Re: Buggy sick, please help!
#7
In theory yes, a bout of bad stress can temporarily lower the immune system leading to opportunistic pathogens that live in sybstrates and on decor, aeromonas, saprolegnia etc taking hold, especially if the fish has been bombing about hyperventilating like a nutter, then nearly passing out, and scratching itself. Usually takes a fairly long period or a very bad bout of panic indeed to trigger that sort of thing though.
Could be introduced, though most finrot bacteria are almost omnipresent in aquaria anyway. Might just be a strain they arent used to got in on plants, decor or with the introduction of new fish. Whats gone in there recently?
There are numerous anti fungus and finrot cures out there, formalin basic, various dyes, malachite green, methylene blue, etc various manufacturers, waterlife, tetra, esha, interpet, king british, there's bound to be one in a store near you, have a look and see what you can get.
If its accelerating quickly and you dont mind the bill, by all means go to a vet. Given signs of septacaemia its usually a prudent move, by definition septacaemia is blood poisoning meaning the fishs internal tissues are under attack and most shop meds arent very penetrative, meaning furans and antibiotics might be a better option anyway, and if infection progresses really quickly you'd escalate to that sort of med sharpish anyway.