Black moors not doing too well

BJP

The other new goldfish seem to be energetic and fine. The BM's been sitting on the bottom all day or floating at the top motionless although he wiil move occasionaly. I also noticed some of that long whitish poo hanging from the rear about 2 to 3"s long.

I've got an extra five gallon around due to yesterdays adventures so I set it up on the kitchen counter. No Fungus eliminater on hand so I broke a Fungus Clear tablet by the same company in half and added it along with a tablespoon of Aq Pharms salt. A small Whisper HOB filter was added with no carbon.

Another learning adventure begins. Another couple feet of living space is consumed by aquaria.

Tommy Gun

I would feed that fish some smushed up peas. That is generally the first step I would take when there is a symptom of odd waste coloration and stuff like you explain. Could have been something to do with the differences between the water or just plain stress that brought it on. I would be very suspect of a problem like this being stress or dietary related simply because you just got the fish and there is a lot of adjusting to be done by the fish. I noticed in the past with my old livebearer tank that when I changed brands of flake food (which I used to do often, never looking at a brand at all but rather just grabbing a can and going to the checkout) my fish would have some different looking wastes for a couple of days. The peas were always good for fixing that as well as feeding spirolina flakes one or two times a week.

Just some ideas that may save you some time and effort with the meds. I cannot stand those fungus clear tabs personally. The ones I bought the first, and only time I used them, dyed my tank bad enough that the silicone is still slightly blue in nature! Actually, I just hate the whole 'fizzy tabs' idea completely.

BJP

I'm not crazy about the line since they come in 10 gallon tablets that offer little flexability in treating smaller volumes of water. Trying to cut one in half was a mess although I assume I reassembled enough pieces to equal half a tablet or so. Right now I'm not sure he's eatting. I added six little pellets. At least five are still there now.

A neat side benefit. I've got the small Redskin desk lamp right beside and slightly above the tank due to its location on the counter and no substrate in the tank to ease cleaning. I just notied this neat 18" black moor shadow swimming on the ceiling now that it's gotten dark. Must be reflecting off the bottom of the tank.

BJP

Added a second tablespoon of salt predissolved this morning.

This afternoon the wiggle has returned. He's all over the tank nonstop with no signs of any stringy poo.

I'm beginning to worry I was too hasty to select him based on immaculate finnage. I drop food in and he's all around it sucking but rarely seems to actually get any in his tiny mouth. It's kinda like his eyes are so far around he can't see what's right in front of his face which may prove to be a long term problem mixed in with the others that have the normal eyes.

I'm going to try and fatten him up a bit.

BJP

We're not out of the woods yet.

He seems to be sitting on the bottom a lot today, maybe from the reduced room lighting due to the rain and cloudy conditions. There may be a touch of white fungus starting to be visible between the left eye and center of the head. He gets very active and animated when food is dropped in but still seems to mostly not get any into his mouth. A third tablespoon of the salt was added predissolved just now. That should be all until the water change and second dose of med is called for by the instructions.

BJP

Still sitting on the bottom most of the time. I tried aquiring Fungus Eliminater at Walmart but apparently they've stopped carrying all the powdered meds by Jungle in favor of the hang up tablets. I miss the days when I used to have those 9 pound jugs of it around all the time. At least I got a really tastey meat lovers style pizza out of the deli to bake at home out of the trip. Not bad for a bit under $10.

Since I couldn't find the drug of preference, I gave the tank a 25% water change, readded the salt I'd taken out with the change water then added the crumbs of the half the pill I broke to give the first treatment. They should add up to about half a pill.

Jessu

It sounds like he is sulking. My balck moor was so I got him a friend and now he is fine.

BJP

So far all he does is sit. I can't even get him interested in food. Yesterday I sprang for a pack of spirulina enriched brine shrimp but he wouldn't move until I came back to scoop it out. I figure if this is still going on Saturday I'll start dilluting out his current treatment and see if there's any other non antibiotic alternatives. I forgot to look for Fungus Eliminater at the pet store and when I checked Petsmart they don't carry any of Jungle's crystalline form meds. I'd hate to think they've been taken off the market completely in favor of those tablets. Maybe I'll even give a small bottle of that Smelafix a try. I'd hate to have to smell it in the kitchen and on the computer since the tanks in between both.

BJP

He's definately going down hill slowly. The body looks horrible now with noted deterioration to the finnage and spreading of the sheety white fungal spots to other parts of the body. He was still completely inactive this morning so I changed 100% of the water to remove all the salt and Jungle med. Whitish long stringy poo has returned.

New clean water was added. Then I went on a 2+ hour trip to the city to search for Smelafix. I found it at Petsmart and also aquired a bottle of Pimafix which I never heard of until today. Upon returning home I find him stuck to the filter intact which usually means the reaper is about to make an appearence.

I added the bottle advised dosages of Smela and Pima fix immediately. I've also decided to switch from Aq Pharms salt to pickling salt. 1 tablespoon predissolved was added. Activity appears to have immediately increased although it's a rather sickly appearing activity and has at least once resulted in a return meeting with the filter intake. I'll be watching closely to keep him off of it.

It may be too late by now but it want be from lack of effort on my part or being too cheap to drop another $12 on meds plus gas expense.

Cross your fingers and hope for a smelly miracle.

BJP

Too little too late. The reaper claims another.

When removed the body appears to have a bloody mess coming from the gill area on the side that was stuck to the filter intake. exit would from something, damage from the intakes current or reaction to the meds I'll never know.

Me and the puppy had a little service for Mr Moor outback. At least it was a pretty day for it. I think he would have been happy with the spot selected under the pear tree. A great view of the orchard, a great view of the lake.