Emergency: My Swordtail Is On His Last Legs.

[Dr. Bogger]

Ok, i have a female swordtail i just found laying in a corner behind some plants (fake of corse)...

It looks like his tail fin is virtualy gone, what is left, looks like its covered with a white, slimy, stringy, coat of something... Maybe a external parasite?

I dont have a camera, so i cant post a pic, but this is pritty bad, he dont have much of a tail left,...


Can someone here diagnose what this is?

Thanks in advanced!

 

[WILDER]

Is she finding is difficult to swim, once the tail gone not good news.
Any signs of flicking and rubbing.
Is it possible to load a pic up..
Water stats would be good.

 

[Dr. Bogger]

Is she finding is difficult to swim, once the tail gone not good news.
Any signs of flicking and rubbing.
Is it possible to load a pic up..
Water stats would be good.

He is EXTREMELY lathargic, he can barely even swim... do you think i should treat him with meds, or let him go?

My water stats are fine, Ammonia = 0
Nitrites = 0
Nitrates = 15
PH = 7.4
KH = 12
GH = 8

I cant load up any pics, as i dont have a camera... I do have a cell phone camera, but i guarantee u the quality is gonna be horible.

Please advise

 

[WILDER]

Sorry but if the fish is finding it difficult to swim he will just get exhausted, they never seem to make it when the tail gone, sorry.

Any other fish acting odd like flicking and rubbing as it could be a parasite with bacterial infections on top.

 

[Dr. Bogger]

Well im gonna try anyways... i aint gonna give up on him

 

[WILDER]

You could try a salt bath but the fish sounds to weak for one.
What fish do you have in the tank.

 

[Dr. Bogger]

mainly all swordtails (7 to be exact), but i also have 2 black skirt tetras, and 6 danios, and 1 platty.


I have a 10g tank setup as a hospital tank...

How do i go about giving a salt bath? and what does that do?

 

[WILDER]

Just add some salt to the tank then but gradually, one tablepsoon to 5 gal, stir in a jug with some tank water till it's disolved.


I think for now I would also add some maracyn with the stringy fungus.

 

[Dr. Bogger]

Just add some salt to the tank then but gradually, one tablepsoon to 5 gal, stir in a jug with some tank water till it's disolved.


I think for now I would also add some maracyn with the stringy fungus.

the only meds i have are MelaFix and PimaFix (by API), and CopperSafe (by Mardel).

He seems to by swiming around in a small container i have him in to get him use to the water in the hospital tank... I also have some pics, ill post them in a few.

 

[fry_lover]

might be best just to end his misery, usually a "sick" livebearer is a "dead" livebearer

 

[Dr. Bogger]

Ok, here are the pics... they are very bad quality cuz all i have is a cell phone camera, so please try to look as close as u can.

 

[WILDER]

Sorry can't tell much by the pics.
Once livebearers have tail problems they go down hill fast.
Add the melafix and pimafix to the tank.
But the fish might be to weak for the meds.
Good luck.

 

[Dr. Bogger]

Ok, he is in the 10gallon hospital tank, with only a sponge filter, and a few plants, i put those 2 meds in there, along with some aquarium salt.

We'll see how he is in a few hours.

 

[WILDER]

Don't add the salt the melafix will be fine, don't want to add to much.

 

[Dr. Bogger]

A little late for that now

I had salt in his ather aquarium, so i think im better off adding some to this tank also... just so the waters are as close as possible between the two tanks.