Does anyone recognize tihs - is it pyhsical damage or disease

[anewbie]

This is a female winkelfleck approx 3 years old and i can't tell what happened to its scales. It is only on one side - she is an eager beaver when it comes to feeding and otherwise shows no issues. I do have whiptails in the aquarium now and i would think doubtful but could one have mauled her ? I suppose it could be some kind of bacteria but if so it is slow moving and doesnt' seem to be progressing. I can't say how long she been like this but i would estimate more than a month - the aquarium is 100 gallons and she isn't a focal point. The male died about 3 months ago of old age I had posted pictures a year ago as his eyes enlarged (not disease but typical aging) and back began to bend so i'm pretty sure his death was old age.

Two pictures show the good side and the third the bad side - not great pictures but when i asked her to pose she gave me the finger and then asked for a treat:

If i had to guess i would think some sort of slow moving bacteria but not sure if i should treat or ignore.

 

[Eddy. E.]

Treat it. Definitely. I would start with a salt bath twice a day. To do this, dissolve 360 grams of non-iodized salt in ten liters of water and soak the fish in it for 30 seconds. No longer!
If there is no significant improvement after three days—or sooner—I would treat it additionally with Costapur F.

 

[anewbie]

Treat it. Definitely. I would start with a salt bath twice a day. To do this, dissolve 360 grams of non-iodized salt in ten liters of water and soak the fish in it for 30 seconds. No longer!
If there is no significant improvement after three days—or sooner—I would treat it additionally with Costapur F.

First what do you think it is and 2nd 360 grams of salt is 60 teaspoon which is quite concentrated so i think there is something off here.

 

[MacZ]

Na it's not off: He's talking about a short bath of less than a minute.

 

[anewbie]

I'm not sure i can do this - the fish is in a 48x24 inch aquarium ~95 gallons. While i tisn't too shy the first time i try to net it - it will never come near me again. I might be able to nap it once but if i dip it I'll have to put it somewhere where i can dip it again.

Bigger question is what do you think the disease is if it is a disease ?


360 grams of salt is 10oz so approx 1/2 a thing of salt sold at the store - i'm willing to try a dip i guess but i'd like a better understanding of what i'm treating and the density is worse than lake africa.

sera Costapur F is for a parasite - you think this is a parasite and not bacteria ?

This is not really available in the us but we do have Kordon Rid Ich Plus which is basically methane something or other - it works well but i'd like a better understanding of what i am treating first and if it is a parasite if i should be treating the whole aquarium even if only one fish is ill.

 

[MacZ]

It is a bacterial thing (Eddy will know the likely species/genera). And Costapur is mostly disinfectant. The active ingredients are malachite green and formaldehyde.

Eddy always expects best practice when giving advice, so a hospital tank (50 Liters is enough) is necessary for holding in the meantime.

 

[anewbie]

It is a bacterial thing (Eddy will know the likely species/genera). And Costapur is mostly disinfectant. The active ingredients are malachite green and formaldehyde.

Eddy always expects best practice when giving advice, so a hospital tank (50 Liters is enough) is necessary for holding in the meantime.

Ok. I'll see if i can catch her and put her in a 5 gallon pail approx 18 liter and use a 2nd pail for salt dip. If 18 liter isn't enough i can get a 10 gallon aquarium and put it on the floor. The room is warm enough for her and of course seasoned sponge filter.

Very slow moving bacteria - she been like this for months.

 

[MacZ]

Then use the 10

 

[Eddy. E.]

What are the benefits of a saltwater bath?
1. Dehydration (osmotic shock): The salt concentration in the water is higher than in the parasite’s cells. The salt draws water out of the parasite, causing its cells to dehydrate and the parasite to die.
2. Combating protozoa: A salt bath directly kills many single-celled pathogens.
3. Gill cleansing: It helps clear the gills of parasites and mucus, which improves breathing.

 

[anewbie]

What are the benefits of a saltwater bath?
1. Dehydration (osmotic shock): The salt concentration in the water is higher than in the parasite’s cells. The salt draws water out of the parasite, causing its cells to dehydrate and the parasite to die.
2. Combating protozoa: A salt bath directly kills many single-celled pathogens.
3. Gill cleansing: It helps clear the gills of parasites and mucus, which improves breathing.

i understand i just wory abuot shocking the fish. Anyway if i can catch her i will try it - it is a 100 with about 70% of the area uncatch able so i have to sweet talk her into the net. Sometimes it work as is the case with most of my nijjensi and sometime they decide not and then vanish for a few months. It is the sad thing of making tanks scaped.

If it is bacteria hopefully it can't spread.

 

[anewbie]

Ok much to my surprise she let me net her though she is really pissed off right now. she is in a 5 gallon pail with approx 3 1/2 gallon of water. Tomorrow i will mix up 1 1/4 cup of tablet salt with approx 2 1/2 to 3 gallons of water (the water quantity won't be exact as i don't have a way to measure gallons (or maybe i do). I hope the 360 gram conversion to 1 1/4 cup is accurate.


Her first treatment will probably be late monday as i want to let the salt dissolve and water reach room temp. I will leave the two pails together and treat her tuesday morning, night and wednesday morning and night. Thursday i'll put her in a specimen container and post current results and maybe picture if i can get one and decide what to do after that. She is old and she is really angry.

I'm posting this mostly in case someone spots a conversion error et all.

 

[Mike Wise]

Tomorrow i will mix up 1 1/4 cup of tablet salt with approx 2 1/2 to 3 gallons of water (the water quantity won't be exact as i don't have a way to measure gallons (or maybe i do). I hope the 360 gram conversion to 1 1/4 cup is accurate.

Make sure your table salt does not contain iodine (iodized salt). Most kosher salt is just NaCl however.

 

[anewbie]

Make sure your table salt does not contain iodine (iodized salt). Most kosher salt is just NaCl however.

It is the store version non-iodine. I use it when i hatch bbs.

 

[anewbie]

I don't feel like starting a new thread so i'll just post it here in case it interest someone:

I did the dip #1 today and she is quite pale which i suppose is expected - for somewhere between 24 and 28 seconds. I then was looking a couple of aquariums and noticed this mess:

Now I thought these were suppose to be difficult but as far as i can tell it is just a matter of mixing them with water.

 

[anewbie]

Did dip 2 and 3 can't really tell if she is better but i also gave her a water change. I think after dip 6 thursday morning i will return her to the aquarium since she is stress as stress can be but will post an updated picture. The area that was infected appears more white so maybe that is a good sign.

 

[anewbie]

I did the 6th dip this morning and returned her to the tank - i think she is better but really hard to tell as it will take 6 months for the damage area to regrow if ever; i took a lot of pictures both top and side but these are the only two worth showing. If she comes to the font of the tank later i'll take another picture:

When i released her it only took her a couple of minutes to colour up and start swimming in her old locations.

Left the sponge filter soaking in salt will clean it and let it dry out for a month before reuse.

 

[anewbie]

another picture - i really can't tell if it is any better; on the surface it looks about the same:

 

[anewbie]

I think the feedback i hope for is should i just leave her alone now or should i put something like kanaplex in their food. I can't tell if it is an active issue or just damage that will take a while to heal. I can tell you that she behaved 'normally' when i returned her to the tank; did not hide any more than usual and has a good apetitite.

There is one other fish with a small spot mid body that seems similar - it is much smaller area and i'm watching it though it is one of those fish i only see occasionally. With both fishes if i am patient i can examine them with a magnifying glass but when i look i don't see anything obvious or don't know what to look recognize as an issue.

 

[Jonathan A]

I don't feel like starting a new thread so i'll just post it here in case it interest someone:

View attachment 17699

Now I thought these were suppose to be difficult but as far as i can tell it is just a matter of mixing them with water.

I recently got myself a group of them, I'd love if you could make a new thread with your water params, tank size & whatnot!