"Gold" Sucker Fish is seemingly ill...

[Tayles]

Here's what happened. About a week and a half ago, we discovered that our (What the pet store calls "Gold Sucker Fish") had tail rot and was hanging out by the place where the air comes out of the undergravel filter. Well we took the carbon out and used MelaFix to fix his tail rot and hopefully help out with whatever was wrong with him. He was medicated for a week as indicated on the back of the bottle, and his tail rot went away. This morning I looked at him, and it's all back again, his tail looks like it's just wilting away. And now he hides The time, he didn't come out of this neon cave house we have in there at all yesterday, and when he does come out he doesn't come out to suck on the glass or anything, he just sits on the filter bobbing around being pushed by the bubbles and landing again. He seems quite ill but I don't know what could be wrong with him. It's almost as though he's lethargic. Any suggestions? I feel as though he's in misery, everyone else in the tank seems fine. Any suggestions please reply.

[aspiringangel]

Sounds like a golden chinese algae eater. Also sounds like you should get some heavy duty meds asap, and maybe quarantine your fish if you have the facility. I used MarOxy, I know lots of people here will probably suggest Maracin 1 or 2, and there are probably several other options - Aqurisol for one, but I haven't any experience with that. Good luck with your fish!

[Tayles]

Yes it is a golden chinese algae eater. I looked up a picture and that looks like the one we have. We had two but a betta killed one. It's hard to quarantine, but I suppose we could find a way to do it. Don't have any medication except for MelaFix, and won't be able to get out of the house until this weekend, but will see what happens till then. Just was wondering what kind of disease this could be, and why did it only strike him, and not my other fish?

[Iggy]

Melafix is a pretty mild antibiotic Tayles, not designed to cure fin-rot, but it will slow it down and help the healing process after its cured.

You need stronger meds. Buy/borrow/steal (or not) a spare tank so you can treat him seperately wiht a good antibiotic and do it quickly.

Most Walmarts carry a descent array of anti-biotics for fish, like MarOxy or Maracin. Don't ask the Walmart clerks (associates) about treatment, call your closest fish store and get their advise also.

Again, don't put your hopes in Melafix, get the right medication right away. I know a lot of people claim Melafix is a cure-all but it is not.

Keep us posted, hope he gets better soon.

[Tayles]

*Sighs* I can't win with these fish. But I'll keep trying. I have a few platies (I keep getting platies because I think they are beautiful, but I guess they're kinda hard to keep), they consistently rub or "flash" if that's another word for it. Now their gill areas are all red (looks like they're blushing) and it looks like someone has glued shiny gold on their gills. I guess that's what "scratches" are? Been trying forever to get them to be better. Now we're trying the "Put salt in your tank every 3-4 days for a month" and just when you think *maybe* it's working... they go and rub 900 times in the course of a couple of minutes. (Ok so it's not that much but you get the drift)... I need to find a good website to read up about all kinds of fish. I don't understand because the aqarium they're in is all cycled, the nitrite stays a 0, and the ammonia doesn't go over .25, and mostly is at 0. the only other thing we have left to test is the pH, and to get a heater. Anyone else have platies that just won't stop rubbing?