Vet Q&A-Fish

My Betta fish has clamped fins and also spots on it's head. What is wrong with it?

Clamped fins can be indicative of stress. White spots may be bacterial, fungal or parasite infection. Check the water temperature and quality. The ideal water temperature is between 78 F and 80 F. When testing water chemistry, ammonia and nitrites should read 0 ppm (parts per million) and nitrates can be 40ppm or less. Perform a partial water change, no more than 30%, using aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent shock. Plain aquarium salt (NOT table salt) can be used to treat many conditions and aid healing. Dissolve 1 teaspoon per gallon of water into the tank or bowl. Treat for 7-14 days. This can be used concurrently with an antifungal or antibiotic for the tank. You can purchase either in the aquarium section of most pet stores or online. Follow label directions carefully.

My betta fish is wiggling when he moves and I am really concerned about it. What should I do? He also never eat since the 2nd day I got him.When I put the food in the tank, he would swim away and ignore it. What should I do? I put him in an area of 81 degrees.

The ideal water temperature for bettas is between 78 F and 80 F. Check water quality and perform a partial water change if necessary. Used aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent shock or stress. If he won't eat pellets, try soaking them in a bit of garlic juice. This can serve as an appetite stimulant as well as an immune system booster. You can also offer freeze dried (or live) bloodworms, brine shrimp or tubifex worms. The "wiggling" when he swims may be normal for him but check his fins for signs of fin rot which can make swimming more difficult.

will an iron rich fertilizer hurt my fish? I just got a Green Wendth to help my small aquarium with 2 small neon fish. i am tring to naturally balance the environment. Do i need to get specific rocks for the bottom? oh , i also got one of those green moss ball to help clean up the tank. I am not sure what to do from here.

When used as instructed, plant nutrients and fertilizers designed specifically for aquarium plants will not harm aquarium fish. Allow new aquarium plants to settle and establish themselves before adding any fertilizers. Use aquarium plant substrates such as CaribSea Eco-Complete Plant Substrate http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=9087 to get your plants established faster. Seachem Flourish Advance Natural Phytohormone Supplement http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=33890 will help stimulate root growth vital for overall plants health. Even though you have plants with low to moderate light requirements, be sure to use aquarium light specifically designed for planted aquarium use (sometimes called plant lights) and have the lights on between 10 and 12 hours a day. You may need to adjust the photoperiod (the amount of time the light is on) depending on how your plants are doing and to prevent unwanted nuisance algae growth.

One of my koi, was healthy, swimming around and eating on Tuesday afternoon at about 2:15 pm; at 2:40 pm he was found floating upside down at the side of the pond (1000 gallon pond with 3 koi and 2 goldfish) practically lifeless. We placed him in a separate tub of water with a bubbler for the rest of the afternoon. That night at about 9:00 pm he had righted himself and was slowly swimming around in the tub, so we returned him to the pond. What might have caused this situation?

Without more detailed information, it is difficult to speculate, but there are certain "hints" in your question that suggests it might be due to low oxygen levels. First it occurred mid-afternoon, typically the warmest time of the day. Warm water loses its capacity to hold onto oxygen, particularly at temperatures above 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Warm water combined with poor water circulation can create pockets of oxygen-depleted water harmful to pond inhabitants. Your koi's positive reaction to enhanced aeration during the cool of the night when water is capable of holding onto more oxygen, is another "hint." If you are experiencing an exceptionally warm summer in your area, it might be a good idea to enhance water movement and aeration in your pond. Improved circulation helps eliminate stratification or development of harmful, oxygen poor layers.

I realize my goldfish has Popeye .. but I recently noticed that he had white in his eye .. i don’t know what it is can u help me out ?

Popeye and a cloudy eye may indicate injury, infection or poor water quality. Check the tank for plants and furniture that may cause trauma. Tank mates can also cause injury. Test the water with a home test kit or submit a sample for testing. Most pet or fish stores will do this for free or for a nominal fee. Ammonia and nitrites should be 0.25ppm or less, nitrates can be 40ppm or less. Daily 30% water changes may resolve the condition by improving water quality. Use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent stress or shock. If Boris has tank mates, consider separating him out to a hospital tank until he recovers. If water changes do not resolve the condition, consider a broad spectrum antibiotic. You can find one in the aquarium section of the local pet or fish store. Read package directions carefully and remove the carbon filter insert if indicated. Plain aquarium salt (NOT table salt) can also be used as a general tonic, to reduce stress and aid in recovery. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt into a cup of tank water and gently pour it into the tank. If performing daily water changes, use only enough salt in the water that is being replaced, not the entire volume of the tank.

My dog is going in for ACL surgery on Friday. Is there any good supplements I should add to her diet to help with healing? I heard CBD or fish oil were good.

Hi and thanks for using Boop by Petco! Sorry to hear that Nevaeh is going to have surgery this Friday. Great question regarding supplements. I would advise that you check out the following website- http://www.vrshealth.com/canine-products/?petcoach=1977951 Look at Canine Omega Benefits and Osteo TruBenefits I wish you and her the best of luck. I hope she does great.

Hi I don't want my betta fish anymore what do I do? He's sick and I want a new one.

Ask family or friends if they would like him. Bettas are easy to care for and if he isn't seriously ill, basic tank maintenance and easy treatment may help him to recover. I am concerned that another fish may befall the same fate. What you can try is a simple water change daily. Use conditioned water (my favorite products are AmQuel, NovAqua and StressCoat) that is temperature matched to prevent stress or shock. Many times, daily water changes can solve tank or health issues. Bettas do best between 78 F and 80 F. A small heater, light and filter in an appropriately sized tank is all you need. Good luck!

My goldfish scales are sticking out of her body I believe this is from internal infections , but I wanted to know what do I do to help her . I’ve already put her in a quarantine tank

If she has a pine cone appearance, this is a classic symptom of dropsy. Dropsy is a symptom of a greater underlying condition be it poor water quality, infection or parasites. The swelling is a result of severe kidney damage. Unfortunately, if it is dropsy, there is a high mortality rate once the swollen pine cone appearance manifests. Epsom salt may relieve the swelling. Dissolve 1/8 teaspoon per FIVE gallons of water into a cup of tank water and gently pour it into the tank. You can use a broad spectrum antibiotic to treat infection. Find one in the aquarium section of the local pet or fish store. Follow label directions carefully and remove the carbon filter insert if indicated during treatment. You may end up losing your fish but hopefully, these actions will help.

my dog(female) has been vomiting a brown thick substance and right after that had watery red brown diarrhea. Diarrhea had a rotten fish smell. This began last night. She has thrown up at least 3 times today and its currently 11:40am. And diarhrea nonstop :(

Hi there. I would recommend taking your dog to the emergency vet clinic as soon as possible. It sounds like she’s extremely sick and needs x-rays and bloodwork and also probably to be started on intravenous fluids because she will become dehydrated quickly. Dogs that are vomiting and also have diarrhea usually need medications to stop their symptoms so they can start holding down food again. Your dog could have been infected by a virus or bacteria but she does need to be seen as soon as possible. Best to you and Luna.