*sigh* bad day in the O world

**Taurus** · 01-31-2011, 11:58 PM

Dr. Jenn to the rescue. I'm glad he's doing better. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

**Red** · 02-01-2011, 12:44 AM

Glad the O is doing better

**MCHRKiller** · 02-05-2011, 08:29 AM

I had forgotten to update this thread for awhile. The short of it is the fish is more active, HITH like marks gone, better color etc...but his abdomen is swollen and he is now showing interest in food but spitting it out. I am now treating with Furan as after all Hex meds I should have knocked that out, it could be a secondary internal bacterial infection. The fish is no better 3 days into the Furan either.

Tonight, I did probably my most random course of treatment yet. Honestly at this point in the game it is either cure or kill so to say, I took the fish out and gave him an Epsom salt bath. Probably about 10-15minutes, while he was out I did a 50% WC on the QT tank. I added more Furan 2, and mixed up a couple CC of water with about 1/4tsp of Metro(just incase). I sucked up 1CC of the mixture once it disolved into a small syringe. I poured most of the water out of the fish's tuperware container and left just enough to keep him wet. I put on a pair of gloves and lifted the fish's head out of the water, I gently pryed the fish's mouth open and gave him a dose of the Metro. As he wont eat the food soaked in metro without spitting it out I figured some might get into the gut this way. I read on another forum about someone who had a GT with Hex that did this a few times with good results. I figure by now if I dont do something the fish will die, if I atleast try hopefully something will eventually take effect. I put him back into the tank and he is more active to my surprise, he just kind of looks at me like "WTF!?!".

**sheamurai** · 02-06-2011, 01:12 PM

Sorry this is being so hard to beat, Jenn.
Very interested to hear how the force-feeding goes tho! I have read about it elsewhere but it will be good to have it confirmed by someone I "know".

**MCHRKiller** · 02-10-2011, 09:20 PM

I did the force feed of metro for few days and left the fish alone for several more days. He is actually MUCH better, the abdominal swelling is pretty much gone...his eyes are very clear and alert looking and he is eating again. Im not totally convinced he is out of the woods yet...so I am doing 2 days of intensive tank medications then I will stop dosing the tank. I will do a 1-2X per week feed of metro and in a month if he is problem free back into the main tank. Right now I am not dosing his food as I want him to eat well since it has been so long since he has really eaten. His coloration is also very different...he is not the velvety black fish he once was but is showing the start of his adult pattern.

**Taurus** · 02-11-2011, 12:02 AM

Good news! Keeping my fingers crossed for you Jenn.

**Sandz** · 02-11-2011, 05:28 PM

Great to hear that the O is improving!

**MCHRKiller** · 02-14-2011, 10:06 PM

I would say that the fish is good to go now, he is active and eating well. There is no abdominal swelling, his eyes are clear, no pits holes or anything on the body. I am going to leave him in QT for a couple of weeks, sucks for him as my QT is only a 20G high and he is a 5" cichlid. I will do 75% WCs every other day to keep parms in check and feed sparingly twice per day.

I seriously hope no one EVER has to deal with a Hexamita infection, it is a b*tch of a disease. I am sure if it werent for the force feeding of Metro the fish would be dead...

**KingFisher** · 02-15-2011, 03:13 AM

I'm glad to hear about his recovery. I hope I never have to deal with such a terrible disease. I credit his recovery to your dedication and excellent fishkeeping skills.