xXInkedPhoenixX

@Kurt Brutting On the other end of the spectrum what can be great about Mystery Snails is that you don't HAVE to breed them- meaning it's easy to just cull the eggs once laid. I removed my clutches because I don't want to have the babies. BUT sometimes I do leave the smaller clutches (like the one I posted) alone just to see if I can get a few to hatch because I'm ok with that amount hatching. I have only had 1 surprise baby, her name is Immaculate. This is her when she was small. Stinkin' cute.

Mystery snails lay eggs above the waterline or on your lids. They are clustered. Most people will just leave them on the lid and see what hatches but there are methods of removing and putting in plastic conttainers with a damp papertowel. The pic I have attached is actually not typical- the clusters can be HUGE, but this was on my glass lid one day. They need humidity but cannot be underwater.

Hi, welcome to the forum. In a 29 gallon you could get a really large group of Ember Tetras, there very small (less than half an inch) are pretty orange and hang out in a pretty tight group. If your Betta is truly shy and non-agressive I think they'd be neat to see- you could get 20 of them. You could also have a bottom dweller or 2, like a Hillstream loach.

I think it's a possibility. I have 4 guppies and 5 endlers in a 7 gallon tank with double filtration (that's along with a Hillstream a Nerite and 7 Ember tetras. The 9 of them harass each other CONSTANTLY but I think because there are so many of them they change who they're harassing a lot. So, you could get a few more, put them in your QT if you think your favorite needs a break, if you have one (if you don't get one) use a small breeder box floating in your main tank that will help him recover.

I assume when you ask feed for a week you mean medicated food? If that's what the instructions say I'd say yes- you should always finish a course of treatment especially when it comes to anibiotics. Do you have any buffer? When I was treating Ich, I was using API Super Ick and had an ammonia issue (thankfully my pH was higher- but the heat I was using sped up decay in the tank, therefore ammonia!) so before I redosed meds I did a water change and dosed it and Prime. I hope something here helps.

I think it could go either way @John Zoidberg, I think you will know. I think if he was my favorite and I were in your shoes that's what I'd do.

Is there another tank you can move Maze and maybe another peaceful Endler or 2? @John Zoidberg

@Odd Duck totally agreed, there's definitely some swelling left there which may or may not go away but it was ridiculously better compared to the last day I had them out, January 5th so I just couldn't do the appointment- the healing is still very much progressing on its own and I didn't want to risk putting them out. Had it not been any better (especially to this level) I would have seen if there was anything they could do. Here are pics of Jan 5th and yesterday January 25th side by side: Thank YOU @Odd Duck, if it weren't for you and others in this forum with the support and advice you gave this Tiger may not have gotten this far. Respect. Totally.

Living alone is great but I can sympathize with you when it comes to being sick. It's one of the only times I wish someone else was around 🙃 Get well soon!

Beause of @Torrey and my back and forth about how lucky I am to even have a hospital in my area that COULD help me I went on their website and found a way to donate! (The rest of the full amount it would have cost me will still go out to my other regular animal charities.) I'm grateful for the living I make and I am glad that the money doesn't have to go to just one thing but because of my apparrent fortune with the Oto's recovery it can help other animals! :

That's one of the things with both! They absolutely don't sit still.

You never know! Some people don't have a way to test ammonia as it is usually something you have to buy separately when using strips (if you use them). I think you're good unless someone else has an insight. I've had them react badly to something and recover. Hopefully yours are just taking a rest from it, you may see some shell damage later from the event. 🤞

...one of these things is not like the others.... I just had to fish out one of the little Endler rascals from the back chamber of my flex. 😑

Wonderful start and BEAUTIFUL TANKS! Thanks for sharing your story, Fish Keeping is indeed cathartic for all of us. For me the routine of husbandry/maintenance is just as important to keeping me in a positive, if not at least constructive mindset- because they depend on us and they reward us.

My Harlies have done that too but no babies so far....unless they ate them...😑

Unfortunately there's not much regarding treatment of sick snails. I'd give them time to recover and they may be ok. The pH was very likely the culprit. Who knows though, someone here might have an idea. @Guppysnailuses Seachem Equilibrium if I remember correctly... Zero ammonia??

So, I just started keeping both Guppies and Endlers- it was a "centerpiece" replacement fish after my last Betta died and I swore off Betta keeping. Best. Move. Ever. I'm enamoured by them. They are incredible little fish, what a riot of color, activity, action and goofiness.

I'm really glad for that! 🙂

@Torrey I would have gladly paid them money if it were their policy. I have total respect for Veterinary medicine. It would have been more than worth the money to see what I saw this morning. I'm going to donate the money I would have paid to my favorite animal charities.

I just updated:

This might be the most anticlimactic story you will ever read....and let me have you keep this in mind, since I stopped the Epsom soaks after the last one a few weeks ago I haven't really looked much at the patient- just made sure they were there and alive and that's about it. With the IAL in the tank they're nearly impossible to see with great detail. So we got in the car, we drove to the University. I got out and put the patient on top of the car.....there in the sunlight I could very clearly see...holy sheetbombs this fish has healed infinitely more than I even knew! I was slackjawed, it's hard to tell from this pic but his eye is nearly back flush with the head- the once kind of loose/bubble-like skin around it is a lot tighter. The eye is clear. Honestly if the healed injured skin around the eye had it's natural coloring back you would NOT BE ABLE TO TELL the eye was ever injured. I got giddy. Then I felt bad. Now what? Am I justified in putting patient through the stress of anesthesia? But I have this appointment and I HATE cancelling appointments especially since it was pretty much appointment time.....CRAP. So I stood there and thought. And thought. Either way I have to at least go to the check in and talk to them. I was leaning towards not doing this because of the stress it would be put through. I walked up and the gal came to me, I explained the situation and I showed her the difference from what it was to what it is now- she said yeah, it looks so much better, I wouldn't do it either. Now she's not a vet, but I told her, I'm completely willing to have them take a LOOK at the Oto to make sure but she said no, I don't think so, I'll tell them. I told her to apologize profusely for me. It just kind of maybe confirmed for me this was the right thing to do. So here I am back at home, patient back in the 2 gallon QT that was freshly cleaned this morning. I also just got off the phone with one of the staff, they asked me if I was still there with "Tiger" I explained again and I apologized again (I feel so bad about THEIR time)- but I do really think ultimately it was the right thing for my fish, felt it in my gut- I hope I'm right....take a look:

I think I'm as prepared as I can be @Odd Duck she said bring extra water but didn't bother to mention how much. I have 2 gallons and a jar in my car. I'm bringing the patient in a 1 gallon (which is maybe more of a half to 3/4) QT tank, a mini sponge filter the sponge of which has been floating in their tank for a week. Run by a usb pump and lithium battery. I have an airstone in the pouch as well. I don't have any fish bags so sadly this will have to do. The heater situation is dodgy, I've used my mini heater in this tank for another QT and it cooked a couple of the inhabitants in this small of a tank 😔 so I will have to take my chance here. I have rubber mats and I'm not a crazy driver so hopefully they're ok on the 30 minute drive. I DID mention to the doc last night about their size- their system didn't have the species in so I had to mention it to her. She hmm'd over it- I'm getting the impression they're not familar with O. Cocama. I'm feeling a bit nervous because the patient actually looks REALLY good today, I really think they've healed up more. I'm almost hoping they just say good job, just keep doing what you're doing- isn't that crazy? Ok, gotta get in a drive! 🤞

OTOCINCLUS COCAMA (TIGER): The 2 Gallon QT Well I just got off the phone with the University Doc that will be doing the exam tomorrow. Doctor Souza spoke with me over the phone to advise me about how the exam will go tomorrow. She asked that the patient (known as Tiger to them) be brought with aeration available. (was already gonna) That the patient be brought with extra water (can do). She advised she will also be doing the exam with the ophthalmology department employee on duty at that time which will be at about 10:30 (appointment is at 10). They will of course have to anethetize my little one I asked with what and she said they use a powder called MS Triple 2 (maybe @Odd Duck you've heard of it?). The exam alone will only determine (likely) that he/she is healthy and visual inspection of the eye area. Tests will of course (likely) be recommended up to and including removal of the eye. Total cost estimate so far: $500. Bumpy ride ahead....

I'm so glad your fishy is better! Just in general fish can lose and grow back scales from injuries- takes time to heal. Keep his water clean and he should heal in time.

I'm still thinking it's bacterial without further evidence. Maybe @Colu our med guru also has some insight. Appears you only have one "all natural" med for bacteria that I'm not familiar with. I tried to look up what it contains and it says it's herbal based, similar to Melafix and Pimafix, to be honest, I've never had any luck with those items. I downloaded the SDS and it doesn't even list it there, just says proprietary. I would junk it unless you've had good experience with it. Your fish is pretty sick from what I can tell beause he's lying on the ground- I really think he needs something stronger. Paraguard says it can treat bacterial but I don't think at this stage it's going to help as well as what I'm going to say below but if those are your only choices I'd try Paraguard and Aquarium salt in a QT Any way you can get Kanaplex or Maracyn2 quickly? I would QT and start with one of those.