# Help! Fungal infection and...? (German Blue Ram)



## seed (Aug 31, 2010)

Hi everyone,

I had been away for about a month and had my tank under care by family. The water quality went down during this time, and one of my GBRs fell sick with multiple symptoms! I'm not sure if it's just one type of disease, or multiple. I've included pictures, but the 4 areas affected are...

FUNGAL?
1) *DORSAL FIN* has some white on its front 3 rays. It's not fuzzy/cottony, or perhaps very minimally.
2) *PECTORAL FIN (LEFT)* There's just this one white streak.

UNKNOWN
3) *RIGHT NOSTRIL* is inflamed and whitish. It seems to be internal (beneath the skin). Some sort of bacterial infection?
4) *PELVIC FIN(s) (right?)* There are three tubular/veiny like white growths that seem they might be coming from the body. I'm not sure as there's no clear connection to and from the body if at all. This one looks the most concerning to me.

He has gone untreated for at least one week, and it doesn't seem to have worsened, fortunately. In fact, the dorsal fins seem to have improved slightly, but the other areas look to have stayed the same since I returned and discovered it.

Can anyone help identify what the disease(s) are, and what course of treatments and medications I should use? For more difficult to find medicines, I am open to suggestions where I could find them locally!

In terms of the parameters of my tank, I don't have them at the time, but I'm sure it was related to a nitrate spike. It is a planted tank, and other occupants include another GBR (same sex I think... female?), 6 ruby tetras, 3 galaxy rasboras, 3 ottos, and some red cherry shrimp and amano shrimp.

I don't have a hospital tank to use, but I do have a planted 5 gallon I can switch with my betta. I'm wondering if I should dose the whole tank though with is current inhabitants in case there's any contamination beyond my GBR. Your input would be helpful here too!

If it makes a difference, I will be gone in 2 weeks from now for a long period of time, and I hope to have the treatment done by then. The tank will be kept in better care this time when I'm gone.

Thank you everyone!























I can take more photos if needed! Just let me know what areas need to be more clear!


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## seed (Aug 31, 2010)

Any suggestions? The one I'm most concerned about is the lump in his nostril. I'm not sure, but it seems to be getting worse. Is this a bacterial infection that I can use any general bacterial infection medication on? Thank you.


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## rave93 (Dec 7, 2010)

hm I personally dont know whats going on with your little guys,
but it cant hurt to do a water change, dose up some salt and increase the heat of the tank, assuming you havent done this already.

hopefully someone with more experience in fighting off these symptoms will chime in


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## mollyb (May 18, 2010)

sorry to be the one to say, but this fish may be best off euthanized. These types of infections are too far gone, and (in my experience) resistant to water borne medications because they are walled off in the body cavity. I have tried to treat this type of thing with intraperitoneal injection of antibiotics in much larger fish (full grown uaru, altum angels) to little to no avail. I think I did 'cure one uaru, but the damage to the face was so extensive she eventually died anyways. Perhaps removing this fish as early as possible would help stop any potential spread to the other inhabitants. I guess there is a possibility this could be some type of worm/paracyte, in which case, it may be responsive to Levamisole, or Praxipro. These two meds have different activities, so if you are going to try this, it is best to shot gun the approach and treat with both. There still may be enough residual damage that the fish is debilitated afterwards anyways. Just my opinion.


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## Pamela (Apr 21, 2010)

The white things look like worms to me. I've noticed other times that German Rams have had this issue.

You should have a look at: http://www.bcaquaria.com/forum/hospital-section-12/urgent-help-needed-12749/ and http://www.bcaquaria.com/forum/hospital-section-12/help-needed-36706/


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## seed (Aug 31, 2010)

Hm... it looks like it could be anchor worms, or some worm of sorts. I've never seen it move at all though, and its always been in the same position. Could that rule it out as being worms?

I have PraziPro, and can does that to try to remove parasites.


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## Ocean (Nov 20, 2014)

Try seachem stressgaurd in the planted tank. Seachem paragaurd with api aquarium salt if you can get him quarantined with aeration.


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## seed (Aug 31, 2010)

mollyb said:


> sorry to be the one to say, but this fish may be best off euthanized. These types of infections are too far gone, and (in my experience) resistant to water borne medications because they are walled off in the body cavity. I have tried to treat this type of thing with intraperitoneal injection of antibiotics in much larger fish (full grown uaru, altum angels) to little to no avail. I think I did 'cure one uaru, but the damage to the face was so extensive she eventually died anyways. Perhaps removing this fish as early as possible would help stop any potential spread to the other inhabitants. I guess there is a possibility this could be some type of worm/paracyte, in which case, it may be responsive to Levamisole, or Praxipro. These two meds have different activities, so if you are going to try this, it is best to shot gun the approach and treat with both. There still may be enough residual damage that the fish is debilitated afterwards anyways. Just my opinion.


Thanks for your honest feedback, mollyb. The fish itself has normal healthy behaviour, and its fins seem to be recovering. It's just the lump on the nose that doesn't seem to be getting better, but nor is it getting worse. I think I'll see what happens in the next few days as I also dose praxipro. Hopefully worst case scenarios don't happen...


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## Fishlover69 (Jun 9, 2015)

Hey, sorry to hear about your Ram.

Try to isolate the fish if you have already done that, that's good. Keep the water quality pristine. Hope your fish is still eating. If it is then you can try Metronidazole mixed with food. Use Seachem Focus to bind the antibiotic to the food. That way the loss of medicine when it comes in contact with water is minimal. the metronidazole will work from inside.
You can try dosing with Mardel Maracyn Plus, it has microscopic biospheres that attach directly to the fish delivering the medication where it is needed.

these medications are available with J & L aquatics if you want them.
I pick up from them too. Hope this helps
good luck


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