Update: Cure It, And Something Else Will Come!

[mnbyiuopre]

When I woke up this morning I saw my young male marigold swordtail has something wrong with it's tail. Here's all my info.

Tank size:20 gallons
pH:last checked it was 7.0
ammonia:between .25-.50 (cycling)
nitrite:Last checked 0
nitrateon't know
kHon't know
gHon't know
tank temp:78-79 degrees F

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior): Has whitish marks on tail, looks like fin rot, fin is part gone in some places, this must have happened overnight.

Volume and Frequency of water changes:None yet, tank has only been set up for a week.

Chemical Additives or Media in your tankh 7.0 before fish went in, Stress Coat when fish went in

Tank inhabitantsnot including this one) 1 male and female Marigold Swordtail, 1 male and 2 female red platys. (Was only able to get 1 female sword!)

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration):I have 2 rocks, a piece of driftwood, and 3 fake plants.

Exposure to chemicalstress Coat, Ph 7.0

Digital photo (include if possible):

 

[WILDER]

Livebearers need excellent water quality, with the cycling of the tank the stress of it has caused finrot which is common in livebearers.
Need excellent water quality to clear it up really.
Not looking hopeful for the fish, you could try a bacterial med like myxazin.

 

[mnbyiuopre]

Ok, should I do a water change then? Also are there any other medications he would need?

I don't think he looks too bad yet. Only his back tail has some problems.

 

[WILDER]

Just a small water change all the cycle will take for ever.
Livebearers and finrot can lose the whole tail in hours not something to not take seriously.
Invest in a liquid test kit as well.

 

[mnbyiuopre]

I have a test kit for Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, Ph, and High Range Ph. It looks fine for now and I can't get to the lfs until tommorrow. Hopefully it will be fine.

What do you mean by "Just a small water change all the cycle will take for ever."? Do you mean that if I do even a small water change the cycle will take forever? Sorry, but there were just a few words missing in your sentence that made it confusing.

 

[WILDER]

Sorry got cold and feel terrible lol.
Yes small water changes are best on cycling tanks, as if you do large water changes it slows the cycle down.
Are you using nutrafin beneifical bacteria supplement.

 

[mnbyiuopre]

Alright, he is still going strong. I bought a medicine at my lfs for Fin Rot and put it in today.

Also, my other male sword died overnight. I knew something was wrong last night because he didn't eat and had labored breathing. What do you think was wrong? He was perfectly healthy before. The lfs said my water stats were fine too. Maybe the ammonia got it.

 

[WILDER]

An ammonia reading will kill fish, it takes it toll on them.
Soon as you see a fish gasping water change.

 

[mnbyiuopre]

I got a replacement for him today. If I put up a picture of my female could you tell me if she was pregnant or not? If she is she's probably only a week pregnant

 

[WILDER]

Yes put a pic up.
I wouldn't add anymore fish till the tank has cycled, and the finrot has gone.

 

[TerraDreamer]

I got a replacement for him today. If I put up a picture of my female could you tell me if she was pregnant or not? If she is she's probably only a week pregnant

Not a good idea. You're only exacerbating your ammonia problem. Let the tank cycle with as few fish as possible. Provide extra aeration and as much current as possible during this process. And only feed every other day, and in limited amounts until your ammonia and nitrites are 0. You're throwing fuel on the fire and your money down the drain by replacing the fish. To fish cycle, danios (and only a few of them) are the better choice as they're much hardier.

Make certain you add the Stress Coat in the prescribed amount to the tap water before you add it to the tank, otherwise you'll kill what limited beneficial bacteria you have growing in your filter media.

 

[mnbyiuopre]

Okay, thanks. I'll put a pic up soon. Also, are frozen brine shrimp a good thing to occaisonally feed?

 

[mnbyiuopre]

He's not doing good right now. Part of his tail is now gone and his top fin is very frayed. He has been hanging around in a corner for awhile now. Luckily he isn't stuck at the bottom and does swim around the tank occaisonally. I think he likes to lay down on my rocks if he's tired of swimming. I've been doing a fin rot treatment called Maracyn for a couple of days now. I'll check my water stats and put them up soon.

 

[WILDER]

He's dying sorry.

 

[mnbyiuopre]

Maybe not. He seems a lot better today. Yesterday I thought he was going to hit the dust becuase he was in the bottom of the tank and couldn't eat or really swim. Today he is up and about. The laboured breathing has settled down, it's actually almost normal! He does seem to be staying in the middle right next to the heater though. And he still won't really eat. Hopefully he is getting better.