Achilles/gold-rim hybrid troubles!

[Keepswiming]

I would get him to eat as soon as possible. Delaying feeding in his condition could worsen the situation.

I am almost 100 percent sure he is not going to eat with his fins falling off so the food in the water will only worse the situation. I tried mysis and nori because I am about to do the water change and he sat in the corner...

 

[Keepswiming]

You can do large water changes, I used to do 70-90% in my QT tanks no problem. Just adjust PH with something like Araga milk and ensure the water you're adding is the same temperature.

Thanks. I am going to do two 35 gallon water changes for the 60 gallon qt, only because I am using a trashcan and have to make the water. I wonder if I should start the meds after the first 35 gallons while I wait for the trashcan to fill. I am going to take a pic today so you guys can see how bad his fins are now. I almost want him to die because it looks painful :/

 

[Humblefish]

I need to pick up the metroplex as @Humblefish recommended. @Humblefish what exactly is the metro for? Would it increase his chances if I went to pick it up ? Thanks!

Furan-2 and Kanaplex contain the main antibiotics the fish needs to stave off infection. Adding metronidazole (Metroplex) to the mix broadens the spectrum of treatment even more as it treats anaerobic bacterial diseases and internal parasites.

 

[4FordFamily]

I would treat sooner rather than later. Buy lots of meds because you'll need lots of water changes.

[HASHTAG]#humblefish[/HASHTAG] can prime be used in conjunction with those meds by chance?

 

[mcarroll]

Please try to get him to eat.

Withholding feeding because of QT water quality issues, unfortunately, just makes the situation "double bad".

Water changes are pretty integral to many treatments.
That there's (going to be) no bio filter makes water changes that much more crucial. So feeding WHAT HE WILL EAT should be fine.

 

[Humblefish]

I would treat sooner rather than later. Buy lots of meds because you'll need lots of water changes.

[HASHTAG]#humblefish[/HASHTAG] can prime be used in conjunction with those meds by chance?

Yes; the only meds ammonia reducer can't be mixed with are copper and Prazipro. The former for sure, the latter seems more hit or miss for some reason.

 

[Keepswiming]

Furan-2 and Kanaplex contain the main antibiotics the fish needs to stave off infection. Adding metronidazole (Metroplex) to the mix broadens the spectrum of treatment even more as it treats anaerobic bacterial diseases and internal parasites.

Thanks, he is in the meds now and i hope it works quickly because his fins were on a rapid decline.

 

[Keepswiming]

I would treat sooner rather than later. Buy lots of meds because you'll need lots of water changes.

[HASHTAG]#humblefish[/HASHTAG] can prime be used in conjunction with those meds by chance?

I am going to do the water changes as the meds recommend now that i have started it all. Thanks for the help.

 

[mcarroll]

@Humblefish, do folks like us have any chance of making a positive ID on something like this? I have yet to see a treatment reference that doesn't emphasize microscopes, positive ID and consulting a fish health specialist before treatment. I doubt they're talking about our neighborhood vet, but then who?

 

[Keepswiming]

Please try to get him to eat.

Withholding feeding because of QT water quality issues, unfortunately, just makes the situation "double bad".

Water changes are pretty integral to many treatments.
That there's (going to be) no bio filter makes water changes that much more crucial. So feeding WHAT HE WILL EAT should be fine.

I understand where you are coming from about the food situation. He is in bad shape and wont eat anything before i did this water change/meds. I am going to give him a day to let the meds kick in and then try feeding a little. I need to keep this water column clean and with no bio-filtration it is near impossible to keep nitrates out even though i was doing a 35 gallon water change (out of 60g) every couple of days. With his current condition i am not worried about food yet because he is fat BUT has open wounds all over that need to be addressed first... You don't go trying to feed patients in a hospital until your treat the BAD Infections, nutrient intake is not my main concern (YET) ... Kidding... Kind of...

 

[Keepswiming]

Besides you guys, this is what i am using for reference btw!
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/AquariumMedication2.html

 

[Keepswiming]

Yes; the only meds ammonia reducer can't be mixed with are copper and Prazipro. The former for sure, the latter seems more hit or miss for some reason.

Would it be beneficial to add an ammonia reducer even though my ammonia alert badge reads 0?

 

[Keepswiming]

This is how the poor guy looks now. I am doing everything i possibly can and he is fighting as well! I cant stand seeing him in this condition and hope these meds work or he passes soon!

 

[mcarroll]

What there won't be tolerance for is uneaten food in the QT. What he actually eats shouldn't cause any problems given the water change situation.

If I'm tracking this right, this could be day 5 without eating, right? A more sedentary fish I might not worry, but I'm concerned about any tang not eating for that long - fat or no. He'll need actual food to do a good job healing.

I know you're doing your best and it's all a pain in the neck - so keep it up and get him eating!

 

[mcarroll]

Doesn't look so bad now! If he'd just start eating he'd very likely pull through IMO.

Good luck!!!

 

[Keepswiming]

What there won't be tolerance for is uneaten food in the QT. What he actually eats shouldn't cause any problems given the water change situation.

If I'm tracking this right, this could be day 5 without eating, right? A more sedentary fish I might not worry, but I'm concerned about any tang not eating for that long - fat or no. He'll need actual food to do a good job healing.

I know you're doing your best and it's all a pain in the neck - so keep it up and get him eating!

It has been three days with no food but check out that picture i posted. He is NOT going to eat in that condition. It is impossible for me to catch any food he does not take in. I understand that the food he consumes is not the issue but i simply cannot catch the left overs (all the food i give him). Thanks for your take on the situation but as of right now i am not going to put anything in the water for at least one day.

 

[Keepswiming]

Doesn't look so bad now! If he'd just start eating he'd very likely pull through IMO.

Good luck!!!

Have you seen a fish pull through after being in this condition? This question goes out to everyone... I would love for someone to shed some light on the situation that i think is almost certain death now...

 

[knukles55]

You know as much as I want to believe a fish this far gone with fin rot is done for. I'd like to know if this happens in the ocean if a fish will just sit and die or peck at rocks more and try to eat more to get more nutrients from food to fight off a disease. Hope this makes sense I'm pretty sure a lot of plants algaes and plankton can serve as a natural remedy for fish in the ocean. Sorry this is such a rant just trying to learn something from your sick tang, really hope he pulls through for you

 

[mcarroll]

[...]see how bad his fins are now. [...] it looks painful :/

Missed this....ya it looks like hell on the fish.

But my understanding is that the fins are like our fingernails to us....not gonna hurt him or his recovery one bit.

The caudal (rear) fin is the one typically in the most danger as it's connected right to the nervous system at its base so if it rots down to the root (shouldn't happen) the infection can get inside the fish, which is very bad.

I've seen lots of fish that look like your last pic pull through, but (I hate to re-re-repeat ) whether he's eating is the #1 bell-weather to survival IME.

If his insides look like his outsides - ammonia exposure is probably 100x worse than exposure to any pathogen....nasty, nasty stuff - he may already be done and just living on internal energy stores, but may literally be unable to eat/digest anymore.

Definitely don't foul the water, but try, try, try to get him to eat during the course of things.

 

[NeuroticAquatics]

I got a Borbonious Anthias about a year ago from a guy who purchased a pair. One decided to absolutely destroy the fins of the other, so he pulled out the abused Borb into another tank until I took it. A year later, everything but the caudal fin looks normal. They can look like hell and pull out of it okay. Mine was not the same symptoms though.