PLEASE help! Look at these pics...

[Plecos_Ftw]

Alright so a few days ago in one of our tanks everything was fine as it always is. The next day we noticed the second most dominate fish in the tank (our electric blue, about 5 inches) was getting picked on bad. Took him out, put him in a 10g quarantine tank. Anyway about 2 days later his fins and scales looked as they do in the pics below. Terrible. Last night he was swimming trying to stay right side up this morning/afternoon hes completely upside down. Hes breathing normally believe it or not, however he hasnt eaten in a few days. The only thing we noticed when we took him out of our main big tank was that he was a bit greyish and obviously beat up. To me it looks like fin rot or something because his fins just keep deteriorating. Hes alone in the 10g and all we did was treat it with some tetracycline. As far as the main tank where he was's history is we had a fish with popeye come out of there and he ended up killing himself after we put him in a 10g. He jumped out.

This electric blue we have had for a lonnng time. Not really any other problems with that tank though. Looking at these pics, we have come to terms with loosing him. If there is something we can do to save him please help. He means alot to us but I dont want him suffering either. I was thinking maybe tonight if he wasnt looking a bit better we should put him out of his misery. Please help any information is very helpful, and if you have any questions feel free to post. Thank you all so much for helping me out with yet another problem.Sorry these pics are huge by the way...

 

[Plecos_Ftw]

well hes still alive doing about the same not sure if I should put him out of his misery though. Regardless I still want to know what happend and if it could have infected the rest of the tank. Still no ideas out there huh? poor guy

 

[qwesty]

looks to me like an external parasite. I had the same thing happen to a male red empress a few years ago. I added some salt, raised the temp, increased airation, and bought some meds to treat parasites. He ended up living but I don't think he was as far along as your guy. It appears to have attacked his swim bladder.

Very sorry for this and good luck

 

[Plecos_Ftw]

thank you so much. ya we may need to put him out. I still wanted to know though in case our other fish are in danger as well. it was strange he was doing fine one day then the next he looked like this. I dont see any worms or anything out of the ordinary besides his fins and scales. I just pray he didnt infect the others, weve had them for years. mmmmm so maybe a parasite... or bacteria infection

 

[Plecos_Ftw]

Well this guy didnt make it but as you can tell from the pics I kinda knew that was comming. Still wonder what happend to him

 

[woodyoz]

man,that is one pretty looking blue!
sorry for ur loss

 

[SkySouza]

I just lost 3 of my 8" kissing gourami's to the same thing. Fin Rot. I had them for 5 yrs. heart breaking