Treating inflammation on poly's tail

[libingboy]

Have already asked the poly forum, but i may get better responses here. I got a poly that has an inflammation just above its anal fin. Somebody suggested internal parasites, and i have treated the tank twice (jungle labs parasite guard, full dose). I still see the inflammation and im thinking of treating it with antibiotics (most probably furazan). Unfortunately my only q tank is 20 gallons, and the poly is already 15-16 inches.

Should i even try antibiotic treatment?

Should i move it to the q tank? Or treat the whole tank and risk the bb die-off?

Any other suggestions? I am also dosing the tank with rid x, btw.




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[Aquanero]

Can you post a claer picture? The water parameters would be helpful, ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and Ph. What if any tank mates.

 

[libingboy]

Sorry, i thought the pic was attached earlier. I got the fish with this condition, it was kept in an outdoor pond with other polys and some peacock bass.
I dont have test kits but the tank has been running for over a year with little issues. 40% wc every week, with ridx dosing afterwards.
Current tankmates are other bichirs. I think im seeing some improvement but it may be just be wishful thinking. Fish is eating properly.




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[Aquanero]

Without knowing the water parameters it is diffacult to suggest proper meds. Kanamycin is excelent for systemic gram-negative bacterial infections as it is skin absorbed. Furan 2 is a good choice for surface infections but is not effective against systemic infections. Furan 2 is also effective at lower Ph levels ~7.2 and lower but is not effective at higher Ph levels ~7.5 and up it looses its effectivness. Triple sulfa is very effective at higher Ph levels ~7.5 and above. Both Furan 2 and Triple sulfa can be combined with Kanamycin for an excelent one two punch but the choice of weather to use Furan 2 or Triple sulfa is dependent on your Ph without that information you're just guessing. Test your water and we can make an intelagent decision on which route to take. There should never be any ammonia on nitrite present and you nitrates should ideally be below 20ppm.

 

[libingboy]

thanks for the advice. So it looks like a bacterial infection? should i risk the bichir getting cramped and freaking out in a 20 gallon? i dont want to kill off my bb. also, what brand of medication has kanamycin?

 

[Aquanero]

You could use Kanaplex from Seachem.

 

[libingboy]

Kanaplex is also unavailable locally. How about maracyn 1 and2? I know these are different antibiotics, but would they do the job too?


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[Aquanero]

Maracyn-Two is also skin absorbed like Kanamycin but not as much. It is also best used in a lower Ph and in soft water with a Gh reading of 200 or less. This is a great anitbiotic for a soft water Amazon type tank but if you have a high Ph or hard water it is fairly useless. Again let your water paramerters be your guide. You could try either the Furan 2 or 3X sulfa alone and see if it helps (which it will if the issue is not systemic). Do not combine Maracyn 2 with either Furan 2 or 3X sulfa.

 

[libingboy]

The fish is still feeding properly. Would it be better to just soak the food in the medication? Although i guess its diffiult to control the dosage.


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[Aquanero]

That depends on what med you're talking about. The antibiotic can be soaked and fed the Furan 2 and 3X sulfa have to be adminstered into the tank as they are of a more tipical nature. Adminstering the dosage has to be calculated which I'm not very good at, however food soaked in about 150mg with just enough water to disolve it for 30 and fed to the fish every 24 houres should work, but again it's a little trial and error.