Help! What's Wrong With Zazu?

[shawsharp]

Hi
 
Fish fins got affected by either by ammonia or bacterial problem.
You have another fish in your tank, separate affected fish as they can be affected also.
Put the affected one in a bowl and treat with salt or fish medicine after then put it back to your tank.
 
Thanks
Shaw

 

[Meeresstille]

Just in case I would do a thorough gravel vac. If it was ich spots that have fallen off then they are now buried in the substrate waiting to hatch and re-infect your fish. 

 

[Ch4rlie]

Shaw - you sure there's another fish in that tank?

 

[SwimmingInMusic]

(I'm posting this during free time) Alrighty, Zazu is all by himself. I think he might have air bubbles on them because of the fact I talked to my dad this morning and he confirmed the fact air bubbles will come out of the filter. I have a feeling this might be a better answer to the spots than filter powder. He likes hanging around the bottom of the tank at the gravel/rocks. I think that might be what ripped his tail. So far no spots and he is still energetic. I got him Saturday so I don't think he would get infected that fast, but I'm new to the hobby so maybe a fish can get infected that fast 

Anyways, if anything else happens I will upload more pictures. (hopefully he will be still for once 

) So yeah, when my dad posts the video I think you might be amused by Zazu's normal behavior. Thanks everyone! I really appreciate this help

 

[Blondielovesfish]

Unfortunately, depending on the condition you bought Zazu in, he may have been infected from the shop, when they're kept in those small cups they can be very stressed which opens them up to infections. If he does have ICH or similar, I highly doubt it is because of anything you have done

 
As Meeresstille said, it is probably best to do a gravel vac just in case.
 
EDIT - fixing spelling mistake

 

[matthewlee1959]

We lost Zazu.  He went downhill pretty fast and even though I ordered Ick medication he passed before it was received.  We tried putting salt in the tank and water changes, but it didn't help.  In retrospect I'm wondering if he was sick when we got him and that was the reason for his odd behavior.  He would swim directly into the current and then let it push him back.  During water changes he would literally stick his head up the tube into the oncoming water and once when I had to hold the tube in the water he literally brushed against my hand.  From what I have been reading about Ick it gets into the gills and keeps the fish from breathing.  Swimming is pretty broke up about it and so I'm the one posting.  We lost him on Tuesday and knew for sure Wednesday morning.
 
I realize that most fishkeepers seem to prefer the natural cure methods of treatment, but I'm a bit "old school."  With that in mind let me ask how does salt help and not hurt freshwater fish, or aquariums?  I read that you should make it standard practice to maintain a balance of 1 rounded tablespoon of salt for every 5 gallons of water.  I would really appreciate an explanation on this subject beyond the anecdotal.  I also think we are going to treat every new fish for Ick and fin rot from the beginning as a preventative.  I'll be home in another 2 weeks and we can get things going then.  Again thank-you for all the help and encouragement through this difficult time.
 

 

[Meeresstille]

I'm very sorry about Zazu and that Swimming has to deal with this. I know, it's a terrible feeling (I've lost one Betta to old age and one to dropsy)!
 
About the salt issue there is this great article that really explains it well, I will post it here for you: http/www.badmanstropicalfish.com/forum/index.php?topic=1021.0
 
This article may be of interest as well: http/www.badmanstropicalfish.com/articles/white-spots-on-my-fish-article2.html
 
and two more: http/www.badmanstropicalfish.com/forum/index.php?topic=1024.0
http/www.badmanstropicalfish.com/forum/index.php?topic=1285.0
 
Sorry, it's a lot of reading, but reading it for yourself will be a lot better than getting a condensed version from someone else. Hope it helps! 

 

[matthewlee1959]

I appreciate the information, but taken together illustrate the dilemma people new to this hobby face.  The information from one article to another completely differ about the use of salt and treatment for ick.  I realize that it has been over 40 years since I had an aquarium, but I do remember the preferred treatment back then was Methylene Blue.  I seem to remember that salt was considered a big no no in any freshwater tank.  The conflicting information has been one of the most frustrating things about getting back into the hobby. 

 

[Meeresstille]

Well, from what I've gathered in those articles is that there is no need to put salt in a FW tank unless it is for treatment. Treatments are short term and usually well tolerated by fish. Oftentimes the heat salt method to treat ich works even in cases where there seems to be some sort of medication resistant ich infection. 
 
I know of some people in my area who put salt into their tanks as prophylactic treatment, I prefer to only use it if it is necessary. 
 
Also, buying expensive aquarium salt is not necessary if you can get table salt (without caking agent) or Kosher salt. The minute amount of iodine in table salt will have no ill effects on the fish since treatments are short term.
 
If you want to create a brackish tank, you need to use marine salt, which is very different from table salt.

 

[Blondielovesfish]

Oh no! I am so sorry to hear that! He was so beautiful He had a great home with you!
 
Like Meeresstille, I don't believe in using salt unless it is necessary. From what I've read, salt irritates the fish, making them produce a thicker slime coat which then, in most cases, banishes the parasite.
There is no need to constantly have it in the tank, in fact, it can stress the fish out to do so.
 
Instead of doing preventative medicating, it would be much better to instead only have the medication on hand, so if needed can be used. 
Also, for fin rot, there isn't really any medication required, water changes clear most cases up
 
I agree with you that he probably came to you with his problems, I do not think you did anything wrong.
Unfortunately, being kept in those small cups stresses them out a lot, opening them up to all sorts of infections.

 

[matthewlee1959]

This is a real learning experience.  After researching about ick it would seem that by the time we add another fish it will be gone from the tank.  Swimming has already done a 100% water change, vacuumed the substrate as much as possible and replanted some of the plants that had come loose.  I think in the future all fish including her next Betta will go into a quarantine tank for 2 weeks before introduction into the main tank.  Especially ick seems to be a disease where isolation is the best form of prevention.  Since this parasite has only 1 stage where it can be killed it seems this would be the best way to go about it.  Still we need to keep an aquarium medicine cabinet on hand.  When you live over half an hour a way from the nearest lfs, one parent is almost always gone, the other has a 10 hour a day job 20 miles away and you are 3 years away from even beginning to think about driving you need to have the necessary equipment and treatments on hand and ready to go.