Please Help...!

[robyngunston]

Hi there,

I recently moved into a new flat and the previous owner left behind his tropical fish. This included 2 x Pristella Tetra, 3 x Beunos Aries Tetra, 3 x Blindcave fish. I bought two books to read up on how best to look after them and maintain the tank and have even visited the local fish shop a few times to seek advice. I bought two Cory Cats (Panda and Sterbas) about a week ago and they seemed to be doing really well....however last Friday when I got home the little black one (Sterbas) seemed to be missing? I also noticed that the other cory (Panda) was acting very strangely and seemed very nervous...he seemed to be trying to squash himself behind the filter? On moving the filter the Sterbas just feel to the bottom of the tank and when trying to swim he kept falling upside down? He looked really bad and I assumed he was going to die so did what I thought was best and took him out of the tank. As I was told that a dead fish can rot the tank and cause the other fish to die as well. Not being very experienced and of course being new at this I did not have a separate hospital tank or any spare thermostats, etc? The best I could do was a bucket filled with water from the tank and I kept it warm by putting the bucket in the bath and surrounding it with warm water to try and keep the temperature constant. The of course meant that I had to get up every hour to add some warm water and check the temperature. Anyway....he lived through the night and seemed to be swimming a lot better in the morning.....I then phoned the local fish shop for advice and asked them if I could bring him in so they could have a look.....but they said it would be better if I just put him back in the tank as he had been through enough stress. So....back in the tank he went - I have been watching him very closely since then and am still worried and don't know what to do?? I noticed he seems to be swimming to the surface and blowing bubbles - I thought maybe this meant there was not enough oxygen in the tank and added a airstone - I had the water tested at the fish shop on the Sunday and they said everything looked fine.....however just to be safe I tested the PH and Nitrate again last night....PH was 6.5 which according to the sheet is fine....and Nitrate was a bit high so I emptied a lot of the water out of the tank and topped it back up with tapwater treated with the stuff that takes out chlorine and metals. I noticed he seems to have a white patch just under his top fin and am not sure what it is? I have read up on "white spot" and from what I could tell "white spot" was a lot of little spots whereas this is one round patch? Please help I am not sure what to do and I really don't want my fish to die.

 

[tttnjfttt]

There are a few other things that would be good to know. What is the ammonia and nitrite levels in the tank? How large of a water change did you do? (generally its best to only do a 25% change MAX because the drastic change is often more stressful than the original conditions.) How large of a tank is it? If you don't know the actual volume, dimensions will be fine.

This does not sound like "white spot" or ich. When you look at the spot, is it raised at all? Is there any red either in the center of the wound or around the edges?

 

[robyngunston]

There are a few other things that would be good to know. What is the ammonia and nitrite levels in the tank? How large of a water change did you do? (generally its best to only do a 25% change MAX because the drastic change is often more stressful than the original conditions.) How large of a tank is it? If you don't know the actual volume, dimensions will be fine.

This does not sound like "white spot" or ich. When you look at the spot, is it raised at all? Is there any red either in the center of the wound or around the edges?

I changed at least 50% of the water. Oh dear.....I am trying to help but just seem to be doing everything wrong. The Nitrate level was about 50....that is why I changed the water....I was going to check this again once I got home from work. The Tank is 60cm(Length) x 30cm(Width) x 38cm(Height). I only have a PH test kit and a Nitrate test kit they were the ones recommended by the pet shop so therefore was not able to test the ammonia. Unfortunately the pet shops here are only open until 5 or 5:30 and I am unable to make it there before they close. I work in town and their are no pet shops here that stock the right sort of stuff.

No it does not appear to be raised or red....just white and looks kind of fluffy? The only other thing I can think of is maybe he hurt himself when he was behind the filter?

There are a few other things that would be good to know. What is the ammonia and nitrite levels in the tank? How large of a water change did you do? (generally its best to only do a 25% change MAX because the drastic change is often more stressful than the original conditions.) How large of a tank is it? If you don't know the actual volume, dimensions will be fine.

This does not sound like "white spot" or ich. When you look at the spot, is it raised at all? Is there any red either in the center of the wound or around the edges?

I changed at least 50% of the water. Oh dear.....I am trying to help but just seem to be doing everything wrong. The Nitrate level was about 50....that is why I changed the water....I was going to check this again once I got home from work. The Tank is 60cm(Length) x 30cm(Width) x 38cm(Height). I only have a PH test kit and a Nitrate test kit they were the ones recommended by the pet shop so therefore was not able to test the ammonia. Unfortunately the pet shops here are only open until 5 or 5:30 and I am unable to make it there before they close. I work in town and their are no pet shops here that stock the right sort of stuff.

No it does not appear to be raised or red....just white and looks kind of fluffy? The only other thing I can think of is maybe he hurt himself when he was behind the filter?

When he was first put in the tank he was very active and used to swim up and down the side of the tank. He seemed quite happy. Whereas the other Cory hid away for ages. When I switch on the light he doesn't move at all at first and I have to sit and watch him just to be sure he is still alive. After a while he becomes more active and will swim around and eat some food off the bottom. Sometimes he appears to have problems staying on the bottom and his tail seems to lift slightly however that might just be when he is near the bubbles? And then as I said before he will swim up to the water surface and linger there appearing to blow bubbles? Any ideas?


Oh....he seems to be holding his fins quite close to his body as well?

 

[WILDER]

They have a bacterial infection i would issolate them to a hospital tank and start treatment, good luck.

 

[robyngunston]

They have a bacterial infection i would issolate them to a hospital tank and start treatment, good luck.

The pet shop said this too....however they said to double dose on "Stress Coat" and not to add anything to the tank (including food) until this weekend and then to go in and talk to them? On inspection this morning he does appear to be a lot more active than he was yesterday?

 

[XxTbaggerxX]

There are a few other things that would be good to know. What is the ammonia and nitrite levels in the tank? How large of a water change did you do? (generally its best to only do a 25% change MAX because the drastic change is often more stressful than the original conditions.) How large of a tank is it? If you don't know the actual volume, dimensions will be fine.

This does not sound like "white spot" or ich. When you look at the spot, is it raised at all? Is there any red either in the center of the wound or around the edges?

I changed at least 50% of the water. Oh dear.....I am trying to help but just seem to be doing everything wrong. The Nitrate level was about 50....that is why I changed the water....I was going to check this again once I got home from work. The Tank is 60cm(Length) x 30cm(Width) x 38cm(Height). I only have a PH test kit and a Nitrate test kit they were the ones recommended by the pet shop so therefore was not able to test the ammonia. Unfortunately the pet shops here are only open until 5 or 5:30 and I am unable to make it there before they close. I work in town and their are no pet shops here that stock the right sort of stuff.

No it does not appear to be raised or red....just white and looks kind of fluffy? The only other thing I can think of is maybe he hurt himself when he was behind the filter?

There are a few other things that would be good to know. What is the ammonia and nitrite levels in the tank? How large of a water change did you do? (generally its best to only do a 25% change MAX because the drastic change is often more stressful than the original conditions.) How large of a tank is it? If you don't know the actual volume, dimensions will be fine.

This does not sound like "white spot" or ich. When you look at the spot, is it raised at all? Is there any red either in the center of the wound or around the edges?

I changed at least 50% of the water. Oh dear.....I am trying to help but just seem to be doing everything wrong. The Nitrate level was about 50....that is why I changed the water....I was going to check this again once I got home from work. The Tank is 60cm(Length) x 30cm(Width) x 38cm(Height). I only have a PH test kit and a Nitrate test kit they were the ones recommended by the pet shop so therefore was not able to test the ammonia. Unfortunately the pet shops here are only open until 5 or 5:30 and I am unable to make it there before they close. I work in town and their are no pet shops here that stock the right sort of stuff.

No it does not appear to be raised or red....just white and looks kind of fluffy? The only other thing I can think of is maybe he hurt himself when he was behind the filter?

When he was first put in the tank he was very active and used to swim up and down the side of the tank. He seemed quite happy. Whereas the other Cory hid away for ages. When I switch on the light he doesn't move at all at first and I have to sit and watch him just to be sure he is still alive. After a while he becomes more active and will swim around and eat some food off the bottom. Sometimes he appears to have problems staying on the bottom and his tail seems to lift slightly however that might just be when he is near the bubbles? And then as I said before he will swim up to the water surface and linger there appearing to blow bubbles? Any ideas?


Oh....he seems to be holding his fins quite close to his body as well?

He probably has "cotton wool disease" its a fungus that you need to treat ASAP