PlanetCatfish.com

Yeah.
I'm back.
And always coming here makes me feel like I'm a failure of an owner.
But since I've raised her to her current 13" from a mere few inches, I suppose I'm not that bad.

Anyway.
Somehow, she got parasites.
Last night, I noticed a red sore on her belly. This was new, I know, because I gawk at her for hours throughout the day, and it wasn't there the day before. After careful inspection, I wouldn't call it a sore, but more like a really gross, blood colored pimple. There was a second spot near it, but it wasn't as severe looking.
Today, they're both prominent. After taking many pictures, and taking them into the store, we concluded it is either a wound from gravel/driftwood/something, or septicemia. I knew that red sores could also be from parasites, but the fish expert at the store said he doubted it, and I hadn't noticed any worms or anything.
So I was going to treat it with Maracyn, since that's a good fix all.
And tonight, upon closer inspection, I notice thick little white threads poking out of her wounds, and a thin white thread hanging out of her side, which made me go ballistic.

I forget what I was looking at in the store incase it was parasites..I think it was Maracide...
But they're like, copper sensitive.
SO.
Someone please tell me what I need to get rid of parasites on my precious girl, and how (like if it is Maracide but a lesser dose)

It doesn't sound like a parasite. More likely a bacterial/viral infection of some kind.

Okay, update after further observation:
It is parasites.
What, I'm not sure. Some type of worm.
The two wounds on her stomach both have definite holes in the center, and it looks like there's a third spot on the way.
But I saw them..three off-white stubs about as thick as say..the wire on a spiral-bound notebook, in one hole, one more of those in the other hole, and a thin white thread hanging out of her side (with no lesion/sore/visible entry point).
It appears that they hide and pop out randomly, cause I haven't been able to photograph them, and when I netted her for closer observation and removal (as many forums suggested), they weren't visible.

I believe the netting thing stressed her out, as did touching her (my hands are clean! I washed thoroughly before handling, and never use lotion or stuff), because I did briefly hold her by the lip (real gently, I didn't even have much grip, I was just trying to hold her steady while looking at her side), but now her teeth are all...furry! And my heart is sunken even further because that HAD to have been something I did wrong, and what if THAT kills her?

And I'm also fearing there's some sort of fin-rot going on. I didn't get too worried at first, every now and then her fin get a bit tattered if she brushes/runs into something the wrong way. But after noticing my bichir's dorsal rays having a similar pattern of damage, I think it's something more. It doesn't seem to actually be fin-rot though, but methinks something is destroying the thin tissue between the rays.

So my questions are:
-What parasites are those (more importantly, how do I get rid of them- again, with one, and what sort of dosing)
-Did I give her mouth rot or something? How is that corrected.
-Fin damage is....?

Now here's pictures:
http://s88.photobucket.com/albums/k174/ ... /Aquarium/
The password is 'Hel1per'
The latest 14 pictures are the only ones you should be concerned with.

Thanks!

All I get is incorrect password!

Acid John wrote:All I get is incorrect password!

Oh, my bad. Heh, what I get for being up late at night worrying.
It's "He1per"

Sorry for the trouble.

But I did manage to catch an actual worm, and the smartest fish guy at the store handed me Maracide, and everyone's saying to use it as recommended, and not to lessen the dosage, so I need help with this now.