How long can salt & 92F temp go on?

[kaceyo]

I've been treating a sick fish for not eating for quite awhile now. Not sure how long but at least 5 weeks. After second run of metro treatment he slowly improved, started pecking at food and then started visably eating at each addition of food. Not much but at least some. I started lowering the temp slowly, from 92F to 88F in a week, and cut the salt out over a 4 day period. Now his appitite is slowing down again and he's less active too. I've still never seen him poop though I found what MAY have been a long whiteish thread of poop after a dose of 1tbsp P/10gl Epsom salt after last metro treatment weeks ago. So...how long can I keep the temp up w/salt in the tank before it becomes harmful to my discus? Any info and/or advice will be appreciated. Thanx, Kaceyo

[jeep]

I've run it for 7 - 10 days...

I've also found most of the time the appetite returns around a week AFTER treatment is complete

[Carol_Roberts]

I'd quit treating - if he's not better by now this isn't going to work. Either try a different med or send himto the rosebushes.

[kaceyo]

Hi Carol. Those are the words I've been dreading but half expecting. He is, of cource, way stunted by now. He's been back and forth, a little better, a little worse but never really doing very good. I can't just "recycle" him as he is among my first batch in a long time but feel it would be a useless to start a whole new med routine at this point. I appreciate your honesty, Kacey

[jules]

Hi Kaceyo, I've had a couple who never fully recovered also.
Discus are just so darn easy to get attached too. :(

Julie

[ShinShin]

In spite of it's gross misuse and overuse by the masses >:( , salt ought only be used as a short term bath. ;)

How many doses over what period of time and at what dosage was the metro administered? What temp? :)

[kaceyo]

First series was with hex-out which has metro, Flagyl, imidazole-1-ethanol and methyl-5-nitro rated at 500mg NET per tab. Dosed at 1 tab p/10gl every other day.Temp at 88F, 3 total dosings over 5 days. Second series 500mg metro every day for 7 days at 92F. 50% WC's daily throughout. 2tbsp aquarium salt P/10gl throughout. Stop using salt 1+ weeks ago. first dosing aprox 5+ weeks ago. 4 weeks on salt and raisd temp. Kaceyo

[Cosmo]

Carol,

Even though what you say usually turns out to be the case, it sounds .... sooooo cold.

You gave me the same advise a few months ago but I tried med after med and he did of course eventually die. I know some with dozens or hundreds of fish find this a necessity, but for those with only a group we've grown attached to it's really difficult. Really bums me out when any of my fish die .. the wife and I even go thru a brief "mourning" period. (ok, it's only a few minutes, but hey....)

Out of curiosity, when you "send them to the rosebushes", do you simply take them out of water and let them die, or do you euthanise them in some method that isn't too grisly for the squimish among us to use?

Think I may have another heading in that direction, so would really appreciate learning some "nice" way of putting them out of their misery (if there is such a thing)

Thanks,
Jim

[Barb Newell]

"Second series 500mg metro every day for 7 days at 92F. 50% WC's daily throughout"

Was that 500mg/ 10 gals of pure metro?

Have you tried medicating for an internal bacterial infection?

If you have to euthanize him, put him in a plastic bag in his tank water, then in another bag so it's dark, then in the freezer.

Barb

[kaceyo]

Hi Barb, It was with Pro unless I'm mistaken. I seem to remember that the pure was too expensive and more than I needed. I thought Metro WAS treating for internal infection.(?) He had stopped eating but had no stringy white feces or behavioural probs. Cosmo, you're right, I do have a hard time parting with my pets, especialy when I've been nursing it, hopefuly, back to health. Carol has answered alot of my questions about this fish from the start so I think she was just trying to help me accept the trueth. Though I understand what you meant, I can take it. Thank you both and every one else who,s helped me make this a (mostly) succesful venture. I need more fish!!! Kacey

[Carol_Roberts]

Hi Cosmo:
I don't think you'll like my answer to this one either ;)

I raise my hand high above my head and throw the fish forcefully to the concrete patio. They die immediately.

Fry - less than an inch can go in ice water and down the toilet.

Smaller fish can be put in a small tupperware container of tank water with a lid and frozen.

[Sean Buehrle]

yup carol im with you, i figure the fastest way is the bestest way. a smashing blow to the head.

[Cosmo]

Hey Carol,

Next time I have a fish I know won't make it, can I send it to you for euthanization? :) Don't think I could bring myself to do that, necessary and humane as it might actually be. Like Barb's method better, they'd just go to sleep... still, get too attached to them to give up trying to save them. As my stock grows after my fish room is complete I'll probably have to adapt one of two methods occassionally. bummer

Jim