Melafix not healing damaged fin

[Mulla]

Hi all,

Haven't been around for a while. Thanks to you guys I have been very happy with my fish and they're all very healthy except for one....

I have this kissing gourami that has developed a bite shaped 'bit' missing from the end of its tail fin. Also another smaller 'bit' bit missing from the corner of its tail fin. They are very small missing parts probably less than 10% of the entire tail fin.

Noticed this about 2 weeks ago and I thought I'd wait and see before I take action as he seemed healthy and eating fine. Ocassionally chases / kisses the other kissing gourami in there.

After the first week I don't see any recovery on the fin but he's still doing great behaviour wise. I started treating with Melafix. I have just completed a one week treatment and the missing bits are still there.

I'm continuing treatment for another 7 days and see what will happen. All other fishes are doing fine and do not have any 'wounds' to their fins.

Should I just stop the Melafix treatment after this 2nd week and let him recover on his own? Or is there another way to help him on the road to recovery.

Tested with 0 Ammonia, Nitrate.

Tank Parameters
55G, Fluval 404, Weekly 25% water change
5x Penguin Tetras
2x Lace Gourami
2x 3 Spot Gourami
3x Kissing Gourami
1x Guppy


Thanks

[OrionGirl]

I would try moving him to a q-tank and treating with antibiotics, or an anti-parasite medication. Frequently, if a fin is injured, bacteria can easily infect the area and result in further erosion. There are a couple parasites that could be the problem, but the fish would probably be flashing and scratching, so the antibiotic would be the best place to start.

[Mulla]

Thanks Orion girl for your reply.

Are there any particular 'Sorts' of antibiotices, anti-parasite medications are out there? Don't really want to walk into the LFS and ask for recommendation there. If you can give me a product name that I can ask for that'd be great. Or what 'contents' should I be looking for in the meds?

I don't see any signs of infections tho. Like the parts around the missing bit are all clear like the rest of the fin and just the same texture as the healthy fish.

Guess I'll finish the Melafix treatment for this week and then I'll put him in the q-tank and treat with other medications.


Thanks

[GoLdFiSh_GrL]

if that doesn't work, u cud always take him 2 the nearest exotic animal hospital...

[OrionGirl]

I believe Maracyn II is a good choice--it should say that it works for both gram negative and gram positive bacteria. For medicated foods--I'm not sure what brands are available in all locations. There was a really good thread a while back with some info from wetmanNY about treating parasites--he also has very good information on parasite infestations on his webpage: http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/ that may help you out.

[Mulla]

Thank you Orion Girl for letting me know which 'drug' to get :p

But before I go and let this thread die would you be able to explain to me what does gram positive and negative mean???


Thank you.

[OrionGirl]

Bacteria are classified as either gram-positive or gram-negative, based on their cell-wall characteristics and uptake (either positive or negative) of Gram's stain. Gram-negative bacteria have a double cell wall, meaning they are better protected from antibiotics.

[Mulla]

Thank you for the biology lesson. Will keep that in mind.

[Kit Walker]

Just on the topic of kissing gourami's did u know that the kissing is an aggression behaviour, and not the much believed affection!?
(Similar to the way cichlids have territorial lip tugs). What is actually occuring during the kissing is the dominant gourami is sucking the food contents from the lesser dominant gourami. This explains why often with a "kissing" pair one appears full-bodied and the other can be skinny and wasting.

I found this out too late to save my friends gourami. He had to two large (10") kissers and one day the skinny one just died for no reason. The fat one is still perfectly healthy. If I knew earlier I could have saved the skinny one.

[Mulla]

Yes Kit Walker I know that when they 'kiss' they are really fighting with each other.

I never heard that they actually suck the food contents from the weaker fish tho?! Where did you hear that from? I have 3 of them and only 1 is really dominant. He is the one with the 'missing' tail too!!

For the interest of anyone reading this thread. It's now 3rd day into the second 7 day treatment cycle of Melafix and still not sign of getting better :(

[Kit Walker]

It seems strange the tail hasn't begun regenerating??? If I can remember Melafix is antibacterial. Perhaps whatever is eating away at the tail is fungal? But then again usually there is usually a woolly growth visible. I'm puzzled.

[Mulla]

Kit Walker: The anti-bacterial 'claim' of Melafix is actually questionable. I've read reports on the web that it doesn't have much if any anti-bacterial properties.

I found it really funny too as there are no abnormal growth / texture around the missing part of the tail. My previous experience with Melafix had been excellent, damaged fins always starts regrowing after a few days.

[wetmanNY]

My experience has been that the bacteria and Saprolegnia that are working together to produce "fin rot" have got their start where skin and fin parasites have created the opportunity.

Do you see a very fine white edge to the area where the fins are eroding? Saprolegnia.

I would combat this finrot with potassium permanganate treatments, following Dr. Erik Johnson's potassium permanganate regime described at www.koivet.com . You have to be very cautious with this stuff.

[valerie]

becareful when using certain anti bacterial meds, since some will kill off your bacteria bed. If you are using anti bacterial or fungal treatments i would recommend a Q tank.

[Mulla]

wetmanNY: Now that you've mentioned it I 'think' I do see those very find white edges where the fins have eroded. It's extremely difficult to spot and I really have to look hard. Maybe it's my imagination?! Where would I get potassium permanganate from? The LFS? Sound't like someting that I'd use in a high school lab :confused:

valerie: Yes I do have a Q-Tank that I could use. Just don't want to catch him and put him in there yet. I'll wait till the weekend when I go to the LFS and get some meds.

ANYONE: So Maracyn 2 won't work in this case?

Thanks all.