What is wrong with my Electric Blue Acara

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I’ll just echo what others have said and that keeping it isolated and in clean water is the best you can do. Kanaplex would be good in the case of infection, the fins worsening on their own could be a sign. IME kanaplex is good for that.
If it were columnaris (which I am very confident that it’s not), not many antibiotics work on it. I’ve had some success with seachem polyguard (if it were columnaris to begin with).
 
Please keep us updated. There are many open- ended threads like this that can be found with searching, that contain no outcome/resolution.... leading to continued uncertainty.

These are the type threads that can really help the next guy who is looking for assistance as to what steps to possibly take to help their own fish.
 
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Columnaris is pretty aggressive, and has been known to wipe out a fish (and a tank) in very short order. I really don't think it's that.

The new fin damage looks like injury as well. Could there be something in the quarantine tank that he couldve got hurt on if getting spooked? Fin rot is usally much more consistent throughout, and can look like the edges are melting so-to-speak, with fraying and sometimes a white hue.

With fin damage from other fish, I have had pretty good results with 2 products: Melafix (believe it or not), and Kordon's Fish Protector. With that said, I think the clean water and salt is still the best medicine.

As for eating, my EBA absolutely cannot resist an earthworm. Have you seen if he reacts to a live wiggler? That is an option. You can also soak some bloodworms in garlic guard and Maracyn 2, to cover the antibiotic base. I wouldn't treat the water column, given the Kanaplex didn't work.
Thank you for the time to write all that out. I’ll try what you’re suggesting and hopefully he will eat some worms. I’ll update as soon as anything changes. Thank you all for helping
 
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I agree the fin damage looks to be aggression.
On the other hand, the gaping appearance of a fused jaw is a obvious symptom of columnaris.
And with columnaris as the jaw atrophies it becomes impossible for the fish to eat, and the infected individual simply tends to hover in one spot.
But in a sense both can work in tandem.
If a fish is being harassed, its immunity is weakened, allowing infectious bacteria (such as colomnaris) to easily take hold.

And to me, the fish combination in the tank is a volatile mix
Frankenfish fish such as BPs will attack most other cichlids, in a tank as small as a 75.
If tiger barbs sense vulnerablity in another species they will immediately take advantage, sniping at and wearing it down , compromising the victims immunity even more , to a point where it is doomed.
What are your water parameters?
Blue acaras and severum, are evolved to live ih soft, low pH water, and become easily infected by bacteria in hard water.
BPs are prefer hard, high pH water.
Tiger bards are generalists

Now for my personal bias
Asian tigers barbs should not be housed in the same tank, with S American cichlids.
Severums and acara are compromised by ay nitrate level, above 10 ppm, so water changes need to be at minimum, doubled to lower nitrate
BPs, Man made, originally derived from Central American Amatitlania cichlids, should not be housed with soft water , low pH S American cichlids., such as severums, and acara
 
Any update on the EBA?
He is still alive but at this point I feel like I need to put him out of his misery. I’ve just been focusing on keeping is water perfect because I don’t think he can take any more medication. He’s just getting worse probably will die today or tomorrow so if anyone has any last suggestions it would be appreciated. IMG_3944.jpeg
 
He is still alive but at this point I feel like I need to put him out of his misery. I’ve just been focusing on keeping is water perfect because I don’t think he can take any more medication. He’s just getting worse probably will die today or tomorrow so if anyone has any last suggestions it would be appreciated. View attachment 1567289
Also the meds I have on hand are

Salt
Kanaplex
Poly guard
General cure
Melafix
Maracyn 2
Maracyn oxy
Copper safe
Inh x
 
What happened with the earthworm?

I would not put him down, unless you could see that he was trying to eat, but physically uncapable. Fish can recover from surprising injuries.
 
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