fish illness expert???

[Reframer]

That jungle food is hard to get down a fish that isn't eating, you can try dipping it in fresh garlic juice but don't be supprised itf they don't take it. I would go with a round of Jungle brand parasite clear tablets, which are sold at both stores. I have never lost fish during a treatment, they seem to be pretty gentle meds.
If you are absolutely certain they are callamanus worms then the Jungle product doesn't work and you will need some levamisole HCL, which can be ordered thru this website :http://www.inkmkr.com/Fish/ItemsForSale.html

If neither one of those work, then I suspect you might have a mycobateria infection of some kind in which case a total tear down and disinfecting with vinegar will be necessar (let's hope it's not that).

 

[Lillyan]

googling mycobateria infection, it affects humans? I don't think it's that. I've seen the worms the other person posted pics about. I have started crushing the food, wont feed anything else, eventually they will eat.

 

[KarlTh]

Mycobacteria do infect humans, but don't cause TB, just an unpleasant ulcer.

What's the GH? Platys (like most fish) don't care much about pH, but don't always get on particularly well in soft water, although they're far less picky about this than mollies are.

 

[Lillyan]

I know the tap water is hard and I bought a water softener pillow a long time ago for other fish in a different tank. Should still be hard water.

 

[Cerianthus]

Mycobacteria do infect humans, but don't cause TB, just an unpleasant ulcer.

What's the GH? Platys (like most fish) don't care much about pH, but don't always get on particularly well in soft water, although they're far less picky about this than mollies are.

Do you know of natural soft water that is high pH?
Try making hard but low pH water (something like pH of 6.0 and sustain low pH w/o additives if you can ) and keep platy/swordtail.

Anyways, are you still continuously loosing platies, Lillyan?

 

[platytudes]

If she saw the worms, it's a dead giveaway. Believe me, you wouldn't mistake them for red poop! I don't know if Levamisole is as effective as Fenbendazole, but anyhow the concentration is only 0.4% in the Jungle food...the other stuff, Metro and Prazi, are ineffective against these particular worms.

 

[ducatigirl]

While we are on the subject of worms, and seeing as I cant get meds like that without the vets help...

ok the vet will get the medications in, if i have correct dosages, before they will dispense them.
so we are looking for dosage rates for
fenbenzadole
metronidazole
acriflavin.

Anyone have a bottle of the stuff with directions?
thank you

 

[KarlTh]

Do you know of natural soft water that is high pH?
Try making hard but low pH water (something like pH of 6.0 and sustain low pH w/o additives if you can ) and keep platy/swordtail.

Anyways, are you still continuously loosing platies, Lillyan?

I have moderately hard low pH water at home. Depending on the CO2 level it can be anywhere from 6.0 to 6.5. The platys are fine, thank you.

I do know of natural soft water high in pH. We have it in some places in the UK; high natural sodium bicarbonate. GH very low, pH 8+. Now if by "soft" you're including alkilinity, I grant you it would be pretty rare. Not sure of the relevance here though, given that the OPer hasn't told us her pH.

 

[Lillyan]

I don't know the hardness of anything of the water. I think my master API kit does check for...general hardness? I will be letting Platy go either way, for free. So if anyone wants them, the good 'ol fat healthy ones, since I culled about 5 thin ones before I started this thread, PM me. Pick up only though.
I have been crushing the meds and only feeding that for 2 days. I think they are eating it. I will watch them when I feed them later today. I have not seen more deaths. The 2 or 3 I know to be thin, idk how they are. I say a fry with worms, I believe he is still alive and goes for food.

 

[platytudes]

The thing about these worms is that it can infect all your tanks. The feces of the fish are eaten by tiny copepods, and the copepods are eaten by the fish. Most worms can't complete their life cycle in aquariums, but these can. And like ich which can be transferred on any wet object (nets, for example) the free living stages of these worms can also travel on buckets and nets.

I don't think you understand the gravity of what you're facing here. There are many accounts of entire tanks being wiped out by these worms. You might treat with an ineffective medication (some fizzy tabs, some Prazi Pro, whatever) and it may SEEM like the problem has gone away, only for it to return some time later. This is why quarantine is rather ineffective against these worms, because everything will seem fine for weeks - then you start seeing a fish that isn't thriving, eventually it will be in discomfort, bottom sitting and having little interest in food - then BAM, there are those little red worms again.

You should read this account - appropariately titled, Camallanus Worms: An Aquarists Worst Nightmare:
http://www.petfish.net/kb/entry/154/

Believe me, when I found out I had these worms I did not delay in making an online order for the proper medicated flake food. $17 was a small price to pay for saving these fish. I'm certain if I hadn't acted fast the problem would have been much worse.

I don't really think you should be selling or giving away fish right now until you finish treating all of them (even the seemingly healthy ones) and observe them for a while to ensure they are better. Unlike lots of diseases - dropsy, finrot, fungus - this one IS contagious, so my advice to you is not to risk contaminating others' aquariums. Even if you are just giving them away for no money!