bacterial infection need help please

[Cookie_apisto]

My female german ram having a bacterial infection on her body and there is a wound right now. What can I do for her? I have plants in the tank so i dont think is good to dose any medication and I also dont have an QT and dont have a space for one.

 

[gerald]

Kanamycin works occasionally on some infections, but the chances of recovery are not high with rams and Apistos after open sores appear.

 

[Cookie_apisto]

So it is gonna cure by itself?

 

[regani]

Skin lacerations in soft water fish often come from unsuitable water conditions, unless they are an injury from a fight, of course.
So medication would be a short term fix only. If you don't want to medicate and don't want to use a hospital tank you will have to keep the water conditions pristine to give the immune system of the fish a chance to get on top of it. Daily water changes of 25-50% can achieve that.
You may want to check your water (ammonia, nitrite to start with, then nitrate, GH, KH, and/or TDS/conductivity) to find out what caused the problem. In nature they are found in water with very low GH and KH and TDS/conductivity with an acidic pH and relatively high temperatures. To keep them healthy (and especially if you want to breed them) it is best to emulate these conditions as best as you can.

 

[Cookie_apisto]

I bought her for three weeks ago and she got the infection at the LFS but I cant see it when I am buying her because it was really small red spot only. So should I raise up the temp so it can let it cure a bit more better? Right now is 80 i am thinking of raising up to 82?

 

[Cookie_apisto]

Is these plants can take 82 degree?I have java moss, anubias, java fern and moss ball

 

[regani]

The plants should be fine. I have kept Java moss, Java fern and anubias in tanks that got up above 90 degrees in summer.
Rams are found in waters with temps around 86 degrees.
More important than the temperature is the water quality. If a small sore hasn't healed in a couple of weeks it is either the water that is not quite right (providing the rest of the setup is ok with regards to shelter etc) or medication is required or both.

 

[Cookie_apisto]

Just did a 45% water change today. Should I dose some melafix? Is that plant safe?

 

[regani]

Should be safe for the plants. I've never been a big fan of melafix, don't think it actually helps much and may cause problems in some cases, but I know some people swear by it. Up to you

 

[gerald]

Infections are extremely common in the mass-produced rams that most pet shops sell. Yes it's very likely the fish was infected before you got her, rather than a disease that developed due to bad water conditions in your tank. High temp (82 to 86) and a nutritious diet might help her recover, but unfortunately some of those infections prevalent in farmed fish (inluding Mycobacterium) are usually fatal. in the future you might want to look for aquarium-bred rams from another hobbyist.

 

[Cookie_apisto]

Are people usually keep ram at 82 degree?

 

[gerald]

Yes, M. ramirezi comes from very warm streams in the Rio Orinoco basin. mid-80s F is common in their habitat.

 

[Cookie_apisto]

I have a pair of apisto and checkerboard cichlid so i only raise it up to 82.6 dont wanna piss off the others.

 

[Ttw]

I have collected wild rams in water measuring 91º F

 

[Cookie_apisto]

Thats really hot lol. Whats the ph in ur tank?

 

[Ttw]

I am not keeping rams currently. Where I caught those particular rams the pH was 5.8 and TDS of 30

 

[MickeM]

Infections are extremely common in the mass-produced rams that most pet shops sell. Yes it's very likely the fish was infected before you got her, rather than a disease that developed due to bad water conditions in your tank. High temp (82 to 86) and a nutritious diet might help her recover, but unfortunately some of those infections prevalent in farmed fish (inluding Mycobacterium) are usually fatal. in the future you might want to look for aquarium-bred rams from another hobbyist.

I/We in Sweden have experienced a lot of imported fishes from (what we think is) warm breeding-farms in tropical countries.. and they, sometimes, are then getting very problematic bacterial effects/diseases/infections..
(But not often on Apistos.. mainly on Asian fishes!!)
One theory discussed are the suspicions of the common use of antibiotics.. maybe it is being used when breeding..??

Then maybe(?), after several transports+stressed situations , they develope infections..in our types of water..
Maybe this is happening due to the fact that their final destinations are in our planted,and not so rigidly cleaned, tanks.. as they were brought up in!!???
They might just not be used/adapted to our filtersystems+"biological flora" ???
They may never have "met"/gotten used to any similar bacterias in their early lives!!??
Can anyone confirm this or explain more??