Vet Q&A-Fish

My pleco fish is bullying my fancy goldfish that are in the same tank. What should i do?

You can try to provide more hiding areas for your goldfish, and this may allow for it to escape from the pleco. If this doesn't work, you may need to add a barrier into the tank in order to separate the two of them. Barriers can be purchased at your local pet store, and come in a variety of shapes and sizes depending on the type/size of tank that you have. If you are able to gather information on the dimensions of your tank (gallons, length, width, and height) and take that information with you, it may be helpful for the pet store employees. If this is a recent change, you may also see if your pleco is thin - sometimes fish will become aggressive if they are hungry. You can get a general idea of the body condition of your fish by looking at their heads in comparison to their body size - if the head looks too large for the body, that can be an indicator that they are thin. Another way to tell is by looking at the belly - if it looks sunken, that is another indicator that the fish is thin. You may be able to take photos into your pet store to see if the fish are thin, or you can post another question with photos here and we can take a look as well. If you would like to discuss things further, I would be happy to do a consultation with you as well. I hope that gives you a place to start, and good luck!

My female betta fish contracted Ich last week, and I noticed it from a single white spot on her head. For the last 7 days I've been using Imagitarium's Parasite Remedy treatment in her tank, and when I bought it I was told it should only take a week, yet the little guy is still on her head. What else can I do?

Unfortunately, there are many organisms that can be white on a fish, not just Ich. Also, if it is Ich, it may not be cleared in one week. Since Ich is a parasite, it has a life cycle that it has to go through, which means there are many different life stages (eggs, juveniles, adults, etc.) in your tank. Only one of these stages is susceptible to medications, so the other stages will not be killed. Also, the life cycle is temperature dependent - this means that depending on the temperature your tank is, that the time that it takes for the parasites to mature from eggs to adults can take a long time. I would recommend having your fish seen by a veterinarian who is familiar with fish - they can take a small sample off of the skin of your fish to see if there is Ich, or something else, present. They can also perform a thorough exam of Freddie. I hope that gives you a place to start!

Can I put another type of fish with my male betta?

Thanks for using Boop by Petco! Usually it is best to avoid this as Bettas tend to be territorial and aggressive and are generally unhappy when grouped. It is always best to keep them by themselves. Good luck and have a great day!

took bruno out for a walk and a fish bone got stuck in his leg deep inside , i took him to vet he removed it .he is able to walk , jump properly and there is no swellen but that site is red and when i apply medicine it pains , should i put bandage on it to avoid infection?? can i put bandage and take him out?

If he is licking at it, use an Elizabethan collar (cone) or apply a light bandage. use caution when applying bandages though. if you make it too tight, you may cause more harm than good. Restrict Bruno's activity to just short leash walks for elimination. Avoid excessive running, jumping or rough play until he is feeling better.

I had one rosy Tetra for 2.5months till yesterday and on yesterday itself I added a pair of guppies and binos . I also added pebbles in my Fish tank yesterday. Today I was shocked to find out that my Rosy Tetra who was totally healthy till yesterday had it's tail fins slightly cut and wasn't looking as a good healthy Tetra. What is the cause for this? Is he injured or sick ? Please Give me a solution to this

It is likely the Rosy Barb had the fins nipped by the guppies. You'll need to separate them to allow for healing. Additionally, rosy barbs do best in small schools (4-8 fish). This will allow for some measure of protection against bullying by other fish.

I asked about this the other day, but my beta has had a single, raised white dot on her head for about a week. I bought a parasite treatment, as I thought it was Ich, but now I just want to make sure as I've seen no change. Occasionally she swims with her tail arching downward, but otherwise is eating and behaving normally. I just did a water change today, and her tank is kept from 76-82 degrees. I also add aquarium salt and water conditioner. Is there anything else I should be doing?

Maintain pristine water quality and temperature. Add no ore than 1 teaspoon of plain aquarium salt (NOT table or Epsom salt) per gallon of water and treat for no more than 14 days at a time. It doesn't look like ich, but it could be a local bacterial or fungal infection. You can treat concurrently with salt and a commercial broad spectrum medication, such as LifeGuard All In One by Tetra. Find it in the Aquarium section of the local Petco.

i took bruno out for a walk and a fish bone got stuck in his leg deep inside , i took him to vet he removed it and also gave medicine for the red spots (rashes) on his body. Are these medicines safe for him? since there is injury in his leg is it safe to take him out in mud and dust? he is able to walk properly and jump but am still scared that he dont get infection.

Hello, sorry to hear about Bruno. Yes those medications are safe and you should follow the orders from your veterinarian. No you should not let his injured leg be in mud or become soiled for the next 10-14 days until it heals. After his leg has healed, he can go back to walking outside. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Hi. Oliver doesn't want to eat his dry food, no matter what brand it is. I've tried everything to make him to eat dry food but it didn't work. He can finish his half cup of dry food but within 2 days. He only eats fancy feast wet food because it has a lot of varieties of flavors. I can't feed him cheaper wet food because the flavors is always fish and he doesn't like it. I also cannot feed him fancy feast only because it's too expensive. What do I do?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Oliver. First, I would have him seen by his veterinarian to ensure he does not have a medical problem. Abdominal pain can result in a poor appetite. Is he having trouble with constipation? Vomiting or diarrhea? Based on his age, he is likely teething. His mouth may be sore making him prefer soft food. You can try a couple of things. Adding warm water to dry kibble may help. You can see how much water he likes. Some cats will eat it soupy and other like it better if all the water is absorbed. The other option is to mix a tablespoon of Fancy Feast with the dry kibble. I hope this information helps you!

Hi, my cosmo goldfish' scales have small bumps underneath and I do not have any pet stores/veterinary offices to help near me. Would you be able to tell me what is going on with him? I have attached photos of him to give a visual. I am unsure why the third one may show up upside down and I apologize.

It may be minor infection (bacterial, fungal, parasites), trauma or simply normal for him. Monitor for rapid change or growth, lethargy, decreased appetite, bruising or bleeding. Maintain pristine water quality at all times. I would be hesitant to recommend any medication without more information or clear signs of illness or injury. A good sign is that I don't see clamped fins which can indicate stress or illness. What you can try is some plain aquarium salt (NOT table or Epsom salt). It is an excellent general tonic that can reduce stress, improve gill function, treat minor infection and aid in any recovery. Dissolve 1 tablespoon of salt per FIVE gallons of water in a cup or two of tank water and gently pour it into the tank. Treat for 10-14 days then reassess his condition. Partial water changes, no more than 30% total volume, can be done afterwards to reduce salinity. Use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent stress or shock. Goldfish do best between 65 F and 72 F.