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We are keeping our fingers crossed

Hi Everyone,
While searching the net for the name of a new type of tetra that I have recently bought ( size of a small neon,body colour same as that of a silver tip tetra, on the bottom half of the base of the caudal fin is a black spot , but above this is a red almost fireglow spot. In fact without the irridescent red spot , looks like one of the dwarf corys that I have with the black spot on the base of the caudal fin.), I came across this link about fish diseases .
For those who are interested and have a lot of time, here it is.

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=cache: ... +fin&hl=en

Rob,
I believe that there is info there about the symptoms and haemoraging that you describe.
Regards,
Des.

Rob, How is the little fella doing, have you used the treatments yet?

Tristan

Hi Tristan

It literally arrived this second, just printing out the instructions as we speak. About to go downstairs, do another waterchange, and put both in at 1g per 10l. I will also up the temp to 30 Degrees.

If this works I will be absolutely gobsmacked. I very rarely use fish medicines as I feel most of them are useless, i.e... "oh.. it might help, give tia shot, you never know".

Cheers for this everyone.

Thanks again, and I'll let you all know.
rob

Hi Guys

Well, here is the update. As far as the fish health goes, it is asounding!!! The eyes are no longer sunken at all, with no sign of opacity, and she has returned to her grumpy old self.

This tells me that any internal problems have been solved.

However, going against every rule in the book, I have had to csoss two different treatements.

She is still undergoing the Huey Hung treatements which has brought her back to life, but the infection about 5mm up her body from her tail is getting progressively worse. I have never seen anything like it. It started of like a tiny bit of heamoraging, then alot, not the flesh has gon white, and from what I can tell is dead!! Despite the HH treatment it continues to spread, so in one last ditch attempt I have painted the affected area with methyl blue in anticipation that it is some sort of funcgal rot.

I will just have to wait and see if it progresses any further.

Rob

A stupid question: could a fish get gangrene?

Rob,

I have a similar type of infection in a female Labidochromis caeruleus. Every now and again she gets a haemorrhage, which spreads. The HH treatment usually sorts this out in three or four days. I am sure that your course of treatments will bring her through. The HH is good stuff though, wouldn’t you agree.

Keep us posted

Tristan

Fingers crossed fer you mate. Let us know how thigs go.

Hi everyone.

Well I have just had to put the L205 out of it's misery, as dificult as it wa to do, I could not bear to see him as he was.

These are the final photo's, be aware they are quite disturbing.






As you can see an entire section has basically been eaten away leaving the spine in full view. This happened approx 10 minutes ago. 1 hour ago it was still attached.

I am very very confused. His eyes had sunk back into his head when I looked at him this morning, and I had a feeling that would be it. I think he had initially started to recover, but the infection in his tail had no regressed at all.

If anyone has ever seen anything like this before ..please...please.. .please tell me how I can prevent this from happeneing again.

Thank you for all the help anyway, I guess whatever it was just couldn't be halted. I just wish I could have realised the final outcome before it had got to this state for the fish.

Dorry to hear about the little fella. I have never seen anything as agressive as that before. I will ask some friends in the trade and see if they have any idea of what is going on.

Cheers Tristan

I am at a complete loss, as the general health of the fish was very good, and even when it had initially started to recover it only had slight heamoraging.

rob

OMG the poor thing! It looks like he's been the victim of a "flesh eating" bacteria. It looks like that in humans, and develops just as quickly, but I have never heard of fish being attacked by this bacteria. I don't know, I just wanted to express my sympathy. It must have been awful having to sit and watch this develop!

Hopefully Tristan will come up with the answer to what it was.

I agre McEve, looks like an Ebola virus type infection. I will get back to you all.

Hi Rob,

Sorry you didn't save your fish, but looking at those photos thats one hell of an infection!!

The only thing I have seen like in a fish before are the ulcers on koi? Other than that I am stumped.

Regards

Tom

Cheers Tom

Must admit, it wasn't nice. It is the first time I've had to put a fish that size out of it's misery. I just haven't had any luck with large plecs in my community tank for some reason.

You mentioned ulceration in Koi, any idea what bacteria would cause this?

I think it must have been some sort of bacterial infection, but how it appeared I have no idea. It seemed to appear as a seconday result ot the fish being of ill health. i.e. the fish was almost dea before this relly took off. Then the fish improved, and the infection got worse.

rob