Black Skirt Tetra .. Not Sure On What It Is

[CroNiC]

No, not rly ... although it seems like its diluting a little bit (more fluffy ... but less dense)

 

[Colin_T]

it's either fungus or the fish's guts have popped out. Most likely fungus. You can aways catch the fish out and use a cotton bud (cotton cue tip) to prod the fungus blob. Quite often it will break off and then the medication can get in and treat the infected wound a bit easier.
You can also put a drop of medication directly onto the wound and that will help kill the fungus quicker. Catch the fish, put a drop of medication on the site, leave for a couple of seconds and then put the fish back in the water.

 

[drobbyb]

Listen to Colin. He must have experience treating this type of problem.

 

[CroNiC]

Ok, how would I go catching the fish? And putting the medication directly on the fungus?

 

[Colin_T]

use a couple of nets to catch the fish and then put a drop of the medication directly on the infected site.

 

[CroNiC]

Ok, so like through the net?

 

[Colin_T]

yep, just catch the fish up and lift it out of the water. Then put a drop of medication on the infected site. Wait a few seconds and then put the fish back in the tank.

 

[CroNiC]

I was scared that a drop directly on the skin may hurt it, and it was in stress so I didn't want to take it out and cause it greater stress. However, I was able to use the net to bring it very close to the top and then poured the drop almost directly above the fish.

If it's in better condition i'll take it out tm and give it a try (it might be hard to aim lol.)
Do you think it'll be better to use like a small mug type of a thing (like the size of 1.5 cups) to take the fish out for a couple of seconds, and pour a couple drops into it? Let the fish remain in there for a couple minutes .. so the medication takes direct affect. The only downside I can think of is that the concentration can be to much or that no filtration can do some sort of damage?)
What do you guys think?

 

[Colin_T]

You only want to put the medication on the infected site. If you put the fish into a small container and add a couple of drops of medication, you will probably poison it.

If you are concerned about applying it directly to the site, then just leave the fish in the tank and continue treating the tank like you have been.

 

[CroNiC]

Ok ... so for the last 2 days she's been going to the bottom and just like lying down there (as if she's dead.) Obviously she's been breathing ... but the miraculous part is that she rests for 2 hours then gets back up and somehow reaches the top (and goes to the surface to get air maybe?) And then after about a minute or so she's goes back down to rest.
This has been happening for the last 2 days ... but every time she goes down she stays there for even a longer time. I had added the carbon in the filter, because I felt there could have been a lack of oxygen. Anyway, I removed the carbon ... and took the advise that you guys gave me. I brought her up to the surface with a net (but didn't take it out of the water), and kept poking at the fungus with a paintbrush. After 5 minutes, half of it finally came off. The fungus is significantly smaller now .. and she's gone back to the bottom.
I added the medication, and im hoping that she can make a miraculous recovery. Hopefully its not to late ... she a real fighter.

Thanks for all the help everyone

 

[Colin_T]

if the fish is spending most of its time on the bottom lying on its side then it is probably on its way out.

 

[CroNiC]

Unfortunately your right Colin. Especially after I removed some of the fungus it hasn't moved from its spot on the floor.

I think this might be its last night. I've never put a fish to rest before ... what do you guys think .. should I do it?

 

[Colin_T]

The quickest way is to whack it on the head but that isn't a nice thing to have to do so I put the fish into a small container of tank water and pop it in the freezer until frozen. Then bury or burn the body.

 

[LauraFrog]

A better way to do it is to put a cup of water into the freezer until an ice skin forms on the surface, then break the ice and drop the fish in. That way it dies in a few seconds. It's still not a pleasant way to do it but it's better than decapitating the fish. The best idea is to use clove oil though... put about ten or twenty drops of clove oil in a cup of tank water, use a skewer or a spoon handle to break the oil clumps up, then add the fish. Clove oil is virtually instant. I think you can also use Alka-seltzer tablets but I'm not sure how.