Kind of long but there are lots of important details and history: I'll try to be concise:
Main 75G tank params: 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrite, 5-10 Nitrate. Ph 7.6
A friend of mine (yes, A FRIEND
) has a 7" Dempsey that came down with mild case of Columnaris. We treated with a Potassium Permanganate bath and then a week of Kanamycin treatment in the hospital tank. Success. He was good for a week before he was put back in the main 75G tank.
A week later he was scratching and flashing with spitting food. I thought gill flukes as there were no other signs of problems. I thought that maybe he was weakened by the Columnaris and the flukes got out of control. I recommended a 7 day treatment with Prazi powder then a big water change and then another treatment for 7 days. We mixed the Prazi with vodka in order to make it soluble. We did the Prazi in the main tank.
The Prazi seemed to do nothing. He was still scratching his sides and tops (up to 5-7 times a day about 30 seconds each time I'm told). He also had not been eating well since the Columnaris infection. He spits his pellets, but will take worms and crickets. He will sometimes spit those as well.
The Dempsey was then given a three day regimen of Clout, followed by two days of clean water, followed by another 3 days of Clout in the hospital tank. This was two weeks ago and the fish is still spitting food and scratching/flashing on the tank decor as much as ever. I should note that I've seen him shaking his head often as well.
I should also point out the fish looks very normal, but does have a slightly sunken stomach from not eating very much. He also seems to be breathing hard, but his owner says he has always done that, but maybe a little heavier lately.
He is now on nightcrawlers injected with liquid vitamins, crickets, and blood worms. Not a good diet, but better than not eating.
Any ideas or suggestions here? I've done what I can to help but I'm out of ideas... sort of. I have one idea, but want to see what everyone else thinks first. I want to point out the fish looks very normal, but does have a slightly sunken stomach from not eating very much.
Main 75G tank params: 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrite, 5-10 Nitrate. Ph 7.6
A friend of mine (yes, A FRIEND
) has a 7" Dempsey that came down with mild case of Columnaris. We treated with a Potassium Permanganate bath and then a week of Kanamycin treatment in the hospital tank. Success. He was good for a week before he was put back in the main 75G tank.A week later he was scratching and flashing with spitting food. I thought gill flukes as there were no other signs of problems. I thought that maybe he was weakened by the Columnaris and the flukes got out of control. I recommended a 7 day treatment with Prazi powder then a big water change and then another treatment for 7 days. We mixed the Prazi with vodka in order to make it soluble. We did the Prazi in the main tank.
The Prazi seemed to do nothing. He was still scratching his sides and tops (up to 5-7 times a day about 30 seconds each time I'm told). He also had not been eating well since the Columnaris infection. He spits his pellets, but will take worms and crickets. He will sometimes spit those as well.
The Dempsey was then given a three day regimen of Clout, followed by two days of clean water, followed by another 3 days of Clout in the hospital tank. This was two weeks ago and the fish is still spitting food and scratching/flashing on the tank decor as much as ever. I should note that I've seen him shaking his head often as well.
I should also point out the fish looks very normal, but does have a slightly sunken stomach from not eating very much. He also seems to be breathing hard, but his owner says he has always done that, but maybe a little heavier lately.
He is now on nightcrawlers injected with liquid vitamins, crickets, and blood worms. Not a good diet, but better than not eating.
Any ideas or suggestions here? I've done what I can to help but I'm out of ideas... sort of. I have one idea, but want to see what everyone else thinks first. I want to point out the fish looks very normal, but does have a slightly sunken stomach from not eating very much.
