Fish Help Needed!

[Sasami]

I'm glad to hear he's doing a little better .

[kathydip]

thanks and thanks for all your help! I will keep you posted over the weekend.

[kathydip]

It's 8:44 on Friday night and he is doing well! He definitely ate the peas. I was able to watch him enjoy them this afternoon.
Sasami, do you happen to know if that melafix stings? It has such a strange smell and after I put it in the water he starts swimming.
Also anyone know how many peas a day a fancy tail should have? I have never fed fish peas before but he certainly does like them.

[Fubie]

Yea! Hope he keeps getting better and STAYs that way!

[Sasami]

Quote: Originally Posted by kathydip It's 8:44 on Friday night and he is doing well! He definitely ate the peas. I was able to watch him enjoy them this afternoon. Sasami, do you happen to know if that melafix stings? It has such a strange smell and after I put it in the water he starts swimming. Also anyone know how many peas a day a fancy tail should have? I have never fed fish peas before but he certainly does like them.

If it does sting, it's only a little bit. He's probably swimming because something new is entering the water.

I'm not sure how many peas to give as I've never had a goldfish...how big is he?

I'm glad he's improving .

[kathydip]

Little Guy is about 2 inches - body only not tail. He's still doing okay. I had to add the anitbiotic. I really didn't want to but there was this fuzzy looking patch that developed after the fuzzy looking fins and skin fell off. I added it at about 11 this morning and already the fuzzy patch is gone. He doesn't seem as interested in food. I didn't add the melafix tonight. Should I? I didn't want to put too much stuff in his water.
Fish! They can be so difficult. But this Little Guy is so sweet - he is worth it! Although I wish I only had one "baby" at a time to worry about!

[Sasami]

Quote: Originally Posted by kathydip Little Guy is about 2 inches - body only not tail. He's still doing okay. I had to add the anitbiotic. I really didn't want to but there was this fuzzy looking patch that developed after the fuzzy looking fins and skin fell off. I added it at about 11 this morning and already the fuzzy patch is gone. He doesn't seem as interested in food. I didn't add the melafix tonight. Should I? I didn't want to put too much stuff in his water. Fish! They can be so difficult. But this Little Guy is so sweet - he is worth it! Although I wish I only had one "baby" at a time to worry about!

Sorry I couldn't reply sooner...our internet hasn't really been working lately.

With the MelaFix, I wouldn't worry too much about skipping a dose here or there but I'd add it when you do water changes.

But if you're worried about there being too much stuff in the water, don't. MelaFix isn't an actual medication and is fine to use with other medicines.

I think five or six peas a day would be fine but I'm not sure since I've only fed peas to my bettas. Are peas the only thing he'll eat? I'd try getting him back on normal food soon since the peas alone aren't a very good diet.

[Crittercall]

Have you talked to anyone at the pet store or a garden center that specializes in fish ponds? Perhaps they would have more suggestions to add. Sounds like the little fella had a touch time of it and I'm glad to know that he is doing better.

I agree with Sasami that he should be getting a better balanced diet that just peas - although if that's all he'll eat right now you can't very well force a fish! I've never had a fish pond but have had experience with aquariums: as I'm sure you've read by now all the cloudiness and dirty looking water is the water "cycling" to get all of its components at the right proportion. Normally our tanks would take about three days to go through their cycle.

Another thing that more than one veterinarian has told me about dealing with sick fish is to put a little salt in the water. I'm not sure what this does, but it does seem to help. How much would depend on the size of the tank he's in. We would put about 1/4 tsp in a 10 gallon tank.

Hope he continues to do better. Sounds like you are doing a great job with him.

Attachment?? Phooey. I think I could get attached to an earthworm if I had to try to take care of it! Isn't that the reason we're all here? If you don't love 'em you don't need to have 'em!

Crittercall

[kathydip]

Thank you so much for all of your help! He is still progressing. It's funny my husband last night told me to start getting him back on his regular food. Then again he thought one pea a day was enough! Sasami - I will tell him you said 5-6! Luckily I didn't listen and was slipping him them all day. I figure if he's eating he's hungry- especially with the shape he is in. The antibiotic cleared that small fuzzy patch up on his body really well. The rays of his top fin are growing back. I think his tail fin is also looking a bit longer. He was swimming around his tank this morning. He's far from feeling good but I think with a bit more rest and time he will be his old self again!
It really is amazing how well that melafix worked - thanks Sasami! His skin came off and it looked terribly painful but after a couple of melafix treatments you could see him healing up! I would not have believed it worked that quickly had I not seen it myself!

I will add the salt tonight. I remember when I was little if anything was wrong with my mouth my mom gave us salt water to swish around - I guess it's an age old healing technique!

Crittercall - Thanks for saying that you get attached too! Heck I watched my nephews hermit crabs last summer and I got attached to them! When they came home from vacation the crabs had a new hermitat! I read up on the proper care of them. I used a 10 gallon tank that I had. My sister in law had them separated in two small travel containers. I even read up on other things they could eat. And I don't even like hermit crabs - they creep me out! But still they are living and in my care so I have to do the best I can for them.

[Sasami]

I'm glad to hear it worked so well .

[kathydip]

I really appreciate your help with this! I wanted to let you know that Little Guy is steadily improving. He is even off the peas and back on his regular food! He does look funny though. He looks like he has a buzz cut b/c his top fin is slowly growing back in. Sasami - thanks for letting me know about the melafix I really think that is what saved him! And the antibiotic - I did need to treat the water once with it. He is so much better. He is now swimming around normally. He still looks pretty banged up but 100% better than he looked at first!

Thanks again!! You really did save his life!!

Silly fish - we still are not sure about him going back into the pond But he is not ready for that yet so I have some time to consider it.

[Sasami]

Awesome!!! I'm so glad to hear that.