I was wondering when I should start feeding it. This is day four and he seems to be thethargic but I am using maracyn two and conditioning salt per instruction from a local pet store. But I am afraid that he will starve to death.
2007-04-13 04:22:09 · 0 answers · asked by Liberal_chick 2 in Pets ➔ Fish
I am using the maracyn to treat him for infection. A half hour after I found him floating at the top of the tank and the ammonia was high, he started losing his skin, and now most of his body is white and scaley with fuzzy white stuff sloughing off every once in a while, and I tried feeding him but it's daylight and I know he is nocturnal. I use wafers but I am concerned about if I should feed him while he is under this kind of stress
2007-04-13 04:58:22 · update #1
I have ammonia remover by tetra will that work for any excess ammonia?
2007-04-13 08:34:52 · update #2
First, I would back off the salt and be sure you don;t have too much for the pleco to be comfortable. They can stand pretty high salt for a short period, but not an extended time.
He is probably still being subjected to high ammonia levels unless you are doing large daily water changes. The Maracyn 2 will kill all of the beneficial bacteria in the tank along with the nasty ones you want it to kill. If you find you have high ammonia and are unable to do significant water changes due to the treatment, the product mentioned in the first post, Amquel, will detoxify the ammonia in the tank and help prevent further ammonia related problems.
The lethergy you are seeing is completely normal. Even though you can't see it, if the ammonia got high enough to burn his skin, it also burned his gills. This leads to the lethergic sitting around you see, much like a person who has damaged lungs wouldn't want to move around much.
I wouldn't worry over much about his not feeding. A sick fish will often stop eating until it gets better and he can do without food for a week or more without it becoming a problem. If you want to tempt him, try some lettuce, zuchinni or squash after youturn out the lights in the tank. Attach it to something to keep it on the bottom of the tank and remove it first thing in the morning. If he's going to eat anything, it would be the fresh veggies.
The fuzzy material from the fish is most likely a fungal infection. Fungus often appears when a fish is sick or injured or other wise very stressed and especially if it involves open wounds. I would add a fungus remedy to the treatment. Something with formiln or malachite green in it would be good, even if it's sold as a ich treatment. Mardel labs, makers of your Maracyn, have a good fungus product that's probably available at the same place you got the Maracyn.
Basically, if he's made it this long adds are very good he will survive. Just keep a close eye on the current ammonia levels, kill off the fungus that's preventing his skin from healing properly and tempt him into eating a little and your home free.
Best of luck with him
MM
2007-04-13 05:14:09 · answer #1 · answered by magicman116 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If there is an adequate supply of algae it will eat what it needs. If you need to supplement, don't overdo it as the excess food will actually add to the ammonia problem. My pleco has gone thru this a few times, usually my fault for not cleaning the water enough or overfeeding. (bad bad me) My pleco has done well when I get the pH back to normal and clean the water and vacuum up excess food and waste. You also didn't mention how many other fish you have. That can also add to the stress your pleco is undergoing. Maracyn two is an antibiotic, not sure why the store would tell you to use it for ammonia issue ... I am not a vet and don't play one on TV so I don't know, but success for me with ammonia has always been a 25-50% water change, cleaning of debris and restoring a normal pH. I also have used with good results, Amquel http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/NavResults.cfm?N=2004+112994
Good luck!
Additional comment:
Thanks for the added info, Sounds like a fungus amongus! Magicman116 probably has it right ... I use Mardel's product Maroxy with great reults on fungus in my tanks. It seems to have worked quite well with little stress and fast relief. I get it at my local shop, but online info at http://www.petco.com/Shop/petco_Product_Nav_227_sku_78263_R_102_enemerch_1.aspx?cm_re=227-_-TopSellers0-_-78263
2007-04-13 04:45:10 · answer #2 · answered by jholcomb 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Try getting some algea wafers or pellets that sink so that he doesn't have to go to the top if you are feedeing flakes.
2007-04-13 04:55:06 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋