salt baths

I gave both my paradise fishes a salt bath today. Repeat for Lady to make sure whatever she has goes away for good, and Perry just in case- I wonder if the bump on his lip is same pathogen. I dosed them with 1.5 tsp in 1/2 gallon- Perry in a gallon fishbowl and Lady in my 2 gal bucket. Duration was 10 min, and then I took out half the water and started adding tank water back in at intervals to balance out the bath before they went back in the tank, so not as much osmotic shock.

Lady tolerated it better this time, no problems until I began re-adding the fresh tank water. She would start to show stress then after 5 to 8 min, and before I was quite done, once again tried to jump out, so I netted her back in the tank (already shrouded to keep dark and calm. I took these pics to try and get a close look at the problem area- but it was too dim to see well. However it looks like the scales are lying flat again.

Light specks on the flanks are air bubbles. I am always intrigued when I get a close overhead like this, and can see the lens of the fish's eye.

It was easier to view Perry in the glass bowl and I had to sit keep a close eye on them anyway, so I took more photos. He seemed more stressed or bothered the confinement than the salt content- at least did not faint or try to jump out, but constantly tested the boundaries. I kept him in the bath full duration- when netted back in the tank they both clamped their fins and Perry was twitching more than Lady. I had it dark all rest of the day.

I notice that the lower lobe of his caudal fin, the filament is shorter, ever since he and Lady fought- I don't know if it will ever grow out to equal length again.

Perry really has become a handsome fish!

I can admire his colors so much better in this situation, because in the backlit window tank, hard to see them well- unless I look from above or thru the short end (one downside to that setup).

I particularly like the blue edging on his anal fin...