Something Is Eating My Fish

[wolfwolf]

My serpae tetra has white on his mouth. It looks like the front part of his upper lip is gone. I've been keeping an eye on it (5-6 days). I thought he was getting better because he stopped hiding yesterday. Tonight I noticed that he has pop-eye too. As I watched him it appears as though there is cottony white stuff on his sides. It is very difficult to see but it is there.

I have a 20 gallon tank
Nitrite 0/ Ammonia 0/ temp 78F / Nitrate 10
I have 5 serpae and 3 cory cats
I have an aqua clear 30 power filter

I started melafix and pima fix. I also did a gravel vac and pulled out the decorations for a cleaning. My tank has a fair amount of brown algae(common for new tanks I am told).

Am I using the right meds? Only 1 fish has symptons but I do not have a hospital tank. I read elsewhere on the internet that I should kill the infected fish so that he does not infect others.... Should I do that?
The fish is swimming around and appeared to eat tonight. He is doing his typical serpae tetra behaviour and chasing the other fish.

 

[mikev]

Sounds like Flex, and possibly a secondary bacterial infection.
Always best to post a photo to ensure a better diagnosis.

If it is flex, melafix/pumafix will not do anything (they will not do much for most bacterial diseases)

Most efficient combinations are Furandazole+Kanamycin (both tank or tank/food), or Furandazole+Oxytetracycline (tank/food)

If the infection did not yet become internal you may be able to handle it with acriflavine or meth blue.

All the drugs mentioned are available in the US. If you are in another country, you may need a prescription for the antibiotics.

hth

Instead of killing the fish which is always the LAST resort, you can put it into a 2.5g bucket with tank water and an air stone, and treat in the bucket. Use ammonia absorber and change the water daily.

 

[WILDER]

You have columnaris in your tank and a bad strain forget about the melafix and pimafix.
Once the mouth rots away you need to destroy the fish as it not going to make it sorry.
http/www.articledepot.co.uk/article-29320.htm
United states maracyn one and two.
Uk myxazin and pimafix.

 

[wolfwolf]

You have columnaris in your tank and a bad strain forget about the melafix and pimafix.
Once the mouth rots away you need to destroy the fish as it not going to make it sorry.
http/www.articledepot.co.uk/article-29320.htm
United states maracyn one and two.
Uk myxazin and pimafix.

Okay, I netted the sick fish and euthanized him. Fish keeping is hard business. I started treating my aquarium with API e.m. erythromycin. Could not find the Maracyn one. I went to three pet stores. Do I have to treat the other fish? They have no symptoms...

 

[WILDER]

Keep an eye on your water stats as that med might knock or wipe out the benefical bacteria in the filter.
The tank with no symtoms a few daily water changes and thats it.
Good luck.
R.I.P. Bless him.