Need help with fish antibiotic for injured Angel

[Regal]

I don't usually use any types of meds or chemicals for my tanks except Stress Coat to dechlorinate water at water changes. Well now I need something to treat an injured Angel. I don't know where to start. I think I need an antibiotic. Wondering what I should get? What have you used successfully in the past? It's for an injured eye that hasn't cleared up in 1-2 weeks on it's own the way this type of injury has in the past.

I have empty small tanks and extra filters that I could use to treat him.

Background if you want to read it all:

I moved some pairs around. One pair dominated the other pair after the move for a few days. This is normal and resolved itself after a few days. One of the fish in the dominated pair got his eye pecked. It's happened before and like the other times the eye looked a little white and cleared up in a day or two. Well this time instead of the dominance resolving and having peace between the pairs the dominance switched and the other pair started getting picked on. The fish from this pair had both eyes injured and it's been over a week. It's getting better a little on the one eye that was white but the other one is really torn up. I removed the other pair to another tank. So this is the only Angel pair in the 75 gallon. I don't want to post a pic because it is really bad.

The clear part of the eye that normally sticks out from the body is pretty much gone. The fish with the damaged eye is acting pretty normal but the eye is so bad that people notice it as soon as they come in the front door. People that think I'm a crazy fish lady and don't pay much attention to what's going on in the tank. It's the Koi angel in the pic under my user name and I've had him since January 2007. I really don't want to lose him to a simple bacterial infection.

 

[Kathy Potts]

Susan,

So sorry about your koi. He is BEAUTIFUL!! I had to remove a Peacock Cichlid the other day because he was so torn up by another fish. He also had a bad eye, but nothing like yours. I quarantined him a few days, plenty of fresh water and fed him. He was almost dead when I took him out of his original home. I would hold him in my hand under the water and he would lie on his side. Honestly did not think he would make it. Now two weeks, he is in another aquarium and healing very well. I didn't use any antibotics, just what I mentioned above. BUT with your angelfish you really might need to use one. So sorry I can not recommend one just because I wouldn't know what to use. I am sure someone else will have some good ideas. Please keep us up to date? It will be interesting to see what others recommend!!

 

[Regal]

I'm in the same boat. I don't know what to get because I've never needed the mess before. Normally injuries from their little territorial skirmishes heal in a day or two in their own. I'm heading to petsmart to see what they have in a little while. Thank yiu

 

[Kathy Potts]

Susan,

I have heard that garlic boost has it's benefits. There is a thread here somewhere about helping injured fish. Let me see if I can find it for you.

Ok Susan, I found it:

https://www.fishlore.com/fishforum/goldfish/77601-emergency-please-help.html

You might want to check this out?

In the above thread, Ken referred this threat also posted by Shawnie:

https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfishforum/threads/minced-garlic-in-a-jar-just-an-example-for-those-needing-it.62705/

 

[Regal]

I read through those threads. I haven't given much thought to getting him to eat. I do have minced garlic. It's for me though lol. I've never used garlic for my fish but I will consider that.

I moved him to a small tank. It's next to the big one. Maybe if the pair can see each other they will remain a pair. I added about a third fresh water and the rest from the big tank. Water parameters are always perfect in there. I put a Penguin 110 bio wheel on it with no media for right now. I added a few pumps of Stress Coat and a teaspoon of Melefix, the appropriate dose for a 10 gallon. I think this is a 10 hex? I made sure the temp matched. I also figured out that he can't see. I put my hand in to pick him up and he let me touch him before bolting, something he wouldn't have done if he could see me coming.

Here is a pic of his new hospital tank and another one that was taken August 8, 2010 that shows him in his better days. It's not up close so you can't see the grossness. He might be a she. I know which fish are paired up but I never bother to remember which one actually does the egg laying lol.

 

[Kathy Potts]

Did you ever make it to PetSmart to see what they would recommend? I wish we could get someone's opinion on here. With all their years experience combined together, they have to have tons more knowledge than most LFS's. Let me see who I can round up....

BTW: My favorite Angelfish happen to be the Koi

Hopefully the knowledge will start poring in.........

 

[Regal]

I did go and look at the different meds. The one girl that actually knows anything about fish was not working so I didn't even bother to ask. I could really make you laugh if I told you about the conversation I had last week with the girl that was there today lol.

I was looking at the antibiotics but they all seemed geared toward specific conditions rather than injuries. I ended up with the Melefix because it seemed like a natural remedy.

I put a few flakes in his little tank and he didn't even seem to notice them. Either because he couldn't see them or he's too sick. I guess eventually the infection will spread through his body. I'm hoping the Melefix will help enough that he will be able to see to eat.

EDIT: This pair has produced some really beautiful Koi. Standard fins (my favorite) and nearly all white with little bits of yellow and black.

 

[Kathy Potts]

I am really surprised that someone hasn't responded to the antibiotic question on caring for your fish. You might want to try posting the question in a different category. I tried posting one for you under General Discussion: SOS For Mutilated Fish and the thread disappeared. Let me try again. I gave your thread here for responses. Lets see what happens this time.

 

[Regal]

Thank you so much Kathy! That's so nice of you. I always try to name a thread something very specific to attract people that know how to help.

EDIT: I just saw the thread you made for me. Thank you again. I'm sure that will get some more responses.

 

[Kathy Potts]

I am sorry if I over stepped my bounds.

It is probably a full moon out tonight :-\ I seem to be a little more outspoken tonight. :shock:

 

[Regal]

You didn't do any thing wrong at all. Heck you should hear some of the stuff that comes out of my mouth full moon or not lol.

 

[jetajockey]

I"ve never dealt with this before, but I'd go with frequent water changes and some sort of broad range antibiotic, I have no idea which one, though.

 

[Kathy Potts]

Susan
I don't generally speak my mind so openly. I guess the older I get.......

At least we get to laugh

 

[Aquarist]

Good morning,

Many antibiotics can destroy the beneficial bacteria needed to maintain the cycle of your tank. So you have to be careful here. Unless you are dealing with a secondary infection I wouldn't even consider using them. Nor would I consider using antibiotics as a preventative. Only medicate when you know what you're dealing with.

I think the best course of action is keeping the water as pristine as you can. Fresh water goes such a long way when dealing with injured fish.

Good information above about adding Garlic Guard (or fresh garlic juice) onto the food to help to boost the fishes immune system and to help fight off secondary infections.

Vita Chem added directly into the tank and onto the food (follow the directions on the bottle) will help a great deal too.

I have deleted the thread by Kathy Potts referring members to this thread. I don't feel that it's necessary and it will be a lot less confusing to other members by having all of the responses here in one thread.

People will respond if they have an answer or information that they feel will help.

If I tried to treat for this same situation, I would consider Pimafix and Melafix in combination before I went to antibiotics. These products are made from natural ingredients and will not harm your cycle. I do not recommend they be used if Labyrinth fish are in the tank.

Best wishes for your fish.

Ken

 

[Butterfly]

Sorry I'm late to the party as usual Life sooooo gets in the way of my hobbies

Sue how is your angel doing? I haven't used many meds on my angels over the years. Mostly depending on hospital tanks and clean water as mentioned above. Food soaked in garlic juice will stimulate the immune system and help him/her heal faster.

When I have used anything on the angels it's been Maracyn & Maracyn II they seem to be a little easier on the fish than some other meds.
When you use this you have to do a large water change then add meds each day for 7 days then do another large water change. Occasionally you may have to treat twice.
Hope he's feeling better soon.
Carol

 

[Regal]

Thanks Ken and Carol for checking up on my Angel fish.

He is still in the 10 gallon. The eye that has been white seems like it might be ever so slightly clearer. The other eye still looks like it is essentially gone.

The water was a bit cloudy when I got home today so I did a huge water change, probably 80%. I still don't have any media in the filter. I was torn between pristine water and cycled media. I'm going to open one of my canisters and get some cycled filter fiber for his hospital tank. I don't really mind the tank he is in not being cycled because it's so small that I can do a large water change as much as I need to.

If I don't actually witness him eating something today I'll try garlic. I'm not sure what type of food I'm going to try to soak. Flakes won't work and they never really eat the pellet foods. I have frozen brine shrimp and frozen blood worms. Don't know if that would work.

 

[Kathy Potts]

Just wondering how your Angel is?

 

[Regal]

Still alive. He looks healthy in every way but his eyes. He still can't see with either eye. I finally got him to eat some brine shrimp with an eye dropper. I had to corral him in s net and touch his mouth with globs of thawed shrimp. He is back in the big tank and I moved the other Angel pairs out. He plows through the stem plants and mouths at them looking for food even though the flakes are floating on the surface like they always have. Looks like he's going to live but will require some extra work.