This is a real emergency please help with raccoon!!

[Calebb8133]

Kinda weird Q how do u guys dispose of a big fish like that?

 

[Brew12]

He died about an hour ago thanks for all your help. Is whatever it was he had contagious?? I have had a number of other fish die the same way in the past should I QT all fish?

I'm sorry for your loss.

Without knowing the exact cause it is hard to say how contagious it is. I do recommend keeping meds on hand to rapidly treat anything that comes up. In addition to what we talked about earlier I like to keep a copper product, hanna copper test kit, Furan-2, and General Cure.

I QT all my fish, but it is a decision that each hobbyist needs to make for themselves. I have lost quite a few fish trying to QT them but I rarely have issues with my DT. I feel that if you want a more aggressive system or heavily stocked system than QTing is very important. If you are going with a more peaceful, lightly stocked tank it may be best not to. Lots of factors come into play.

As for disposal, I would put it in a zip lock back and freeze it until garbage day then put it in the can for pickup.

 

[Sierra_Bravo]

Sorry you lost him, @Caleb Broberg . Good on you for trying very hard to seek a solution to help him, though. Sometimes there is just not much you can do to prevent the loss.

 

[Biglurr54]

Butterfly's are tough. They get bacterial infections very easily and when they show the first sign of infection, it's typically too late. I treat all new butterfly's with nfg for their first 7 days minimum. I also feed metro food for the first 7 days as well.

When fish are caught, some fishermen puncture the fish is swim bladder with a needle on the boat to relieve the pressure. Its terrible to watch. I'm sure they are trained and have it down but still not a great start for the fish and mistakes can happen.

I would bet the black spot was the insertion of the needle and the infection was internal.

 

[vetteguy53081]

If eating, food fortified with vitamins and garlic.

If not, peneciline based med such as teramyacin or tetracycline may help but fish is no doubt distressed.

 

[Calebb8133]

Sorry you lost him, @Caleb Broberg . Good on you for trying very hard to seek a solution to help him, though. Sometimes there is just not much you can do to prevent the loss.

Thanks everyone.. I am 15 and both my parents and unlcle and aunt have tried to keep a saltwater tank and both were not successful. I have always loved the water and the beautiful fish and wanted to start a saltwater tank. I pay for all the fish myself and my parents help with any meds, salt and pretty much everything other than fish. Certainly gives me motivation to keep them alive. I don't want to give up although I have wanted to (don't worry I won't anytime soon). Thanks everyone

 

[Calebb8133]

I'm sorry for your loss.

Without knowing the exact cause it is hard to say how contagious it is. I do recommend keeping meds on hand to rapidly treat anything that comes up. In addition to what we talked about earlier I like to keep a copper product, hanna copper test kit, Furan-2, and General Cure.

I QT all my fish, but it is a decision that each hobbyist needs to make for themselves. I have lost quite a few fish trying to QT them but I rarely have issues with my DT. I feel that if you want a more aggressive system or heavily stocked system than QTing is very important. If you are going with a more peaceful, lightly stocked tank it may be best not to. Lots of factors come into play.

As for disposal, I would put it in a zip lock back and freeze it until garbage day then put it in the can for pickup.

Ok sounds good thanks for the help

 

[RtomKinMad]

Well I hate to say it but I am thinking there isn't much hope because if he does survive for 2 to 3 days the medication won't start working for another 3-4 days

If you have a PetSmart by you they sell antibiotics for fresh and saltwater fish.

 

[RtomKinMad]

I just saw the fish died. I’m so sorry. That’s the hardest part of this hobby. Nice to see a young person in the hobby! PetSmart as I said sells general cure and erythromycin and a few other antibiotics but not focus. In my experience. I wish you the best and sorry for your loss.

 

[Sierra_Bravo]

Fifteen, huh? And paying for your own livestock? You and your parents are doing it right.

"Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do." -Pele

 

[Calebb8133]

Question though with the air bladder would he's stomach get big? He looks perfectly normal apart from the black spot and a few small white spots
Could it be anything else

 

[NewGoby]

Question though with the air bladder would he's stomach get big? He looks perfectly normal apart from the black spot and a few small white spots
Could it be anything else

It could be because he's been deceased for a little while now, but white spots could also be ick, can you post some close-up pictures?
The swim bladder is an organ that inflates & deflates (think of it kind of as a submarine, taking in water to sink, and pumping it out to rise, except for fish it happens with gas)
I'm not sure though if it's visible on a raccoon when he has an issue with his swim bladder. Hopefully someone else knows more about raccoons.

 

[Calebb8133]

It could be because he's been deceased for a little while now, but white spots could also be ick, can you post some close-up pictures?
The swim bladder is an organ that inflates & deflates (think of it kind of as a submarine, taking in water to sink, and pumping it out to rise, except for fish it happens with gas)
I'm not sure though if it's visible on a raccoon when he has an issue with his swim bladder. Hopefully someone else knows more about raccoons.

Before he died he looked like that

 

[jd371]

Sorry for your loss. I had my first CBB get an infection the second day in QT and pass the following day before I could get any antibiotics in there. Started the second CBB off with antibiotics from day one in QT. I now always keep the trifecta ( Kanaplex, Metroplex, and Furan 2) of antibiotics on hand all the time.

 

[cracker]

Sorry for the fish . it really is dis heartening to lose one.
As for disposal Do You have a nice plant out front? Consider digging a little hole at the base & bury the fish to feed the plant & return it back to nature .

 

[NewGoby]

Before he died he looked like that

do you have a picture?

 

[Calebb8133]

do you have a picture?

Oh the fish dead or before he died?

 

[RtomKinMad]

Sorry for your loss. I had my first CBB get an infection the second day in QT and pass the following day before I could get any antibiotics in there. Started the second CBB off with antibiotics from day one in QT. I now always keep the trifecta ( Kanaplex, Metroplex, and Furan 2) of antibiotics on hand all the time.

I now also always have furon 2 on hand. Had a few fish get fin rot and moved them to quarantine with furon and they survived. I also now quarantine even though I have an amazing LFS that is very knowledgeable and only buys from the best dealers. He also treats sick fish and does a kind of quarantine process. I get all my fish from him and have only been unlucky x2 with velvet but none of the fish looked sick in the store or here then in a few days , ick or velvet. But over four years I feel pretty good about his fish and all are healthy for 90% of the time. If they weren’t it was because it was undetectable. I have seen the owner actually do a semi autopsy on a fish to determine the cause of death so he could treat the rest of the fish in the system with the one that died. He also charges reasonable prices for his fish. We just bought two fish from him, quarantined for one week and just watched no meds. Both very healthy and went right into our fishonly system. But anyway I digressed, I agree helpful to have meds on hand because they are hard to find when you need. I usually go for the furon because it is a broad spectrum antibiotic. Verses some of the others that only cover gram - or gram + bacteria. And chewy.com sells it reasonably. I think it is my well water but I get fin rot very easy. Have lost more fish to this than any other disease, until I got furon and a hospital yank 40gal with hang on back filter. Good luck to OP.
I think Racoon May have had a disease also and other fish had died recently too if I’m incorrect I’m sorry but I think I saw a kole tang had died too?

 

[RtomKinMad]

Caleb, I know your in school and probably have a lot of things to do but here’s a book I find very helpful to have around and read. Has a section on disease and treatments and so much more good information. Although do not trust tank size recommendations this book is not completely correct with those. This forum is awesome though! Nice to see you working so hard to care for your fish. I work with a doctor who started with saltwater when he was your age and did it all through college and med school maintained a 75gal tank and now has an amazing 360 reef built in wall tank. Good luck to you.

 

[Calebb8133]

Caleb, I know your in school and probably have a lot of things to do but here’s a book I find very helpful to have around and read. Has a section on disease and treatments and so much more good information. Although do not trust tank size recommendations this book is not completely correct with those. This forum is awesome though! Nice to see you working so hard to care for your fish. I work with a doctor who started with saltwater when he was your age and did it all through college and med school maintained a 75gal tank and now has an amazing 360 reef built in wall tank. Good luck to you.

Thank you I am actually homeschooled so it makes it easier to take care of the tank I will look into that book thank you