Vet Q&A-Fish

I have one fish a dwarf gourami, one small aquatic frog, and two pelcos. My dwarf gourami is missing almost all of his upper lip it started out with a small cut and now most of it is gone, he has been eating fine and moving around fine and acts perfectly normal. Then I come home today and see a fairly big bump under his eye. I have no idea what’s happening to him there’s no other fish for him to fight so I’m not sure how he’s hurting himself and I’m scared now for him with that big bump.

Separate him out into a hospital tank if possible. He could be injuring himself on tank furniture (plants, rocks, etc.). You can treat using a broad spectrum antibiotic such as Maracyn or Kanaplex. Find them in the aquarium section of the local Petco or fish store. Plain aquarium salt (NOT table salt) can also be used to aid healing. Dissolve 1 teaspoon per gallon of water in a cup of tank water and gently pour it into the tank. Treat for 7-10 days then perform partial water changes to decrease salinity. Use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent further stress or shock.

what natural pain reliver can i give my fish with a ulcer its big and bullging out the side ive tryed medicated ulcer flakes jungle labs all in one for ulcer and fin rot i know shes in pain i need something temporay until her profecional mends come i was woundering about ibuprofen if i could give her some of that or not i know that anything that goes into the water they absourbe through there scales i though about using a steroal needle to get some of the pus out but dont want to injure her more

Do not dissolve ibuprofen into the fish tank. Aquarium salt can be used at 1 teaspoon per gallon of water to aid healing an dreduce stress. Maintaining water temp at around 77 F can also aid or speed healing. Antibiotics should be used for suspected bacterial infections.

Betta fish has ick near its eye

Even though a picture of it would help to determine underlying cause more precisely, ich can only be killed in its free swimming stage. After it feeds off the fish, it drops into the substrate where it forms cysts and multiplies. Then the new ich parasites swim out of the gravel and find new fish hosts and start the cycle all over again. That is why it is important after all white spots have disappeared to continue treatment, you should continue treating for an additional 2 weeks after all symptoms are gone. After the spots disappear off the fish, I would vacuum the gravel to suck up any cysts. If you increase the temperature the life cycle of the ich becomes faster. All new fish should be placed in a quarantine tank for at least 2-3 weeks to make sure they are eating, free of disease, and are able to recuperate in a stress-free environment.

All of my fish died after using a product purchased at Petco called ACUREL-F. How do I get their water safe to put in new fish?

I would recommend to have the water completely changed. New water should be ideally submitted for quality testing. Most pet stores will do this for free or a nominal fee. High ammonia levels, PH imbalances may be responsible for that as well. Oxygen concentration and quality of the filters should be determined as well. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

I have a husky lab mix puppy. She's 19 weeks tomorrow. Normally high energy. Today took her for a walk. Whined and made it two blocks. Now she's been sleeping all day. I got her a fish stick pet store as a treat. Not sure if it's that

First of all, Bella is adorable! I'm sorry to hear that she hasn't been feeling like herself today. It is possible that the fish stick treat may have caused a bit of gastrointestinal upset that could be causing this lethargy, or she may have a virus or other medical condition. If she is still eating and drinking normally without any vomiting or diarrhea, you can continue to monitor her today to see if she perks up tomorrow. However, if she refuses to eat or drink, or begins to develop signs of vomiting or diarrhea, it would be best to take her to the vet for further evaluation and treatment. In the meantime, be sure to take the fish stick treat away in case this is part of the problem. I hope that she's feeling better soon!

My fish tank is getting brown on the decorations and gravel I tried cleaning it a couple days ago but came right back

Brown algae overgrowth can be due to high nitrates, too much light or overfeeding. Use a liquid home test kit or submit a water sample for testing. Most pet or fish stores will do this for free of for a small fee. If nitrates are over 40ppm, it can be decreased by performing partial water changes. Use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent stress or shock. You can also use a nitrate absorbing filter insert. The algae will need to be physically scrubbed from plants or rocks and can be scraped from glass. Rinse filter media using tank water NOT tap water. Limit light to 6 hours daily, 8 if you have live plants and do not over feed.

There is purple stuff growing on my male guppy near the tail area it looks like a spot I have had many fish but this has never happened please help. I couldn't take a picture of him because he kept moving sorry.

Separate him into a quarantine tank if you can. This will prevent spread in the case of infection and should make any treatment easier. Once the condition resolves, he can be returned to the main tank. Check water quality and chemistry. Poor water quality or imbalances can promote bacterial, fungal or algae growth in the tank or on your fish. Partial water changes can be done to stabilize chemistry and maintain water quality. Use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent stress or shock. Plain aquarium section (NOT table salt) can be used to treat minor infection. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt per gallon of water in a cup of tank water and gently pour it into the tank. Treat for 10-14 days then reassess the condition. You can also try Melafix along with the salt treatment. If neither work, a broad spectrum antibiotic can be found in the aquarium section of the local pet store. Follow label directions carefully and remove the carbon filter insert during treatment if indicated.

Hello... I would like to offer filtration coaching for fish questions. Can I answer questions on this forum?

You should contact by email the administrators of the website (you can find general email on the contact section) and they put you in touch with the Head Vet in charge of hiring new experts. Best of luck and hope to see you joining the team soon. Dr. Orioles

I bought a betta fish at petco on Sunday. He seemed good, until today. I came home from work and I see he started making nest bubbles, but his fins suddenly look clumped and he has white and blue on his body. He looks sick. I don't know what it is and how to help him. He is in a 3.7 gallon tank alone. I put conditioner and biological booster in the tank. There is a filter and thermometer is reading 80 degrees. I have given him food pellets and he tries to eat, but spits it out. He was all red.

Check water chemistry. Elevated ammonia or nitrite levels can cause stress. Submit a sample for testing if you don't have a home test kit. Petco or a local fish store may do this for free or for a nominal fee. Partial water changes using aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched can be done until levels are below 0.25 ppm. If your filter has an adjustable flow, turn it as low as possible. Bettas do best in slow moving water. You can soak pellets in garlic juice to stimulate his appetite and boost the immune system.