RTC disease

[bunnylover]

Not sure if I should put this in Catfish or the Fish Health and Disease section...

I recently bought an RTC and it was attacked by my barb. So I moved the barb, but the RTC seems to have developed a really bad disease from it...

He's not eating, sits in the same spot, skin is peeling, fins and tail is breaking, and there's a big of a white-looking fungus on the peeling skin. I've placed him in a small hospital tank and treating him with MarOxy for 3rd day so far but no change. Help!

 

[Sturgeon]

wow that looks horrible. welcome to mfk. You should add salt to the hospital tank, and do regular water changes on it. it is god to change the water more often while medicating. There is a fair amount of fin rot, you will need antibacterial meds, anti fungus meds stress coat and raise the temp. That is my best suggestions, I hope you can work a mircale and pull through for that fish. Its future is not looking so good

 

[necrocanis]

very severe fin and tail rot. add salt immediately, and start doing water changes. Do 50% per day water changes and slowly increase the salt in the water to 1 tbsp per five gals of water. Increase the temp to around 82-85f. Also get some stress coat to add during water changes. He will probably lose all of the tail being this advanced. Get rid of those feeders. I don't think he got this from the scrap with the other fish. He got this from eating those feeders. I've had rtc get it from them. In this advanced state it will be very important to maintain a good constant water quality, and to bring the salts and temps up slowly so you don't shock the fish. Do not! DO NOT feed the fish live feeders. For at least a few days or weeks don't feed anything more than a few krill every other day. If he doesn't eat them take them out. We can only hope it's not too late for your fish, but on the bright side I've seen rtc in worse condition survive, but they had no fins for the rest of their life!

 

[necrocanis]

wow that looks horrible. welcome to mfk. You should add salt to the hospital tank, and do regular water changes on it. it is god to change the water more often while medicating. There is a fair amount of fin rot, you will need antibacterial meds, anti fungus meds stress coat and raise the temp. That is my best suggestions, I hope you can work a mircale and pull through for that fish. Its future is not looking so good

didn't mean to step on your toes you posted while I was typing, but same advice for both of us.

 

[Sturgeon]

didn't mean to step on your toes you posted while I was typing, but same advice for both of us.

No offense taken. you certainly didnt step on my toes, only improved upon what I stated. The thought of removing the feeders was something I forgot to add, dont even put the goldfish in a different tank as it might transfer illness

 

[bunnylover]

Okay will do...thanks for the help.
The feeders I put in because he hasn't eaten anything since the day I got him. I've tried shrimp, pellets, bloodworms...I figured feeders would be more attractive but he didn't touch them either.

I've put in MarOxy for the fungus, should I use it in conjunction with Maracyn-Two for the finrot?

and I heard that table salt was not recommended...is there a reason why it's different from aquarium salt?

 

[malawi haps]

Normal table salt is iodized salt. Aquarium salt is for at least salt water aquariums evaporated filtered sea water.And the aquarium salt for fresh water fish tanks is like epsom salt it is designed to help with protecting the slime coating and reintorducing electolytes in to the fish' s system It can also help with fungal infection (got athelet's feet epsoms salt will help kill the fungus) fresh water aquarium salt does this only for fish.

 

[necrocanis]

Normal table salt is iodized salt. Aquarium salt is for at least salt water aquariums evaporated filtered sea water.And the aquarium salt for fresh water fish tanks is like epsom salt it is designed to help with protecting the slime coating and reintorducing electolytes in to the fish' s system It can also help with fungal infection (got athelet's feet epsoms salt will help kill the fungus) fresh water aquarium salt does this only for fish.

tnx for clearing it up, I sometimes assume people know what I am talking about lol.

 

[necrocanis]

I just want to know is it still alive?

 

[necrocanis]

just noticed also he is laying right on that heater I would suction cup it further up so he doesn't lay on it and make a bad problem worse with heater burns.