# Gill rot?



## evil RHOMulin leader (Feb 27, 2003)

My 9" red has a funny looking white growth around one of his gills. This is only about 1/2" long on the outer edge of the gill tissue. I've tried antibiotics which didn't work along with some natural herbal treatment with no success. Does anyone recognize this? I'll try to post a picture soon.


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## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

fungus?


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## SnowCichlid. (Jan 10, 2003)

can you post a picture or be more specific...


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## marco (Jan 2, 2003)

the ph and nitrates are probibly off and your fish is probibly stressed. id add some aquarium salt just to make him feel better. he will swim around after you add the aquarium salt, it will sooth him and make him feel nice. you can buy aquarium salt at your lfs.


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## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

marco said:


> the ph and nitrates are probibly off and your fish is probibly stressed. id add some aquarium salt just to make him feel better. he will swim around after you add the aquarium salt, it will sooth him and make him feel nice. you can buy aquarium salt at your lfs.


 Yeah, marco is right, it would probably be good if you did a water change and add some salt, and then do another water change in a few days.


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## SnowCichlid. (Jan 10, 2003)

if you do actually have "gil rot" whether bactiarial or fungal it will become very difficult to treat and may result in the death of your piranha by suffocation


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## marco (Jan 2, 2003)

i dont know what else to tell you RHOMulin.


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## evil RHOMulin leader (Feb 27, 2003)

Here is a picture of the gill in question. I'll try the sea salt as I've been given this advice before. Thanks, guys.


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## evil RHOMulin leader (Feb 27, 2003)

Here is another look.


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## marco (Jan 2, 2003)

hmmmmm. get a clearer pic.


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## marco (Jan 2, 2003)

id still say add aquarium salt and see where it goes from there.


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## rosecityrhom (Feb 3, 2003)

the ph should not be a reason for that formation or any other I don't believe. A constistent ph is better than a perfect one for p's IMO. Hey buddy, watch your ph though if and when you add aquarium salt...it may cause it to fluctuate the lady at Cayes told me.


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## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

rosecityrhom said:


> the ph should not be a reason for that formation or any other I don't believe. A constistent ph is better than a perfect one for p's IMO. Hey buddy, watch your ph though if and when you add aquarium salt...it may cause it to fluctuate the lady at Cayes told me.


 how can you keep a steady pH if you do not control it?, if it is always high, or low, what happens when you add new water? - do you make the new water bad also before adding it?
why wouldn't you try to keep a regular pH at a good level say around 7.0?
In my tutorial (how to set up a piranha tank) I reccomended a powder which automatically sets pH to 7.0 no-matter what it is already at, I have used this for years and it is easy to use and has solved all of my pH problems.

anyway, I cant see the problem in the pics, I suggest you ask Judazzz to briten up the pics as he has done a great job on other pics on the site








I would suggest like Marco did that you do water changes and add aqurium salt - to a total amount of 1 tablespoon per 5 gallons (assuming you don't already have salt in your tank, reduce the dosage if appropriate)


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## Alexraptor (Jan 30, 2003)

I see wut he means on the pics. its like a bit of white tissue on the p's gill lids.


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## Judazzz (Jan 13, 2003)

Maybe this helps a bit...


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## rosecityrhom (Feb 3, 2003)

if you're using the same water from the same tap your ph will be consistent...at least it always has for me. My ph is 6.8 or maybe closer to 7 but it stays consistent around there. But this is my friend and I know his ph is around what mine is cause i did the water test myself...so its not the ph. I was just saying that I don't believe the ph would be a factor if its consistent...which his is. Maybe if it was fluctuating then it would cause his guys to get stressed. I was just saying that consistency is often better than constantly trying to maintain 7 if you have to constantly mess with it.


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## evil RHOMulin leader (Feb 27, 2003)

I've just added some aquarium salt to the tank (1 tbl spoon per 5gal). I'll update the post in a few days with any progression. Thanks guys!


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## SnowCichlid. (Jan 10, 2003)

If it is a case of gill rot it looks rather minor in comparison to waht it can be, so maybe by catching it early you can defeat it, and also it may just be to unconsistant water parameters as well


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## rosecityrhom (Feb 3, 2003)

Can adding aquarium salt mess with ph or is the lady at Cayes wrong? If it can then my friend should monitor his ph as well when adding it correct?


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## SnowCichlid. (Jan 10, 2003)

rosecityrhom said:


> Can adding aquarium salt mess with ph or is the lady at Cayes wrong? If it can then my friend should monitor his ph as well when adding it correct?


 Adding salt has never affected my pH levels, you should be fine, but checking the parameters never hurts :







:


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