It just keeps getting worse!!!

clean water should do the trick.. once the water is clean, then treat for fin rot.. the fish may not survive the fin rot, but getting the water clean is absolutely the priority for now. and since you can't treat for fin rot and change the water, it'll have to wait.
 
One thing you can do is go to your LFS and ask for some used filter media or a cup of gravel to bring home for your tank. Even if you take a sponge from one of their tanks and squeeze it out well in some water, and just bring the water home, it should give you some bacteria to jump start your cycle. Asking for a handul of bioballs or a scoop of gravel would be better and less messy though.
 
Update on Old Tank Syndrome

Well, I'm happy to report that the nitrogen cycle has kicked in again and tank parameters are mostly under control (Ammonia 0; Nitrite 0; Nitrates around 40 due to missing a change), BUT the pH is still off the low end of the test parameters (6.0). I can't figure out why, as there have been no decorations in the tank for at least 3 months - only water, white rocks, fish and one type of plant.

I have some driftwood I want to add to give my poor pleco a hiding place. Should I fix the pH first (and if so - how?) or can I put it in and keep working on water changes? Many thanks for your input.
 
Test the water you're using for water changes, and confirm that your test kit is working properly (i.e. not too old). If your tap water is in a relatively normal range, there's no reason a few water changes shouldn't help bring it up.
 
Pl*co's Howse

hmm...just a thought... My pleco has a house made of flagstone. The stone helps to buffer my pH/KH too.

My tap water is 7.5-8 and my tank's typically 7.8-8.

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