Hello. I'm new and would love some help.

[CarrieB]

Hi everyone. I'm new to the world of finny friends (about 7 months in), and I could really use some help. It all started when my fiancé's son took in a very sick betta. After nurturing him back to health and seeing him recover, I was hooked. I set up my own 5g tank with a betta and a couple otos. Eventually I added two mystery snails and an African dwarf frog. Yes, I over crowded! Lesson learned. Anyway, my frog, Snoop Frog, started bullying my betta. I got my new 10g up and cycling asap. Once it was ready (0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, 10 nitrates) I moved my betta, otos, and my fiancé's two otos into my 10g. All was well for a very short time. My betta's tail was in bad shape but he seemed happier. Then one evening his gill was sticking out and in the morning he was gone. The otos seem so happy! But last night I noticed discolored spots on one (columnaris?) and a white nose with something growing on it on another. Also! Snoop Frog (still in my 5g)(yes, I was going to get him froggy friends) now has a lump on the left side of his belly. I'm so devastated! No one seemed sick at all, other than my betta's poor tail, then all of a sudden, everyone from that tank is sick. I feel like I let them all down. I'm not sure how to medicate. Half of my tank is planted in stratum, the other half gravel. The other two otos seem fine.... I want to be a good fish mom so bad. Can anyone help me save these little guys before it's too late?
 

5g tank: PH 7.8, ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 20, KH 3, GH 15, 78°

(first time testing GH, KH)

10g: PH 7.8, ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 5, KH 2, GH 3, 75° 

 

[Colu]

As I said in the other post maracyn2 is what I would treat with if after a full course of treatment your seeing no improvement give an update @CarrieB

Edited April 25 by Colu

[CarrieB]

On 4/24/2024 at 5:36 PM, Colu said:

As I said in the other post maracyn2 is what I would treat with if after a full course of treatment your seeing no improvement give an update @CarrieB

Hi Colu. Thank you for the advice. I chatted with a vet on Just Answer the other day that suggested I treat with kanamycin and nitrofuran. I got Kanaplex right away, and ordered Jungle Fungus Clear. I started Kanaplex on Tuesday just to get things going. I used a smaller dose as suggested- a kind of heaping single scoop instead of the 2 recommended dose for 10g. The JFC came last night, so I am going to do a small water change (SO much oto poo in there!) and add my second (smaller) dose of Kana and JFC this morning. They are probably going to damage my plants, but I can get more plants if I need to. They don't look too bad as of now. Also, it is suggested to put the Kanaplex in their food. My otos prefer blanched spinach. I don't know if this made any difference, but I soaked a large spinach leaf in water and kanaplex. They ate it right up, but again, I have no idea if it absorbed any of the medication. So far my otos are acting fine, and none of the spots seem to be getting worse. 🤞🏻

As for my frog, the bulge on his belly seems to have gone down.... he doesn't seem to be doing much, but I wonder if that's because all of his tank mates are gone. I'm going to clean his tank today and move things around to see if it sparks some action. Then I will continue to monitor him. If all seems well, I will go get him a couple friends. 

What do you think about this course of action? Thank you for the feedback. 
 

Edited April 25 by CarrieB

[Colu]

Kanaplex isn't very effective in food as very little of the medication is adsorbed by the intestinal tract if your dosing the tank I wouldn't recommend adding antibiotics to food I would always use the  full dose using half dose can lead to antibiotic resistant @CarrieB

Edited April 25 by Colu
Missing word

[CarrieB]

On 4/25/2024 at 10:27 AM, Colu said:

Kanaplex isn't very effective in food as very little of the medication is adsorbed by the intestinal tract if your dosing the tank I wouldn't recommend adding antibiotics to food I would always the full dose using half dose can lead to antibiotic resistant @CarrieB

Okay, I will add the full dose and not worry about the food. I will update in a couple of days. Thank you. 

[CarrieB]

On 4/25/2024 at 10:27 AM, Colu said:

Kanaplex isn't very effective in food as very little of the medication is adsorbed by the intestinal tract if your dosing the tank I wouldn't recommend adding antibiotics to food I would always use the  full dose using half dose can lead to antibiotic resistant @CarrieB

Alright, time for an update. I have completed one round (1 dose every 48 hours for three doses) of Kanaplex as well as two doses of Jungle Fungus Clear (one every four days). Tomorrow will be the fourth day of the second dose. The fish that had the weird spot seems to have cleared up. Now a different oto has some discoloration that seems different (pictured below), although I can't say for certain that it isn't just normal, as I had never looked at them this closely this often before. The white spot on the nose is definitely not getting worse, but not sure that it's getting better, and now multiple otos have it. 
Any advice on what to do next? Another round of meds? A different med? Or just wait it out for a bit to see? 
my plants aren't terribly happy, but I am pleasantly surprised at the minimal damage at this point. 

Thank you for the help. Sorry the pics aren't great. Hard to get a good one that close up. 

[Colu]

It might need more time to heal I would just monitor next couple of days than give an update if your seeing no improvement