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I'm glad you have metro sourced out now. That didn't take long ?

I get my metro from a local discus breeder too

The Amazon Nut...

Yeah, i could have had the metro 3 days ago had i bothered to ask the right questions of this guy. I was in getting oscar food, Melafix and some Prime the other day and didn't even think to ask

Progress report: He's out! Yep, he's come out from his hidy hole and started swimming around. I think this is great news. His balance is good, the fin rot has stopped and started to heal and he's not showing any tilt. I offered him some food, but he still hasn't eaten yet. His prolapse is slightly less swollen and the inflammation around it seems to have gone down. The Tetracycline is working!

I think Tuesday (it's Sunday in Aus) i will swap to Protozin, which means tomorrow i'll stop dosing with the Tetracycline. The Protozin is meant to target protozoa and gram negative bacteria... which are the 2 thing's i've read may cause Malawi bloat.

Protozin is mainly for external protozoa i think, maybe look into Octozin?

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

Knock on that discus breeders door for some Metronidazole.
If it's strong enough to take out internal parasites from wild caught and domestic discus... Also, it's not a harsh med like so many are. Treat some flakes with it and feed for fastest results. Also a bit in water for a double punch.

The Amazon Nut...

Why does everyone outside the fish keeping world seem to have such difficulty comming to terms with the fact you try to save fish? It's really starting to annoy me.

Thanks for the help guys. I'm in a crap mood today, but flipper is still alive. He hasn't eaten, and i've got some water soluable Flagyl on the way. It's started to swell again, which is why i switched to the Protozin - the Tertacycline stopped being effective. His condition is still good, and i now have 2 vet options for surgery... so i guess there's still hope.

I'll post some more info tomorrow when i'm (hopefully) in a better mood

The vet can probably prescribe you something for him too, don't forget. There is probably no need to go all black market

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

From my experience with Bloat the only thing that I can think of that will work is Clout and then its a 50/50 chance.

I feel a little better already. I'm not at work, and Flipper is looking well.

The Vet has prescribed (finally) the Flagyl (Metro) in water soluable form. Finally. I've been asking for it for about 5 days now... but it was no good until yesterday when i actually spoke to the vet. I've got enough to treat 20L's (1/2 hospital tank capacity) and have orgaised Flipper to get surgery in 2 days. I hope the Metro helps!

The Tertacycline seems to have controlled the bloat thanks Monkey. It's the swelling of his anus that's of concern. For the surgery to go as well as possible, it's important the swelling is reduced as much as possible.

I guess everyone can add a 'new' and easily attainable bloat fix to their med's book - tertacycline hydrachloride. Any decent LFS in Aus sells it over the counter. As i said in earlier posts, it targets gram negative bacteria, which are believed to be part of the cause of bloat. YOU CAN NOT USE IT WITH ANY OTHER MED, though.

I'm glad to hear Flipper is improving. Best of luck with the operation !

I used to think of dropsy and bloat as being pretty much the same thing. (then was told I was way off base)Tetracycline is what I recommend for dropsy. But in the case of bloat it is then necessary to switch to a med for internal parasites ? Hoping I can learn from this.

The Amazon Nut...

Ooooh... now me and the fish are sick! Yay!!! I'll be breif.

Flipper is still well, as well as can be expected. I nearly lost him during the water change and Metro addition. I took some pics of him for the vet, and when i returned him to the tank he was swimming upside down and with the least amount of co-ordination he's ever had. Fotunately, 3 hours in the Hospital tank, in the dim light letting him find his own wy of proping himself up... and he was back upright! Few

Surgery is scheduled for next Wednesday, provding their are favourable opinions offered by the vet on his ability to survive. I've got enough Metro "infusion" to get me through until then. I highly recommend the infusion over the straight metro treatment when your fish has not been eating. My vet prescribed my 5mL of infusion for 20L of water.

He's also had a snack!! He ate yesterday!!!!!!

Yeah, bloat has a number of causes. One suggeted by the expert in Melbourne was feeding him pea's! Doh!! I'm not convinced it was the cause as he's been getting pea's for over 2 years. The other suggestion are an excess of protein in the diet (like Hikari!!),and obstruction (like feeding the pea and him eating it whole), protozoa's and of course infection from the 'obstruction'. The thing about Metro is it is meant to treat protozoa and gram negative bacteria internally, as is normally associated with Bloat. So, it's the biz!

GTG. Will report back when i feel better. That wasn't so short

He's dead. I just came down and checked on him, and after 2 week's i've lost him. We'll miss Flipper in my house I'm going to bury him with his favourite piece of drfitwood tomorrow. Poor guy...

*hug*

I'm so sorry Jester

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

I'm really sorry to hear that Jester.
I know you tried very hard to save Flipper.

Also, get well soon.

The Amazon Nut...

I am really sorry that Flipper has passed. I think it is sweet that you are going to bury him with his favorite piece of DW. I had to bury a dear fishy friend over the summer that I had had for over 3 years. I understand your pain, although I did not have to watch mine suffer. I am not really sure what to say other than you did your best to try to save his life and ease his pain. Take care of yourself.

good on you for the huge effort you put into looking after your fish, i dont think you could have done anything more.


cheers dan

OH TOLEEDY!

Thanks for the kind words and thoughts. He did pass quietly and quickly in the end, and i'm sure he just had no energy left to keep fighting. My vet has sent messages of condolances as well, and both my GF and myself really appreciate the efforts everyone went to in trying to help us 'fix' Flipper.

I've learnt a lot through this, and i think the network of contacts i built up in the past 2 weeks will be useful, though hopefully never called on again.

Next time i post, it will be HAPPY pictures of a new tank full of Moorii!!

Prolapses are hell to fix in all sorts of species,in animal rescue it was one of those things that used to make us think "oh gawd, not that again" because they tend to reoccur so easily , in fish they can be particularly difficult to treat because the tissues are so soft and most fish are too small to have the ventral tissues stitched successfully back into place and they almost never self rectify. You did a fine job trying to save the fish though, and you should be commended for your efforts. If you dont try , you dont win, and at least you tried. Its just a very, very difficult condition to treat. With your attitude youll lose a lot less fish than some other folks,so well done you. Chin up fella.