# Fungus already?



## Zidartha (Nov 16, 2012)

Hello Enthusiasts,

One of the wife's Purple Blood Parrots got himself caught up in a cave exit that was way too small. The wife had to force him back out.

Less than 24 hours later he has white on all the wounds. Is this a normal part of the healing process or is it fungus?

He's moving to his sick tank today. If it is fungus, which treatment do you recommend?

Thanks,
k.


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## JulieFish (Apr 8, 2011)

It does look like fungus has infected the wounds. Definately separate this fish to a hospital tank, because fungus has the potential to be contageous to your other fish. In the hospital tank, I'd treat with aquarium salt (or a non-iodized salt from the grocery store like coarse salt). Use 2-3 tsp. of salt per gallon in the hospital tank (or follow the directions on the container) and even more important, ensure that the hospital tank has extremely clean water. Ensure that ammonia and nitrite are always 0, and that nitrate stays well below 20. Hospital tank must also be heated, and well filtered of course, with a place for the fish to seek cover (this could be as simple as a little piece of PVC pipe). 

I'd leave it at that. Once the fungus clears up, the fins should grow back fine.

Many people would treat with a fungus medication like Maroxy instead of salt, and this is not a bad idea either. It's up to you. I just tend to prefer holistic approaches like salt. I used to use all the expensive meds but over the years I've come to prefer to keep things simple. I like to let the fish's immune system do the work instead of the chemicals.


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## Zidartha (Nov 16, 2012)

Thanks for the confirmation. He's now in a hospital tank in his fav clay pot...

Used Tetra Fungus Guard Tablets to help speed up the process.


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## JulieFish (Apr 8, 2011)

It sounds like he's in good hands. Good luck and let me know in a few days how he's doing.


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## Catrina (Mar 18, 2013)

Did the fungus guard tabs work for you. I have tred two doses of this medication for my roseline sharks, which I think have mouth fungus, but it has not helped very much . I have a parrot fish too. They are so beautiful. Hope your is doing better.


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## Ryan.Wilton (Dec 12, 2012)

Yup Fungus... I don't know why you had to force him out of the cave. Generally speaking a fish wouldn't go into a cave, if it could not come back out on it's own.


Parrots are pretty resilient, I have one (named Scar Side) that had badly damaged himself on an ornament in my brothers tank that was too sharp (it's gone now). My brother wanted to just flush the fish because he figured it would die, now 2 years later little Scar is doing fine, except for the fact that he had white scales on his side instead of the orange.

Also, I noticed you called it a Purple Parrot fish? Doesn't look purple to me. lol

Hope the meds help, a simple General Cure powder helps nicely as well.


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## Zidartha (Nov 16, 2012)

I am not a fan of the nomenclature of Blood parrots. The Red Blood Parrots are orange and the Purple Blood Parrots are red. Go figure...

The Tetra Fungus Guard worked quite quickly. All the visible fungus was gone by day four with one dose. So +1 for the tabs.

We were then off on vacation for a week and made the decision to leave him in the Hospital tank. When we returned the fish looked awesome. There was even significant regrowth on the finage he had lost. We monitored for a day or two and returned him to the main tank.

We monitored for aggression, but he quickly re-established his territory. All looked well. He seemed happy and healthy. All of a sudden, six days later it looked like he was turning white, so he went back into the hospital tank. It wasn't fungus and by that night he was floating awkwardly upside down. We tried an epsom salt bath but to no avail. He passed away by morning -- this past Saturday.

I think it may have been impaction or a an internal wound caused in the original accident that finally took it's toll.

Any thoughts on what wood make a Blood Parrot turn that quicky? He had been on a heavy pea based diet while in QT and the week after. (By the end of QT, he would let the wife hand feed him, and would still even after he went back in the main tank.) But he may have cleared the tank of snails as well.


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

Wow, that sucks, sounds odd to me that he seemed to make a full recovery and they went downhill fast. How long was he back in the normal tank? Maybe you didn't acclimate him enough for the move back?


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## Zidartha (Nov 16, 2012)

pyrrolin said:


> Wow, that sucks, sounds odd to me that he seemed to make a full recovery and they went downhill fast. How long was he back in the normal tank? Maybe you didn't acclimate him enough for the move back?


He was back in the main tank for six days before he suddenly took a turn for the worst. Didn't even do the normal, I need to hide thing. It was if he never left. And then boom, looked awful one morning...

of course he was the wife's fav.

k.


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## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

makes no sense at all, but it happens


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## Ryan.Wilton (Dec 12, 2012)

The pea based diet could have done some clogging... Parrot CICHLIDs are omnivorous, the excess peas could have been somewhat to blame but I don't think that'd account for this event fully...

Hm, from looking at the pictures, it looks like something had eaten his fins, prior to the fungal infection. What else is in the tank, perhaps an unseen tank mate was picking at him again, and this time the stress was too much.


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