Something is wrong with my red tail!

[Icthisapian]

IMO it looks like staph. This bacterial is able to cross species barriers, and it is naturally occurring on human skin. A few hygiene protocols need to be put in place asap! first qt the fish, run broad spectrum anti-biotics as Bigger said. Finally you need to begin scrubbing your equipment and body before doing water changes. this bacterial is able to live for long periods of time without a host especially in wet/dirty enviroments. with the disease having progressed this far, watch your other fish for any signs of lesions and tissue decay as it can spread rther rapidly.

[Aw3s0m3]

I understand that I really need to qt him immediately but the largest spare tank I have is a 40g. If I can find a large clear Rubbermaid tub, would that suffice? I don't know how long he's had it because I never noticed it until a couple days ago, that's when he stopped swimming around the tank and is now sitting in the front and center along the glass facing up and just stays there towards the top as if he's just treading water, waving its tail back and forth just to stay in that position. I've never had a fish get sick in me before so I know nothing about diseases. What are some good medications you guys would recommend to start off with?


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[thebiggerthebetter]

I'd suggest familiarizing yourself with with this http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/fo...ns-(1-Viewing) and other stickies in the Deseases Forum. One popular gram-positive antibiotic is a 2:1 combo of nitrofirazone and furazolidone, aka bi-furan med. Broad action gram-negative is, e.g., tetracycline and related meds.

Staphylococcus is a genus of Gram-positive bacteria. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staphylococcus AFAIK, flesh-eating bacteria are from this family. Humans carry these bacteria always, e.g., in their throat. Through spit and mucus, it can get on your skin. It usually never turns to its flesh-eating capabiity but just causes things like colds etc. when not kept in check by an immune system. (Albeit, they say common colds are caused by a virus, not bacteria, which is why common cold cannot be cured by antibiotics but people are often given antibiotics by doctors to prevent secondary infections.) Once in a while, it turns into a flesh-eating bacteria, like in that recent case that was all over the news where a NC (?) student has almost lost her life but lost 3 of the 4 limbs. AFAI understood, science has no clue why and what triggers it (in humans at least). There is no effective cure against it (again, AFAIK, at least in humans).

[greenbud]

I agree with othere i looks bacterial I would salt the tank to help it heal and melefex the tank in progressive doses.

[Owain4]

Looks like you are having quite the issues. i remember a few months back you posted a thread about a tsn. http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/fo...Tumor-in-mouth. maybe you need to get a bigger tank, better filteration... just overall better care of the tank.

[lix.ma14]

good luck

[Aw3s0m3]

Looks like you are having quite the issues. i remember a few months back you posted a thread about a tsn. http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/fo...Tumor-in-mouth. maybe you need to get a bigger tank, better filteration... just overall better care of the tank.

Ya. The tsn still has the bumps in his mouth but otherwise he's extremely healthy. Eating like a champ and extremely active. He might've just always had those since I got him. No clue though


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[Owain4]

my point is that maybe you should provide a suitable tank for your fish. Two of your fish have some pretty serious/ abnormal illnesses. I think that it must be contributed to stress, bad water quality etc. I think that no RTC should be in a 150 gallon especially one thats around a foot long. with other fish...

[thebiggerthebetter]

IMHO, if anything, the biofiltration and water changes may or may not need to be reconsidered. The water parameters provided are fine. A foot long RTC in a 150 is ok, but not for long.

[Owain4]

hes got a 12" RTC a 8" TSN in a 150. I somehow don't think that is logically enough room. Judging on the size of the rtc in the pic. hes just as big as the tank is wide. the tank isn't over filtered either. 3 hob marinelands i doubt would provide enough filtration. what are the dimensions of the tank op?

"I have a 2ft clown knife and I've been feeding it tilapia fillets, uncooked shrimp and massivore delite. Lately it hasn't been eating so I was wondering what else your knives are eating. I've tried earthworms, but it doesn't budge. Everything else in the tank is eating fine (tire track eel, red tail and tiger shovel nose catfish, endli bichir and jaguar cichlid). I always feed the catfish first until they're full so that they don't steal food from the other fish. I am tempted to try feeder fish just so it will start eating again. What else should I try and what advice do you guys have? The tank is a standard 150g, filtration is 2 large hang on back filters and a canister filter and temp is around 76. All params are normal (nitrite and ammonia 0 and nitrate detectable but that's standard for a large predatory tank). I also do a 25-50% water change week"

Do you still have the 2ft long clown knife in this tank aswell???