Treating with Medications

[divingne1]

You guys helped me solve and issue I had with a juv. discus getting bullied. After separating him into a breeding box for a few days, I noticed he was really stressed and his fins were rotting away. I purchased Maracyn for the fin rot because that what was suggested by the lfs. The little guy ate the first 2 days on the medication but on the 3rd day, the water became a really cloudy, yellow color and there was a slimy coat all over the glass and the fish would not eat. I noticed the little guy was very dark and it looked like a good chunk of his scales on his sides were gone. He died very shortly afterwards. My question is, did this medication cause this? I used the recommended dose so I am really concerned. I did a 50% water change yesterday and another 50% today. The water looks alot better but isn't 100% clear.

[brewmaster15]

Hi,
The med you are using...you mentioned maracyn? can you check to see if its maracyn or maracyn 2... maracyn should not turn the water yellow....its erythromycin... it may make it cloudy white..


Maracyn 2...is minocycline and a tetracycline derrivative.. it will make the water yellowish and can cloud it as well..It also breaks down into a brownish byproduct.... because of this I have always done huge water changes (50-80%) prior to each treatment.

-al

ps... check the expiration date.

[divingne1]

It is Maracyn and the expire date is 10/08. I also added a new canister filter on the tank this weekend. Eheim 2224. The filter media was rinsed really well before using.

[Graham]

I wouldn't be surprised if you had a parasite problem scales missing and rotting fins...and the antibiotics wouldn't touch it.

G

[divingne1]

The scales didn't go missing until yesterday (the 3rd day of treatment) and when they went away, the majority of his scales on his sides were gone (basically overnight). They came off all at one time. Do parasites take their scales away that quick? What kind of parasite could it have been. The other discus's look great and are eating very hearty along with the rams and neons.

[Graham]

I'm only guessing at this point as there really is really no way to know what the fish had. Scales falling away usually means a bacterial infection within the pocket that the scale rests in. It usually takes a parasitic infection to allow the bacteria to invade...the bacteria found an opening.

Was there any bloat/dropsy showing in the fish

[divingne1]

No nothing at all. The lfs told me the fin rot started by all the injuries the fish received while he was being bullied.

All the other fish are doing great and eating really well.