Urgent! How Do I Treat 2 Illnesses?

[aquababy]

I hope someone can help me as soon as possible. I have had my small tank (27 litre) since late June 08 and even though I had a lot of problems early on I managed to deal with everything thanks to the help I got from the members of this forum.
I continued to maintain my tank and then bought a 64 litre tank in October and transfered all the fish from the small tank to the larger tank successfully.
I have not had many problems since except whitespot just the once.
On the 26th of November my husband bought 5 Neon Tetras and 2 Panda corys from my LFS. I put them in the small tank just in case they were infected. The water stats for the small tank were perfect and there were no other fish in the tank. The tetras developed whitespot 2 days later and the pandas were starting to flick and rub against things. I am still treating them and the whitespot hasn't gone. The tetras have whitespots on their tails and fins and have also got what looks like a fungal infection. Their tails and fins look eaten away and their red stripe is a pale pink. The pandas don't have any whitespots but their tails have started going white. One of the pandas died 4 days later and he had turned completely white and had no tail. I have WS3 which is a KingBritish formula containing 4%Malachite green, 10% W/W, 0.05% Acriflavine W/W and 0.04% Quinine sulphate W/W.
and also have Melafix, Pimafix, Anti Internal Bacteria formula but don't know if I should or can mix any of these medicines.
I had stopped buying fish from my LFS because their fish are always sick but my husband bought these tetras and pandas from there thinking it would be a surprise and cheer me up since I had been poorley.
I have only 2 tetras and one panda left. I also went to the LFS to have a look at the fish they have in their tanks and they had a tank full of neons that were so covered in white spots you couldn't tell if they were neons . Some of their pandas were flicking and some had died or were dying. Most of their fish looked sick but they were still selling them.
I need to know how to treat my fish. Why is the WS3 not working even though I have used it successsfully at least 3 times before and should I treat them for their fungal problems first or the whitespot. I also need to report the LFS so if anyone can give me some advice on how to do that. If my LFS was showing cruelty to any of the other animals in their shop they would have been reported to somewhere like the RSPCA but because they are fish this cruelty has gone unnoticed.
Many of my friends on this forum have strongly suggested that I have a hospital tank. I now use my small tank as the hospital tank and it was a lifesaver. I can't imagine what would have happened if I would have put these sick fish in with my healthy fish. I think there should be a warning for all fishkeepers on this forum especially newbies to invest in a hospital tank.

 

[minxfishy]

Have you increased the temp in the tank to help with the whitespot? If not, slowly raise it to above 80, increase aeration into the tank as well as with the meds and high temp the o2 levels will drop.

I havent used king british meds so I cant say why they dont appear to be working, I would suggest you use something like protozin as that will treat the whitespot and possibly help with the fungal infection too.

 

[flash22]

same as above realy up the the temp to 30ºc put in a air stone as the higher temps knocks the oxygen out the water

If the WS3 isnt shifting it try some protozin and it should go with in 2 doses tbh

you need to treat the whole tank as once the white spots drop off thay breed in the gravel (this is the time to hit them with the meds). then thay attach to there hosts and it starts all over again

higher water temp speeds up the the white spot cycle btw

 

[TheRedDiscus]

Whoa Whoa Whoa..... you added 4%Malachite green, 10% W/W, 0.05% Acriflavine W/W and 0.04% Quinine sulphate W/W and Melafix, Pimafix, Anti Internal Bacteria formula? You have a bit over load on the meds there, slow down. Fish don't tend to be great and in best condition in lots of medication. Ease down on the meds and try 1 med at a time and maybe more water changes.

 

[flash22]

Whoa Whoa Whoa..... you added 4%Malachite green, 10% W/W, 0.05% Acriflavine W/W and 0.04% Quinine sulphate W/W and Melafix, Pimafix, Anti Internal Bacteria formula? You have a bit over load on the meds there, slow down. Fish don't tend to be great and in best condition in lots of medication. Ease down on the meds and try 1 med at a time and maybe more water changes.

have another read. lol

I have WS3 which is a KingBritish formula containing 4%Malachite green, 10% W/W, 0.05% Acriflavine W/W and 0.04% Quinine sulphate W/W.
and also have Melafix, Pimafix, Anti Internal Bacteria formula but don't know if I should or can mix any of these medicines.

I think Aquababy means she has these meds in stock.


Never mix meds your do more harm than good

 

[aquababy]

Thanks for the quick reply guys. I have already started taking the temprature up bit by bit since yesterday and the temp is about nearly 29c but the spots on the tetras are still there. The tail on the panda cory looks a pale colour and half eaten today and the fins on the tetras look really torn.
I aready have an airpump and airstone running. Should I put in some Melafix or Pimafix?
As I said before I have stopped buying fish from Pets at Home. The last time I bought fish from there was about 4 weeks ago after they had completely emptied there tanks and cleaned them out but it looks like they still haven't been able to keep the fish diseases out.
One of the Panda corys in my big tank also has a tail that has started rotting. Could it be because I used the same siphon to clean both tanks and transfered disease from the small tank to the big one even though I washed the siphon after using it in the small tank.
I am really worried now. All other fish and corys in the big tank seem to be fine. The water stats for the big tank are perfect. Nitrate was a tiny bit high 3 weeks ago but its perfect now. Should I move the panda to the small tank or treat him in the big tank? I don't even know whats wrong with him but his tail looks the same as the panda in the small tank.

 

[aquababy]

Sorry for getting you a bit confused TheRedDiscus. Flash 22 is right I said I have these meds but don't know if its safe to mix them.
When I wrote WS3 which is a KingBritish formula containing 4%Malachite green, 10% W/W, 0.05% Acriflavine W/W and 0.04% Quinine sulphate W/W. I wrote about the ingredients in the WS3. I don't have all these meds separately.

 

[flash22]

imho treat with one med keep the treatment to 1 tank as it will spread if you start moving fish about. Also make sure you remove any carbon from the filter if the ws3 isnt clearing get some protozin most decent fish shops stock it (interpet Anti whitespot is the same as protozin) stop treatment for 2-3 days before starting the new meds too

never bought fish from pets at home because never liked the look of the fish over priced too.

where about are you in the contry sure some one local can point you to a decent shop (suppose i am lucky where i am as there are 6-7 with in 15 mins drive)

 

[WILDER]

I wouldn't add anymore meds to the tank as it sounds like the fish are not coping with the whitespot med.
Is there plenty of aeration in the tank.
Finrot common on top of the whitespot and it sometimes clears with the whitespot med.
Corys are very sensitive to parasite meds so should really only half dose.
You can use pimafix with parasite meds, but I wouldn't add anymore meds just yet.

If the fish are not being treated for the whitespot and they are stilling selling fish yes you can report them to the rspca.

 

[aquababy]

Hi flash22. I had a sick cat to deal with today so was too busy to log in here in the morning. I wish I had, I could have taken your advice and got them them the meds with the Protozin. I have used the WS3 3 times before and its worked it makes me think if these diseases become immune to our meds.
I live in Bradford and theres not many great fish shops around. We have 5 (including Pets at Home) and the tanks makes you cringe, thats how dirty they are. To make it worse they don't feed the fish so they don't have to clean the tanks. The only place with clean healthy fish is Tong Garden Centre and thats 45 mins away. They quarantine their fish for at least 4 days before selling them and they always feed their fish. You can tell because theyre so plump. I have never seen a dead fish in their tanks and never seen white spot. That 45 min drive would have been so worth it. My hubby bought the fish as a surprise and put them in the small tank, I assumed he had bought them from Tong Garden Centre. It wasn't until they broke out into whitespot that I asked him where he had got them from. To tell you the truth I wasn't too worried. I thought its just whitespot and I know how take care of that and thats why I kept them otherwise I would have taken them back. I wish I had. Theres nothing worse than watching your fish die slowly and that dreadful feeling you get when you look into your tank expecting another dead fish or counting them over and over hoping they are all there.

 

[WILDER]

If you have plenty of aeration in the tank maybe half dose the pimafix.

 

[aquababy]

Hi Wilder. What took you so long. I normally get the first and fastest replies from you. I was hoping you would find me. Its funny how you advised me to half the dose for the corys when the petshop told me to add more but then Iv'e learnt NOT to take their advice.
There is lots of aeration. The filter keeps the water moving at the top and gives out air bubbles and I also have an air pump with air stone.
Will I have to put the carbon back into the filter to remove the WS3 before getting the Interpet Anti whitespot treatment that flash22 recommended?
I'm going to Pets at home on Monday and if they are still selling the sick fish then I'm definitely reporting them.

 

[WILDER]

Yes.
Do a water change and run some black carbon for aday to remove the whitespot med.
Then remove the black carbon and add the interpet whitespot med.
You will overdose the med if you don't remove the other one.

Only had whitespot once and it took me two rounds to get rid of the parasite.
You raise temp to 30 and increase aeration.
Always check you can use full dose with the fish you keep as some fish are very sensative to parasite meds.
Corys are not usually prone to whitespot.

I think the store wants reporting myself as there not looking after the fish and then the public are ending up buying sick fish.
Plus you will be doing the poor fish a service they shouldnt be treated the way they are.
Stay clear of lfs that don't look after them, then this way they don't get the trade and go bust.
Was on the news today about puppy farms and telling the public not to buy puppys from farms even if you feel sorry for them.
They want the trade to stop and the only way it will happen is for the public to report them and stop buying them.

 

[aquababy]

I know what you mean Wilder. If youv'e ever been abroad to a poorer country you see animal cruelty there but also realise that the people are poor and didn't have enough or any education so they understand about cruelty to animals and also theres not many organisations or laws to help animals. What excuse do people have here. They are cruel because they can be. I will never buy fish from PETS AT HOME ever again. The reason I wrote the name of the petshop in bold is so others reading this post know too. This particular petshop has many branches throughout the UK. I don't think they understand (or care) about how much stress and hurt they cause to the fish and owners and its the same with the puppy farms. Those people are only interested in making money and most of those puppies end up in shelters. Here in Bradford we are having problems with people who have migrated from other countries and have made a trade of selling kittens. They buy pair of kittens (male & female) then keep breeding them and selling when they are only 4-5 weeks old. If no one buys them they just throw them away.

 

[aquababy]

I hope I didn't offend anyone by mentioning people who have migrated here. My intention wasn't to offend but speak the truth about what I have seen.