New fish, raised scales and rotted fin

[heckittie]

I purchased a fish from a local breeder, the same one I got my other fish from and it appears to have a few problems. One of its fins is basically rotted to the nubs and streaked, yesterday it was really red, today it looks a little better. I also noticed slightly raised scales near the gills and I am wondering if this looks like the start of dropsy? Unfortunately its a couple hour drive to the breeder and I didn't notice this stuff until I got home. The breeder is also involved and knows the situation. The fish seems active and energetic and is currently in an uncycled 7g quarantine tank, it never touched my tank and I am going to be doing water changes every day. Ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates are all 0, I am currently treating with normal salt and sulfaplex just cause that's all I had, I just am not sure how to treat the raised scales.

[heckittie]

Test Results for the Following:

 Ammonia Level(Tank) 0

 Nitrite Level(Tank) 0

 Nitrate level(Tank) 0

 Ammonia Level(Tap) 0

 Nitrite Level(Tap) 0

 Nitrate level(Tap) 0

 Ph Level, Tank (If possible, KH, GH and chloramines) 7.6

 Ph Level, Tap (If possible, KH, GH and chloramines) 7.6

Other Required Info:

 Brand of test-kit used and whether strips or drops? Aqueon drops

 Water temperature? 64

 Tank size (how many gals.) and how long has it been running? 7 gallon quarantine

 What is the name and "size of the filter"(s)? sponge filter

 How often do you change the water and how much? 1/4 a day or 1/2 every other day

 How many days ago was the last water change and how much did you change? Just set up

 How many fish in the tank and their size? 1 fish 3"

 What kind of water additives or conditioners? Prime

 What do you feed your fish and how often?

 Any new fish added to the tank? fish is brand new

 Any medications added to the tank? Sulfaplex and salt

 List entire medication/treatment history for fish and tank.Please include salt, Prazi, PP, etc and the approximate time and duration of treatment. Sulfaplex and salt, 12 hours

 Any unusual findings on the fish such as "grains of salt," bloody streaks, frayed fins or fungus? Bloody streaks, fin rotted to nubs

 Any unusual behavior like staying at the bottom, not eating, etc.? Behaving normally

[koko]

Well I'm so glad to hear that this fish didn't go into the main tank yet. Great thinking. 

@Arctic Mama is my Go to girl for meds here. When she can she will try and help you out.

In the mean time. Could you give us a list of what kinds of medications you have on hand.

 

[heckittie]

7 hours ago, koko said:

Well I'm so glad to hear that this fish didn't go into the main tank yet. Great thinking. 

@Arctic Mama is my Go to girl for meds here. When she can she will try and help you out.

In the mean time. Could you give us a list of what kinds of medications you have on hand.

 

I just got maracyn 2 and Epsom salt. I have sulfaplex, methylene blue, a combination of malachite green and nitrofurazone, and aquarium salt.

[heckittie]

Fin looks a lot better today. No redness anymore. Scales are still raised but looks the same as the first day.

[koko]

On 5/31/2021 at 7:23 AM, heckittie said:

Fin looks a lot better today. No redness anymore. Scales are still raised but looks the same as the first day.

Lets do just Epsom salt hun. Just to get the swelling down. Have you treated your new fish with Prazi or General cure yet? 

[heckittie]

10 hours ago, koko said:

Lets do just Epsom salt hun. Just to get the swelling down. Have you treated your new fish with Prazi or General cure yet? 

I have not yet, I did start Epsom salt and maracyn 2 yesterday (did 100% water change) and no change in swelling. Fish is still eating and behaving normally, no bottom sitting or anything. On a positive note, the breeder gave me a refund >.>

[koko]

10 hours ago, heckittie said:

I have not yet, I did start Epsom salt and maracyn 2 yesterday (did 100% water change) and no change in swelling. Fish is still eating and behaving normally, no bottom sitting or anything. On a positive note, the breeder gave me a refund >.>

That was nice of the breeder.

Okay Im sure when @Arctic Mama get a moment she will come and take a look see. 

But the Epsom salt will help with the swelling and the Maracyn2 might help.

 

[Arctic Mama]

Do a full treatment of the sulfaplex, no salt of either kind right now.  Remember too, all these medications work more effectively and a bit quicker in warmer temperatures, which speed up the metabolism of the fish. So I’d bump up that tank temp to the mid seventies over the next few days. You should see improvement within 4-5 days. The pineconed scales are a symptom but at this point we want to see it the meds are fixing things internally, not the epsom temporarily reducing any swelling. The lifted scales aren’t severe enough that one would need to reduce that swelling for comfort, from the looks of it.

Continue the sulfaplex for a MINIMUM of 10 days, 14 is better.

[Arctic Mama]

If we need another med it will be kanaplex or oxytetracycline, if you want to order some to have on hand just in case.

[heckittie]

Checked again today, one side maybe looks a bit better and no change on the other side. No other symptoms. It’s really weird, I’ve never seen raised scales like this without full pineconing. To me they almost look like pearlscale pearls cause it’s only like 5 scales that are bumpy.

[Arctic Mama]

Localized swelling can be a blockage, injury, issue with a single organ, abscess, etc. it does happen and if the fish is swimming and pooping and not showing other symptoms we generally just shrug and let it go with the fin issues I think antibiotics were a good choice, since water quality doesn’t seem to have been the culprit to explain fin rot like that. But the scales lifting over the side could be any number of non-lethal things or some note problematic ones, and it’s good to watch to see what, if anything, that area might be responsive to. 

[heckittie]

So it’s been almost 10 days and no noticeable difference in the scales. The fin is already starting to regenerate. I picked up the kanaplex just in case. Should I finish the 14 days and then switch?

[Arctic Mama]

Honestly if the fins are improving and there are zero other symptoms besides the one raised patch, hold off on the kanaplex and just let the fish rest until something else pops up or the swelling gets worse. We will assume the lifted scales are benign until other things in the fish’s condition indicate otherwise. Better to not use a medication we don’t have to, so it’s efficacy remains high for a later time when we DO desperately need it.

[heckittie]

Will do. I haven’t done a round of prazi, should I do that after finishing sulfaplex?

[Arctic Mama]

Yes, you can run two rounds of prazi, each a week long (four days medication in, three days of break, repeat) as soon as the sulfaplex is out.