the last water change and how much did you change? * How many fish in the tank and their size? * What kind of water additives or conditioners? * What do you feed your fish and how often? * Any new fish added to the tank? * Any medications added to the tank? * List entire medication/treatment history for fish and tank.Please include salt, Prazi, PP, etc and the approximate time and duration of treatment. * Any unusual findings on the fish such as "grains of salt," bloody streaks, frayed fins or fungus? * Any unusual behavior like staying at the bottom, not eating, etc.? Btw, there are no grainy bits anymore 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SGcvn69 23 Posted January 8 Moved him into a hospital tank even though the other fish were affected too. He is just really bad and wanted to monitor him some more. Small 1 gallon, but makes it easier to change water at least. 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SGcvn69 23 Posted January 8 Oh and also, 0.25 is normal ammonia for me from the tap. It was higher for some reason when I did my testing 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Arctic Mama 3,625 Posted January 10 With those med doses when are your changing the water? It’s easier to control the quantities by going 100% changes every day or every other day and a full med redose. I’d be focusing on on the gram negatives, probably kanaplex and furan 2, along with salt and heat. 60F is way too low for treatment, you’d want to bump it up by a degree every twelve hours or so until you reach mid seventies. With that excess slime coat salt dips may work better than salt in the tank, too. you may also consider five gallon buckets instead of the bowl, it’s a little easier to dose meds for and change out, since two from Home Depot are just a few bucks 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SGcvn69 23 Posted January 10 14 hours ago, Arctic Mama said: With those med doses when are your changing the water? It’s easier to control the quantities by going 100% changes every day or every other day and a full med redose. I’d be focusing on on the gram negatives, probably kanaplex and furan 2, along with salt and heat. 60F is way too low for treatment, you’d want to bump it up by a degree every twelve hours or so until you reach mid seventies. With that excess slime coat salt dips may work better than salt in the tank, too. you may also consider five gallon buckets instead of the bowl, it’s a little easier to dose meds for and change out, since two from Home Depot are just a few bucks I’ve been doing 50% am/pm cuz I didn’t think want to net him so much. Plus it’s hard to get a net into the bowl 😂 I did throw my beta heater in there and his slime coat has gotten better, but now he has fungus around the possible ulcer near the front of his dorsal fin. He is eating so that’s good! Looking less red too. Need to get a heater though for the other container. All my old heaters for this have either broken or gotten old and leaked. 😢 I got my money’s worth though for having them 20+ years! 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SGcvn69 23 Posted January 14 I think I found the issue! https://cflas.org/2014/03/27/treating-columnaris-or-body-fungus-not-a-true-fungus/ 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Arctic Mama 3,625 Posted January 14 I have experience treating this in my own tanks and with others. Unless this is a new fish or bee livestock has been introduced into the tank in the last two weeks? It’s not columnaris. Also your fish would very likely be dead within the week, as it is sadly very virulent. You’d expect to see visible symptoms in the two newer fish first, it doesn’t spread asymptomatically. But there ARE lots of ectoparasites that can cause excess slime coat, which is most of what I see in your pictures above. Some bacteria can, too. 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Arctic Mama 3,625 Posted January 14 You may also consider not netting him at all. Just use an empty cottage cheese container or glad ware and scoop him into it with your hand and some of the tank water, then use your hand to place him back once the water has been changed in quarantine, it’s easy and less stressful than netting. 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SGcvn69 23 Posted January 14 Well, two of the others were introduced a month before this happened. They were quarantined and treated with the same meds since one of them looked slimy and had slight dropsy. I will most likely pour him back in with his friends once everyone is healthy again. 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SGcvn69 23 Posted January 14 Here’s some updated pics. His fins are a lot less red. Tried to upload a video, but it wasn’t allowed 😕 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Arctic Mama 3,625 Posted January 14 Hmmm; if the other fish are showing symptoms and the temp has been low it is possible, though unlikely. Treatment is two weeks of salt, furan 2, and kanamycin all together. Constant concentration. The salt inhibits further spread of the columnaris and the two gram negative antibiotics act synergistically to knock it out. You’d want to treat all three completely for two weeks, then possible longer depending on symptoms. No other meds, that’s hard enough on them as is, but it’s pretty much all that works 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SGcvn69 23 Posted January 18 He’s looking so much better! No more ulcer or fuzz! Loss some color, but I’m guessing it’s cuz of the light colors and he is trying to blend in? Either that ir he is stressed out. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
koko 14,340 Posted January 19 Looking alot better 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SGcvn69 23 Posted January 20 Finally looking “normal”-ish! I will continue treating until that weird discolored looking patch on his dorsal is gone though in case whatever it is that he is sick with has embedded itself under his scales, but at least he isn’t fuzzy, shedding, or ulcerated anymore! AND...it looks like his color has come back a little! Must be feeling better! ☺️ 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Arctic Mama 3,625 Posted January 20 Looking much better! 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SGcvn69 23 Posted January 20 Yeah! His buddies are doing good. The twice a day feedings have gotten them to look like mini whales LOL! 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Acro 675 Posted January 20 Wow, I really thought you were in bad shape, but things are looking up! Good job helping the fish out! Keep it up! 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SGcvn69 23 Posted January 21 9 hours ago, Acro said: Wow, I really thought you were in bad shape, but things are looking up! Good job helping the fish out! Keep it up! Nah! This Seachem combo is amazing! And it’s kinda crazy to rotate through with each feeding, but it works well! I quit dosing his buddies tonight. They’ve been looking good for awhile. Gonna keep it up with him though until he is fully back to himself! 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SGcvn69 23 Posted January 29 Looking better! Even with 50% water change twice a day the algae is taking over! But he is looking a lot better! 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SGcvn69 23 Posted February 6 Ignore all the algae on the glass! He looks all healed, but still has a weird mark under his scales? 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Acro 675 Posted February 6 That is really such a great recovery! You've done a great job! I'm not sure what to think about the markings under his scales. Maybe scarring but I am hardly the expert on sick or injured fish. But please continue the updates! 0 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
