Two Hatchetfish, Medication Not Helping.

[Alps]

One hatchetfish has had ragged and split fins for about 2 weeks and I only just realized that it could be fin rot. They both eat and swim normally and one never had any rough fins, but fish 1 has clouded eyes and there is an extremely white line on his back along his spine that I can see from above. Fish two just began showing symptoms because a line along his back just started developing and his fins are starting to split, but not get rough yet.
SYMPTOMS
-eat normally
-swim normally
-very pronounced white line I can see from above on one
-split and ragged fins, initially thought because one was aggressive
-last night I did a 40% water change, put brand new filters in, vacuumed bottom, increased water temperature to 82 degrees, increased the air, and put in medication 10 gallon tank
- the medication I put in was Mardel brand Maracyn-Two in powder form to treat, dropsy, septicemia, popeye, and fin and tail rot.

I have diagnosed fin and tail rot but am unsure. Hatchetfish two only began displaying symptoms today, the day after I put in the medication.

Thanks for all of your help

 

[tttnjfttt]

is the white line something growing on the fish? or does it seem to be a change in the fish's skin?

Clouded eyse can be caused by several things, including bacterial infections, poor diet and bad water. You should test the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels in your tank

 

[Alps]

is the white line something growing on the fish? or does it seem to be a change in the fish's skin?

Clouded eyse can be caused by several things, including bacterial infections, poor diet and bad water. You should test the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels in your tank

no, it seems to be within or under his skin, no protruding mound or anything that grows on the outside

can't be caused by diet, I feed brine twice a week and flake, never had problems like this before. Water is pretty clean, and I had it tested at my lfs and they said it was fine.

What do you guys think about fin and tail rot?

 

[tttnjfttt]

Torn fins can be from more than just fin rot. Also, my experience is finrot usually eats away at the fins, not just rips them. Here is a link wiht some pix of finrot http/www.fishpalace.org/Disease.html#Finrot

I'm more worried about the cloudy eye and also the white patch. Cloudy eye can be a symptom of internal bacteria, but if its gram negative or gram positive needs to be figured out. Maracyn only treats one of those.

I'm really not sure what to make of the white patch, I've never heard of this before. Hopefully someone else can shed some light on this.

 

[Alps]

Torn fins can be from more than just fin rot. Also, my experience is finrot usually eats away at the fins, not just rips them. Here is a link wiht some pix of finrot http/www.fishpalace.org/Disease.html#Finrot

I'm more worried about the cloudy eye and also the white patch. Cloudy eye can be a symptom of internal bacteria, but if its gram negative or gram positive needs to be figured out. Maracyn only treats one of those.

I'm really not sure what to make of the white patch, I've never heard of this before. Hopefully someone else can shed some light on this.

add a symptom i noticed
- a few fins have a white coloration by their base, not a fungus or ick

the fins of fish 1 are more like frayed, ragged, torn on most of his fins and it is more of a white line on his back beneath the skin, no protrusion. His cloudy eye has cleared up. The odd thing is he acts normally, swims and eats fine. odd really. I am treating the entire tank instead of separating him, im currently way understocked anyways in my 10 gallon.
- that very white line along his back is odd though, can't find a thing on it, nothing

thanks for the help so far, i'll keep you updated everyday

 

[karlp]

What else do you have in the tank ?

Hatchets are very vulnerable to fin nipping and they could be getting a secondary infection having been dined upon by another fish. One of mine has a white line along it's fin where it's been bitten and I recently had to re-house a killifish that was trying to supplement it's diet with fish fins.

The secondary infection though could well be down to water quality.

The only way to be absolutely sure is to visit an aquatic specialist vet of course, with the live fish.. if you can find one....

 

[WILDER]

The white patch on the back does it look bleached out colour, plus does it run down the tummy area, any signs of flicking and rubbing against objects or laboured breathing, also check the gills to see if they look any different.

 

[Alps]

The white patch on the back does it look bleached out colour, plus does it run down the tummy area, any signs of flicking and rubbing against objects or laboured breathing, also check the gills to see if they look any different.

the white isn't a patch it is more of a line, it is a very distinct white, along back spine. It really doesn't look like bleached out color, ill try and get a picture tonight when i get home. He doesn't rub against objects and im pretty sure that other fish aren't the direct cause of this because I only have 2 glow-light tetras and a cory. I used to think it was from the other hatchet, but iv never seen him show any biting.

 

[WILDER]

Columnaris can go along the back and down the sides forming a saddle.

http/article.discusnews.com/cat-02/columnaries.shtml

 

[tttnjfttt]

Columnaris can go along the back and down the sides forming a saddle.

http/article.discusnews.com/cat-02/columnaries.shtml

Wouldn't columnaris be growing on the skin rather than turning it white?

 

[WILDER]

Columnaris shows it self in many forms, you can get bleached out patches with it.

http/www.aquatic-hobbyist.com/profiles/d...columnaris.html

Or it could be slime desease, not the writer of this information below.
Slime Disease- There are various types of protozoa which can cause these symptoms, and they are treated in similar ways. The different parasites are Costia (Ichtybodo), Cyclochaeta (Trichodina), and Chilodonella (being the most resistant) . Once the disease has spread to the gills, it is at its deadliest form, and could prove fatal to the fish. Symptoms: frayed fins, sluggishness, dulled coloration, damaged gills, and even death. Treatment: There are many medications available to help with this illness. It is a good idea to treat the main tank to ensure that you have removed all traces of the harmful parasite from the tank! While treating the tank leave the filters running but remove any activated carbon from the tank or you will just remove any medication you have placed in the water. If the Slime disease does not clear up after following directions and use of a medication, it is most likely the Chilodonella strain and additional action must be followed. Try giving your fish a bath in salt mixed with water. If no results are occurring you may try asking a veterinarian for information on using a bath of water and formalin. The reason: a more knowledgeable person needs to assist is the fact that the fish could experience more adverse problems if the product is not administered correctly!

 

[WILDER]

Has the fish lost weight.

 

[WILDER]

http/ukdiscus.co.uk/columnaris.htm#Ident...ng%20columnaris

Sound like any of these taken from the article.
The 4 ‘type strains’, which were isolated, are listed in order of virulence:

AJS1 was extracted from a fish with bleached and ulcerated skin, and from a tank in which daily mortality occurred.
AJS2 was extracted from a discoloured fish, which displayed fin rot, especially in the caudal region; in addition, there was chronic mortality in its aquarium.
AJS3 was extracted from a fish that displayed small white patches around mouth, opercula, and from tanks that had no significant mortality.
AJS4 was extracted from a discoloured fish, with pale patches on the skin and fins, especially in the dorsal region, and again from a tank that had no significant mortality.

 

[Alps]

Columnaris shows it self in many forms, you can get bleached out patches with it.

http/www.aquatic-hobbyist.com/profiles/d...columnaris.html

Or it could be slime desease, not the writer of this information below.
Slime Disease- There are various types of protozoa which can cause these symptoms, and they are treated in similar ways. The different parasites are Costia (Ichtybodo), Cyclochaeta (Trichodina), and Chilodonella (being the most resistant) . Once the disease has spread to the gills, it is at its deadliest form, and could prove fatal to the fish. Symptoms: frayed fins, sluggishness, dulled coloration, damaged gills, and even death. Treatment: There are many medications available to help with this illness. It is a good idea to treat the main tank to ensure that you have removed all traces of the harmful parasite from the tank! While treating the tank leave the filters running but remove any activated carbon from the tank or you will just remove any medication you have placed in the water. If the Slime disease does not clear up after following directions and use of a medication, it is most likely the Chilodonella strain and additional action must be followed. Try giving your fish a bath in salt mixed with water. If no results are occurring you may try asking a veterinarian for information on using a bath of water and formalin. The reason: a more knowledgeable person needs to assist is the fact that the fish could experience more adverse problems if the product is not administered correctly!

The fish does have the frayed fins, dull coloration, and when compared to the other hatchet, sluggishness.
The other fish will actually jump out of the water when its scared, but not the worse off one.I did take out the carbon, and I have not seen a change in behaviour. This is my third night of the treatment.
- I'll check for the medications - how should I administer the salt bath? just put some rock salt in his floating container? I have him in a floating breeding tank.

 

[Alps]

The white patch on the back does it look bleached out colour, plus does it run down the tummy area, any signs of flicking and rubbing against objects or laboured breathing, also check the gills to see if they look any different.

The white line isn't a bleached out color, it doesnt run down the tummy
-no he doesn't and didn't, when he wasnt in the breeder thing ,seem to rub himself
-yes to labored breathing, gills dont look very bad, slight agitation, but they aren't swollen

??How do I add pictures?? I tried using insert image but i need a url and i tried to add attachment but its too big.

Columnaris can go along the back and down the sides forming a saddle.

http/article.discusnews.com/cat-02/columnaries.shtml

no columnaris saddle



- I will try some salt dipping using a 1 gallon bucket at 4-5 tablespoons of rock salt
- would i use fresh tap water that has been treated with chlorine remover and that has the same temperature as the tank?
-also since it is 8;42 pm and i need to do homework and go to school would 2 dips even be helpful from now to 12pm?