sick bosemani rainbow - suggestions appreciated

rasetsu · 05-08-2008, 02:27 PM

I noticed one of my rainbows acting listless and pale with some pineconing of the scales on Sunday. My main tank had just rec'd a partial water change on the prior Wednesday and the water quality was fine. I transferred it to a 3 gallon hospital tank and have been treating with Maracyn 2 and salt. I was going to treat with Pima/Melafix, but the possible signs of dropsy convinced me to go straight to the Maracyn 2. There are some signs of septicemia (sp?) and a couple small spots of fungus where one of the puffed scales likely caught something and ripped off.

Today is day 5 of the Maracyn 2 treatment and I have not seen any improvement. It is not eating at all. The rainbows usually go crazy for blood worms, but this one turns away when I dangle worms in front of it. I've been doing daily PWC to keep the nitrite levels down and thrown in a bunch of plants from my main tank. The hospital tank was well cycled, but I think the Maracyn 2 may have taken out a lot of the nitrifying bacteria as well.

Eventhough it's not eating anything, it constantly has a long string of white poop. It's not a worm. Definetly poop. Wondering if this is also a side affect of the antibiotic like how it gives humans diarrhea.

Any suggestions or criticisms are welcomed. Thanks!
I plan on switching to Mela/Pimafix after today's final dosage of Maracyn 2.

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rasetsu · 05-08-2008, 09:30 PM

No other suggestions or recommendations?

**lauraleellbp** · 05-08-2008, 09:56 PM

Unfortunately at the point that the scales are "pinecone-like" I've never had any fish survive...

Not sure what else you can do besides what you're trying?

GL!!

rasetsu · 05-08-2008, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lauraleellbp

Unfortunately at the point that the scales are "pinecone-like" I've never had any fish survive...

Not sure what else you can do besides what you're trying?

GL!!

Me neither, but I've had fish live for several weeks after the pineconing. Very suprised as to how and why it happened as the water was fine and the rainbows are the heartiest things in my tank. I'm just sad because they are my favorite fish with lots of personality and I don't want to prolong any unneccessary suffering if that maybe the case. I think I will try the Pima/Mela of the the next 7 days if it continues to live and then put it down if no improvement.

Thanks for the support!

**lauraleellbp** · 05-08-2008, 10:10 PM

The last betta I owned developed dropsy in his final days. He was in a 46gal community tank, all the rest of the fish were fine, there had been no new fish added for several years, water quality was good and there had been no changes that I could pinpoint... I decided that he was "elderly" (I'd had him about 4 years) and that probably was what caused or made him more susceptible?

rasetsu · 05-08-2008, 10:14 PM

I bought all 6 of my rainbows together last September. The other 5 are fine. A couple of them are little smaller and this is one of them. Maybe this one is the runt, got injured, and developed the infection (septicemia and dropsy). Poor thing.

I had a betta that got dropsy a long time ago too when I didn't know as much about fish. I thought he was just fat and thought it was cute until I did some searching online =(. Meds didn't work then either.

mistergreen · 05-09-2008, 04:05 AM

Separate the fish and treat with salt and epson salt.. The salts will reduce the water intake into the body.

And then hope the internal infection will clear with antibiotics.

ikuzo · 05-09-2008, 04:36 AM

i'm sorry to read these.
i don't mean to add to your grief but no fish of mine never survived dropsy. not even my black ranchu back then. just looking at those pinecone scales in the morning can ruin my whole day.

rasetsu · 05-09-2008, 01:59 PM

I put it down late last night. =( Before going to bed, I noticed it was gasping for air at the surface. There's already an airline connected to the filter output for aeration. I immediately did a PWC, tested the parameters and everything was okay, but my rainbow wasn't. It thrashed around and tumbled upside down. I knew it was over. Took me a little bit before I made the decision to get out the clove oil.

Thank you for everyone's suggestions.

**lauraleellbp** · 05-10-2008, 04:12 AM

FWIW I think you did the right, humane thing.

Hopefully the rest of the fish will remain healthy

05-08-2008, 02:27 PM	#1 (permalink)
rasetsu Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0) Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Frisco, TX Posts: 181	sick bosemani rainbow - suggestions appreciated I noticed one of my rainbows acting listless and pale with some pineconing of the scales on Sunday. My main tank had just rec'd a partial water change on the prior Wednesday and the water quality was fine. I transferred it to a 3 gallon hospital tank and have been treating with Maracyn 2 and salt. I was going to treat with Pima/Melafix, but the possible signs of dropsy convinced me to go straight to the Maracyn 2. There are some signs of septicemia (sp?) and a couple small spots of fungus where one of the puffed scales likely caught something and ripped off. Today is day 5 of the Maracyn 2 treatment and I have not seen any improvement. It is not eating at all. The rainbows usually go crazy for blood worms, but this one turns away when I dangle worms in front of it. I've been doing daily PWC to keep the nitrite levels down and thrown in a bunch of plants from my main tank. The hospital tank was well cycled, but I think the Maracyn 2 may have taken out a lot of the nitrifying bacteria as well. Eventhough it's not eating anything, it constantly has a long string of white poop. It's not a worm. Definetly poop. Wondering if this is also a side affect of the antibiotic like how it gives humans diarrhea. Any suggestions or criticisms are welcomed. Thanks! I plan on switching to Mela/Pimafix after today's final dosage of Maracyn 2.

05-08-2008, 09:56 PM	#3 (permalink)
lauraleellbp Fresh Fish Freak (View User Tanks) PTrader: (10) Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Naples, Florida Posts: 4,170	Unfortunately at the point that the scales are "pinecone-like" I've never had any fish survive... Not sure what else you can do besides what you're trying? GL!! __________________ Laura Lee; 10gal planted RCS colony, 46gal FW community w/ el plasticos, 90gal FW planted in progress- see my journal at http://forums.tfhmagazine.com/viewto...p?f=82&t=23207

05-08-2008, 10:10 PM	#5 (permalink)
lauraleellbp Fresh Fish Freak (View User Tanks) PTrader: (10) Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Naples, Florida Posts: 4,170	The last betta I owned developed dropsy in his final days. He was in a 46gal community tank, all the rest of the fish were fine, there had been no new fish added for several years, water quality was good and there had been no changes that I could pinpoint... I decided that he was "elderly" (I'd had him about 4 years) and that probably was what caused or made him more susceptible? __________________ Laura Lee; 10gal planted RCS colony, 46gal FW community w/ el plasticos, 90gal FW planted in progress- see my journal at http://forums.tfhmagazine.com/viewto...p?f=82&t=23207

05-09-2008, 04:05 AM	#7 (permalink)
mistergreen Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0) Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Cincinnati Posts: 2,412	Separate the fish and treat with salt and epson salt.. The salts will reduce the water intake into the body. And then hope the internal infection will clear with antibiotics. __________________ Algae happens.

05-09-2008, 04:36 AM	#8 (permalink)
ikuzo Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0) Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Indonesia Posts: 1,299	i'm sorry to read these. i don't mean to add to your grief but no fish of mine never survived dropsy. not even my black ranchu back then. just looking at those pinecone scales in the morning can ruin my whole day. __________________ Certainly take the advice of others but always, always be yourself - Eric Cantona My Tanks : 100 40 20 16 10 3 1

05-08-2008, 09:30 PM	#2 (permalink)
rasetsu Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0) Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Frisco, TX Posts: 181	No other suggestions or recommendations?

05-08-2008, 10:14 PM	#6 (permalink)
rasetsu Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0) Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Frisco, TX Posts: 181	I bought all 6 of my rainbows together last September. The other 5 are fine. A couple of them are little smaller and this is one of them. Maybe this one is the runt, got injured, and developed the infection (septicemia and dropsy). Poor thing. I had a betta that got dropsy a long time ago too when I didn't know as much about fish. I thought he was just fat and thought it was cute until I did some searching online =(. Meds didn't work then either.

05-09-2008, 01:59 PM	#9 (permalink)
rasetsu Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0) Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Frisco, TX Posts: 181	I put it down late last night. =( Before going to bed, I noticed it was gasping for air at the surface. There's already an airline connected to the filter output for aeration. I immediately did a PWC, tested the parameters and everything was okay, but my rainbow wasn't. It thrashed around and tumbled upside down. I knew it was over. Took me a little bit before I made the decision to get out the clove oil. Thank you for everyone's suggestions.

05-10-2008, 04:12 AM	#10 (permalink)
lauraleellbp Fresh Fish Freak (View User Tanks) PTrader: (10) Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Naples, Florida Posts: 4,170	FWIW I think you did the right, humane thing. Hopefully the rest of the fish will remain healthy __________________ Laura Lee; 10gal planted RCS colony, 46gal FW community w/ el plasticos, 90gal FW planted in progress- see my journal at http://forums.tfhmagazine.com/viewto...p?f=82&t=23207

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