MagicWings

My catfish is extremely sick and it happened fairly quickly.

I've tried using Google and I just can't narrow down the symptoms well enough. He has a white film over his eyes and he also has scratches on his body, I can't tell if he scratched himself on the rocks or not. In addition he has a patch of scales that looks like it's just been rotted away or something, it looks pretty gross. He's not swimming and on his stomach it looks like there are a few patches of goldish fluff with things sticking out of him. He was twitching earlier (like swimming but sort of convulsing) and I don't think he's been eating.

I think that's the best way I can describe it. He looks like he has minutes left and I'm worried by the time I even get this up he might be gone. Even if that's the case, if anyone as any opinions, I'd really appreciate it so I can prevent something like this or if my other fish get sick.

Butterfly

Do you have anyway to post a picture? That would help immensely.
carol

Lucy

Hi MagicWings welcome to Fish Lore.

I'm really sorry your fish is ill.
It would be helpful if you gave the members a little more info.

What kind of cat fish is he and how big?
What size tank is he in?
How many and what other kinds of fish are in the tank?
Have you added any new fish lately?
How old is the tank?
What' the temperature of the water?
Is it cycled
What are your readings for ammonia, nitrItes and nitrAtes?
Are any other fish showing signs of illness?
Have you given him any sort of medications?

I'm sorry for all the questions, the answers will help the other members help you.

Edit: Thanks, Carol, I forgot to ask for a pic.

MagicWings

I can't give a picture right now as I have to leave for work shortly. The best I can describe it is that he almost looks like he's peeling and has cloudy eyes.

What kind of cat fish is he and how big? He's a silver... shoot, I forget the name. He's about 6.5 inches long and I think it was like silver tipped shark or something close to that. He has a wide mouth and a very streamlined silver body.
What size tank is he in? He was in a 44 gallon tank but has been moved to the only available empty tank, which is unfortunately a gallon sized betta tank. We moved him about an hour ago because the other fish were trying to eat him.
How many and what other kinds of fish are in the tank? There's 2 angel fish, 2 gouramis (which were sucking on him), a sydontois eurupterus (so sorry about the spelling, sort of rushed because I have to leave for work soon). There's some feeder goldfish, an eel, a leaffish, and a pleco. I think that's everything in there.
Have you added any new fish lately? The eel is relatively new, but he's not sick at all.
How old is the tank? It's several months old (maybe about 4) with these fish. The tank came from a friend who had it set up until only a day or so before we bought it.
What' the temperature of the water? I believe it's in the upper 70s.
Is it cycled Yes, it should be.
What are your readings for ammonia, nitrItes and nitrAtes? I don't know, but I'm sure they're high. This is actually my brothers fish tank and I keep telling him to change the water but he hasn't. It smells absolutely disgusting and I'm sure it's what lead to this.
Are any other fish showing signs of illness? No, they're all fine (for now). One of the angelfish had a wound but we think it was attacked and we were treating with Melafix to help heal it.
Have you given him any sort of medications? I dunno, my brother freaked out and dumped in some broad anti-bacteria stuff, I think.

I tried to snap a few quick images. Old, crappy camera.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...1/100_1399.jpg

The sore underneath his fin.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...1/100_1404.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...1/100_1403.jpg

Lucy

I don't really know anything about silver-tipped shark, so I did a little reading.
It looks as though your fish is a brakish fish and as they get older are a full marine fish. I don't think there's many fish like that.
This would have made him incompatable with your other fish who are freshwater fish.
I can't say for certain that being in fresh water has effected him this way.
Putting him in a Q tank was a good idea, however a 1g really isn't large enough. Some members have used clean never seen soap plactic storage containers. It should also be heated and the water adjusted for a brakish fish.

Here's a profile on your fish. It's possible that getting him in the right water conditions will help:
Silver Tipped Shark

You might also look here and see if you can recognize his symptoms:
Pictures of Diseases

It would help if you had the readings. If the tank smells, it's a good possibilty that your ammonia and/or nitrites are elavated.
A 50% water change would probably do the tank some good until you can get the water tested.

I'm hoping someone who's familiar with them will be able to help you further and correct anything I may have gotten wrong.
I'm sorry I couldn't help you more. Good luck

soldieroffortune1974

Yes,the water conditions may be a large factor. The peeling and rotting scales,sounds like it could be slime disease caused by protozoa e.g. Chilodonella, Ichthyobodo (Costia), Trichodina and Brooklynella species, and Trematodes (flukes) e.g. Gyrodactylus and Dactylogyrus species.

The things sticking out of him is more than likely the protozoa young seeking out new hosts. The best thing to do is change the water,every few hours. Treat with a salt bath, 1 tbsp per gallon,soak the fish for a few minutes.Every few hours add an additional tsp/gallon until the parasitic protozoa are seen coming out of the fish. At this point treat with an antibiotic such as tetracychline or Kenamyacin......remove the fish from the medicated water and back to the salt bath for a few minutes.Into fresh dechlorinated water,Then back to the medicated water.

That should get fast results.Catfish are very resiliant and should come around rather quickly.Continue changing his water everyday for a week.Treating with Melafix between water changes should prevent re-infection while he heals and rebuilds his healthy slime-coat.

Good luck.

MagicWings

I got home from work and noticed his dorsal fin seems to have a red tint to it... I'm not sure if this means anything.

I'm going to see if I can add some more salt to his tank... I just ran out of Melafix, we used the last of it treating the Angelfish.

Thank you for all your opinions. The things I saw sticking out of his stomach aren't there anymore. I'm not sure if they got knocked off when we netted and moved him or what. The two biggest things are the open sore under his fin and the cloudy eyes.

MagicWings

He's now in an empty 10 gallon with no gravel and all that. He has a filter and heater and a bubbler. He isn't swimming, mostly just straight up in the corner by the bubbler. His dorsal fin is definitely red and it looks more and more like he's peeling. My brother is on his way home, he bought some Melafix and some anti-bacteria one as well. I raised the salt a bit in the 10 gallon so hopefully cleaner water, more salt, and some anti-fungus, anti-bacteria stuff will help him.

soldieroffortune1974

Don't mix the 2 medicines.Sometimes ingredients from 2 types of meds can counter react to each other,making them useless and/or making them toxic to the fish.

What type of meds did your brother get?

MagicWings

Melafix and I think its probably Pimafix... which would you recommend using, then?

musicman4567

Those two are intended to be used together, so you are fine to use both Pima and Mela fix at the same time. They are pretty good, but looking at the state your fish is in, you may want to use something slightly more aggressive.

soldieroffortune1974

Neither 1 is an anti-fungal or anti-bacterial medication.They are ANTICEPTICS,good for treating scaratches,abrasions and helping to prevent re-infection in a healing fish. They are not medicines for treatment,even though the fish sales person probably said otherwise.It's like using rubbing alcohol to treat the flu.

See this link on meds:Medications-ingredients-disease treated

It's also under my pic in my signature.Strong antibiotics (mentioned previousely)will kill parasites,So will anything containing Metheline blue or malachite green.

Salt will kill parasites,eradicate bacterial infections,etc etc. Since your catfish can survive quite well in saltwater,actually,your fish will eventually die without salt in his water. I recommend starting there,as previousely suggested.Salt,clean water may be all it takes to clear him up.Follow the instructions given in my previous posts before using the meds,if it doesn't clear or appears to get worse,then add meds and continue doing water changes DAILY.

I would add the Melafix to help speed the process of healing AFTER the inital problem is treated.Don't rely on Melafix as a medication,but as an aid to the healing process.

Good luck

MagicWings

I got home from work tonight and he's died... I pushed him with the net to make sure and then turned the tank off.

I feel really bad, my brother was getting hopeful he might make it and I honestly was hoping he would too. I'm not sure what finally pushed him over the edge because he was still hanging in there a few hours ago.

Thanks everyone. Hm... now I wonder if I should ask for help with my betta on here...

soldieroffortune1974

MagicWings I am sorry he didn't make it.Sounds like he was a little too far downhill to make the return trip.I am truly sorry.

There's a lot of knowledgeable individuals here that can help with the beta. Good luck

Lucy

I'm really sorry you lost him.

We have a lot of caring and knowledgeable betta parents on the forum, is he having a problem? You can make a thread and ask whatever you need.