Illness, Health & Nutrition • Redness at base of Pectoral fins

[chefdanrd]

I have a yellow lab that has a red area at the base of both pectoral fins just behind the gills. The red area also moves when the fins move so it must be partly on the fins. Water parameters are: Nitrite: 0 Ammonia: 0 Nitrate: 10-20, pH:8.3, GH: ~300ppm. I recently added API stress coat in the tank due to a fight between two cobalts that resulted in missing scales and also added 3T salt per a gallon water Saturday to help generate slime coat. What could this be and what should I do about it? Thank you!

[DJRansome]

Septicemia...which is a common symptom but does not tell you what the illness is. Like a fever.

I would not add salt or stress coat.

Try this:
Common Name: Septicemia
Description: Infection in the Bloodstream
Symptoms: redness or streaks under the scales, open wounds, ulcers, popeye, clamped fins, lethargy, color loss, loss of appetite
Cause: injury, poor water conditions, stress, infected fish food
Medications: Maracyn, Maracyn-Two combined

[chefdanrd]

Thank you. I have Maracyn so may need obtain Marcyn two.

[chefdanrd]

Septicemia...which is a common symptom but does not tell you what the illness is. Like a fever.

I would not add salt or stress coat.

Try this:
Common Name: Septicemia
Description: Infection in the Bloodstream
Symptoms: redness or streaks under the scales, open wounds, ulcers, popeye, clamped fins, lethargy, color loss, loss of appetite
Cause: injury, poor water conditions, stress, infected fish food
Medications: Maracyn, Maracyn-Two combined

Should the fish be quarantined or should I treat the whole tank?

[DJRansome]

I would treat the whole tank. If the fish is picked on you may also need to separate him/her.

[chefdanrd]

Thank you,I appreciate your help.

[chefdanrd]

Update: After six weeks in the hospital tank my yellow lab healed up. I used maracyn 1 and 2 combined for one round. After 15 days after the last dose the redness really started to clear up. I kept him in the hospital tank a couple more weeks for rest and made sure he was eating well. By this time, he was "strutting around" the aquarium displaying his colors well, and is much more active and alert.

[Deeda]

Thanks for the update and glad to hear he's doing well!