Six Silly Serpae, Sick?

[isaly]

Six serpae tetras, six in 55 gal with four white skirts. This tank is in its fifth week.

pH 7.2, Hardness 4/7, Temp 77F, ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 8

Two have noticeable whitish color at the mouth. There doesn’t seem to be any discoloration elsewhere on their bodies and everyone’s still interested in food.

I guess I’m going to mix an antibiotic in food and feed it to the ten tantalizing tetras in the tank. Where would I buy whatever broad spectrum antibiotic I need? lfs? veterinarian? Do I need some kind of note to get this stuff?

Thanks in advance.

[Colu]

Can you take a picture of the sick fish it will help with diagnosis I would recommend getting kanaplex and api furan2 you get them from e bay Amazon

[isaly]

Colu, I need to charge a battery. I'll post it as soon as I can...really like a new stinkin' camera...

I use a flip phone 'cause I hate paying for internet service twice.

[isaly]

Here it is.

 

 

There's one more with similar but not quite as bad.

Sorry about the focus, or lack thereof. These old Canon batteries are old.

[Colu]

White lips can be a sign of Columnaris what I would do is a course of kanaplex and furan2 together if you can't get furan2 you can use aquatics foods premium flake containing nitrofurazone instead with the kanaplex following this treatment schedule

Edited November 10, 2021 by Colu

[isaly]

On 11/10/2021 at 6:18 PM, Colu said:

"White lips can be a sign of Columnaris what I would do is a course of kanaplex and furan2 together if you can't get furan2 you can use aquatics foods premium flake containing nitrofurazone instead with the kanaplex following this treatment schedule"

 

 

One died yesterday and the other, today, was hanging above the plants. He was not appearing to be having a good time. He was quite easy to catch.

I have just this one tank — no quarantine tank set up so I euthanized him.

Lfs had two different batches of these fish and I bought from both batches. At first I assumed inexperience on my part...a bad fish keeper blames the store, right? I've had a total of thirteen of these over the last five weeks of which four remain.

I have plants so I don't want to dose the water with any of the Seachem products. I got Knox gelatin, Sulfaplex, flakes, and I'll throw in some garlic.

I'll turn the temp down to 74 - 75 and see if anyone else gets it.

I'm not going to add any more fish until I resolve this.

Will the bacteria leave the water column or persist?

 

[Colu]

Higher temperatures causes Columnaris to spread more quickly I would lower the temperature a bit if you can 

[isaly]

On 11/12/2021 at 2:52 PM, Colu said:

Higher temperatures causes Columnaris to spread more quickly I would lower the temperature a bit if you can 

so...lower than 75?

[Colu]

I read it Wong thought you said you were putting your temperature up I wouldn't go much lower then 75 with serpae tetras

[isaly]

On 11/12/2021 at 7:44 PM, Colu said:

I read it Wong thought you said you were putting your temperature up I wouldn't go much lower then 75 with serpae tetras

Sorry for any miscommunication. The temp was 77. It's 75 now...and that's where it'll stay.

Thanks so much for the help. This is going to be a fun and interesting hobby.