Need Help

[fishlore]

I have tried posting in other catagories but I am not able. Hopefully someone will read this and help me out. I have a 10 gallon hospital tank set up with my common pleco in it. It looks like he has a type of "body" fungus growing on his fin. I took pictures and showed them to my LFS and they told me that it was a fungus. They told me to treat it with Maracyn and Maracyn Two and it should be gone in a week. Well I am starting to worry. I have been treating for four days now (not long I know), but my pleco doesn't seem like he is getting any better. The fungus looks like it is actully growing. The LFS told me not to use any filtration. I got home from work today and you can't even see into the tank. I did some research and it says that you can use filtration as long as you don't use any carbon. So now I have a carbonless filter going to see if I can get it to clear up. There is also a slim on the inside of the glass which I am thinking that it is from the medicine. Can anyone help me with my situation? Am I doing this right?

 

[Bloo]

to TFF. You can't post in other sections, because you have not validated yet. To become a full member and post in all sections, you need to click on the link in the email which has been sent to you when you registered.

Now sorry for all the questions, but we need to know a few things firstL

As for your common pleco - how large is he at the moment ?
Are there other fish in the tank ?
How long have you had him ?
How long has your tank been set up ?
Do you know what your nitrite and ammonia readings are ? pH and Nitrate preferable too ?
How often to you perform water changes on your tank ?

Now, down to the basics in general: you can't even keep a common pleco in a 10 gallon tank. These fish grow up to 20" and they grow fast. You need to rehome it when it's well again or get a tank 10 times that size soon.

A common plec (as most plecs) are huge waste producers. My guess is the fungus is due to a water problem.
Any chance of posting a photo for us ? Under all circumstances, keep the filter on during treatment. You fish will die a lot quicker withough a filter. The filter needs to process the waste and keep the water healthy.

 

[fishlore]

Oh he wasn't in the 10 gallon before. The ten gallon is a hospital tank. He was in a 90 gallon before. He is about five inches long. I have had him for about 4 month and the ten gallon has been running for awhile. (I can't remember how long.) The nitrate, pH, nitrite were all normal when I put him in there and started the medicines. Now with the medicine all the readings are a little high. When he was in his other tank I did partials every few days with complete water changes ever two to three weeks. This is one of the better pictures. I have nothing clearer. Sorry.

http/i50.photobucket.com/albums/f336/sarge00/fin2.jpg

 

[Exiled]

Oh he wasn't in the 10 gallon before. The ten gallon is a hospital tank. He was in a 90 gallon before. He is about five inches long. I have had him for about 4 month and the ten gallon has been running for awhile. (I can't remember how long.) The nitrate, pH, nitrite were all normal when I put him in there and started the medicines. Now with the medicine all the readings are a little high. When he was in his other tank I did partials every few days with complete water changes ever two to three weeks. This is one of the better pictures. I have nothing clearer. Sorry.

http/i50.photobucket.com/albums/f336/sarge00/fin2.jpg

How's your pleco doing? What other anti-fungal medications are available in your area? I have heard that BINOX is very effective. And Garlic is a naturally anti-fungal herb. Maybe a few slices would help--especially if he eats it.

 

[fishlore]

I have been using Maracyn and Maracyn Two for six days now. The growth is bigger. I had to drive an hour away from my house to get the medicine and I don't know when I will be going that way. I have a walmart in my town and a Tractor Supply store. I have never heard of putting garlic in the tank. I think he has a bacterial infection from getting hurt maybe. Since I read that true fungus infections are rare. How much garlic am I suppose to put in the 10 gallon tank? I don't know if he will eat it since he won't eat the algae waffers or tropical fish flakes. But it isn't like he isn't eating. He is "sucking on the glass, cave, bottom of the tank. Thanks for your help.