Tropical Fish Forum
Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => Fish Health => Topic started by: fcmf on January 02, 2023, 12:58:46 PM
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This cardinal has ?always / for considerable time had a dark mark on the base of a fin and in the caudal peduncle area, accompanied intermittently by a single white spot on its tail that waxes and wanes. Nothing has been sufficiently untoward to merit (the stress of) its removal from its tankmates into a hospital tank for treatment as the isolated white spot occurrences either disappear of their own accord or after one dose of Melafix into the tank (coincidentally or otherwise).
Water-changing regime and water-quality tests are undertaken diligently weekly, without anything untoward in the readings.
However, yesterday I noticed that the right gill was white and fungused (in hindsight, I had noticed the white gill the evening before but had been otherwise distracted), and I thought treatment was necessary. The fish is the hospital/quarantine tank undergoing eSHa 2000 treatment.
Any thoughts/suggestions? I'm thinking something like columnaris, perhaps...
https:///youtu.be/PTJF8usoUM0
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The link isn’t working. But (good) pictures would be much better…?
Once a fish has ‘an issue’ it’s an open invite for other issues.
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The photos aren't clear at all, unfortunately, and are also showing up potentially confusing marks which are actually watermarks on the tank. However, zooming in has enabled me to see certain things on the fish that I can't see with the naked eye - and, on the basis of previous experience with other cardinals, I don't like the look of how this is progressing... (eg white spine whitening, possible fungused adipose fin). Looking at the fish straight on, the fungus on the gill actually goes right under the chin/throat, as though he has half a beard.
Incidentally, the link does work if you hover over it and copy & paste the link into a browser.
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Incidentally, the link does work if you hover over it and copy & paste the link into a browser.
It doesn’t work for me. Gives me this…
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Hmmm - when I put it into a search engine, I get that too; however, when I put it straight into the what's-it-called (?toolbar) at the top where weblink/url addresses show, it does work.
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Ooh that doesn’t look good. Looks like a fish that’s on its way out. You could try a treatment, but I think it has too many issues, and not enough time. I can’t identify the main issue (something internal, systemic, with secondary infections) so I’ve no idea what I would try first.
Cardinals ain’t what they used to be.
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Thanks, H.
I think you're right about the fish being on its way out. :'(
I do have Maracyn-2 to hand, but having already dosed eSHa 2000 Day 1 (split into 2 half doses, 12 hours apart, to err on safe side), I think I'd realistically need at least a day to dilute that and before starting the Maracyn-2 if indeed it's appropriate treatment, otherwise the fish would be unable to cope with the sudden onslaught of chemicals. Very sadly too, though, I don't think I have the luxury of that time...
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Day 2's dose has been administered a few hours ago, with definitely no improvement so far (and possibly a deterioriation/extension of the fungus further around the fish's head).
Can't quite decide whether to do a 50% water change on the tank this evening and run carbon in the filter, then dose Maraxyn2 (minocycline) overnight to give best-possible chance (or in the morning to reduce overdose of chemicals - if indeed fish survives that long) OR wait and see in the hope the eSHa 2000 takes effect overnight. Argh - hate these decisions...
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Edited to add: Fish's buoyancy and overall colour started to go awry and, within ten minutes of noticing that, s/he died. (I started to prep a clove-oil solution but ultimately had no need to use it.)
RIP, Cardinal. :'(
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Sorry to hear this. I would agree that cardinals arnt what they used to be - I’ve had nothing but problems with them too and won’t be purchasing them again. I assume it’s genetics / inbreeding related but I’ve nothing to back that up. You did everything you could @fcmf
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Thanks, @Matt . Yes, so it seems re their sturdiness these days, and, likewise, I won't be purchasing them again (despite their beauty, despite theoretically they ought to do well in my water, and despite the fact that the reduction to only 3 of them has resulted in some bickering which I've never had among them before).