Odd case of Internal Parasites
- Thread starter Orion
- Start date
The scales on this fish were extreamly flakey. They came off the body with little effort.
I really didn't find anything conclusive to my untrained eye. The stomach and intestinal tract was green all the way to the anal opening. I don't know if this is usefull information or not. I took some pictures, but they didn't seem to turn out great so I don't know if they will help or not.
There was no odd odor or anything else amiss with to me internaly. I didn't see any visable worms, and no orgams seemed swolen. Hard to judge without a good guide of what I'm looking at and nothing to compare too.
I really didn't find anything conclusive to my untrained eye. The stomach and intestinal tract was green all the way to the anal opening. I don't know if this is usefull information or not. I took some pictures, but they didn't seem to turn out great so I don't know if they will help or not.
There was no odd odor or anything else amiss with to me internaly. I didn't see any visable worms, and no orgams seemed swolen. Hard to judge without a good guide of what I'm looking at and nothing to compare too.
Thanks H2O I'll check that out and see if anything strikes out at me.
You seem quick to dismiss the camelanus worms, may I ask why? (just curious)
EDIT- I remember that page before, and still nothing there fully fits what my fish seem to have. The closest thing out of what is listed there would be TB, as the physical and behavioral descriptions match. Mabey the absence of visible worms is a clue? Thankfully I don't have any rash.
EDIT agian- I googled and read a little more about fish TB. It isn't really TB as in what humans can get, but more a bacterial infection. Many of the symptoms that my fish have shown are reflected in the symptoms listed for this. My intitial reasoning for thinking it was IP's was due to the sunk in abdomen area, yet I never have witnessed the stringy or discolored waste from any of the fish. It also said that a healthy fish can carry the bacteria for years without showing any signs, thus giving reason to why they were healthy for months before becomeing afflicted with the symptoms. The advice given is rather bleak, stating to remove and dispose of any fish showing signs.
So now I have to decide what it is my fish may have and treat for it, as I don't feel it would be wise to treat both for IP's and a bacterial infection. Any thoughts to help?
You seem quick to dismiss the camelanus worms, may I ask why? (just curious)
EDIT- I remember that page before, and still nothing there fully fits what my fish seem to have. The closest thing out of what is listed there would be TB, as the physical and behavioral descriptions match. Mabey the absence of visible worms is a clue? Thankfully I don't have any rash.
EDIT agian- I googled and read a little more about fish TB. It isn't really TB as in what humans can get, but more a bacterial infection. Many of the symptoms that my fish have shown are reflected in the symptoms listed for this. My intitial reasoning for thinking it was IP's was due to the sunk in abdomen area, yet I never have witnessed the stringy or discolored waste from any of the fish. It also said that a healthy fish can carry the bacteria for years without showing any signs, thus giving reason to why they were healthy for months before becomeing afflicted with the symptoms. The advice given is rather bleak, stating to remove and dispose of any fish showing signs.
So now I have to decide what it is my fish may have and treat for it, as I don't feel it would be wise to treat both for IP's and a bacterial infection. Any thoughts to help?
Last edited:
In my case, the camelanus worms were visable to the naked eye, and verified with a microscope. So, your fish would most likely have shown some worms upon a necropsy. (that's why I believe that your fish don't have worms, at least not camelanus)
I would do a water change, add carbon to remove any meds from water before switching treatment (I'm sure you know this, but I'm putting it in for other future readers just in case). If its bacterial, I have no idea for meds, but I'm curious as to whether garlic might help, and you're already feeding them that. In humans, it is a mild anti-bacterial.
You should start a new thread with TB in the title. Hopefully, someone else with knowledge about treatment will reply. Has anyone at this forum ever contacted a specialist? I'm not sure what the technical term for a fish biologist is called, but it would be really cool if we could find one to help.
Best of luck-let us know how its going.
I would do a water change, add carbon to remove any meds from water before switching treatment (I'm sure you know this, but I'm putting it in for other future readers just in case). If its bacterial, I have no idea for meds, but I'm curious as to whether garlic might help, and you're already feeding them that. In humans, it is a mild anti-bacterial.
You should start a new thread with TB in the title. Hopefully, someone else with knowledge about treatment will reply. Has anyone at this forum ever contacted a specialist? I'm not sure what the technical term for a fish biologist is called, but it would be really cool if we could find one to help.
Best of luck-let us know how its going.
Thanks H2O, that's what I was wanting to know, if the worms were visable to the naked eye. I'm not so sure about switching treatments just yet. Yesterday I noticed one of the healthy looking cyps with a long string of white waste coming out of it, a tale tale sign of IP's from what I've read. But still, no closer to figureing out what the heck really is going on.
I also read that about the nodules online Lotus. I wasn't able to see any with the naked eye, and I don't have a microscope at my disposal.
I'll check out those parasites, thanks for the tip.
At one of the university's in the western part of the state, they have a full pathology lab for aquatic's. This is obviously geared to the commercial hatcheries, but from what little I've heard about it you can just send them a fish and they will tell you what's wrong with it. I have no idea what the cost is, but I'm sure it isn't cheap. I know someone with a catfish farm who sends them fish when they become ill, I may try to get up with him to see about how much it does cost. At this point I'm just curious what it is.
I also read that about the nodules online Lotus. I wasn't able to see any with the naked eye, and I don't have a microscope at my disposal.
I'll check out those parasites, thanks for the tip.
At one of the university's in the western part of the state, they have a full pathology lab for aquatic's. This is obviously geared to the commercial hatcheries, but from what little I've heard about it you can just send them a fish and they will tell you what's wrong with it. I have no idea what the cost is, but I'm sure it isn't cheap. I know someone with a catfish farm who sends them fish when they become ill, I may try to get up with him to see about how much it does cost. At this point I'm just curious what it is.
It's been almost a week since I began treatment with the medicated foods and thankfully no new fish have shown signs of illness.
There is only one left that has a sunk in stomache. I'm debating on removing this fish and euthinize it in hopes of keeping any of the other's from being infected (or infected worse than what it already is). I'm still not 100% sure on what exactly it is, so this would be a better safe than sorry move. Although there aren't many cyps left to save...bah.
There is only one left that has a sunk in stomache. I'm debating on removing this fish and euthinize it in hopes of keeping any of the other's from being infected (or infected worse than what it already is). I'm still not 100% sure on what exactly it is, so this would be a better safe than sorry move. Although there aren't many cyps left to save...bah.
Thanks TLM. 
These things are bound to happen I supose, but I lay the blame all on me. If I had been able to give more attention to the tank then I may have been able to notice something sooner, and mabey even save more. This is why I'm cutting back somewhat. No use in have many tanks that look like crap and sick fish just for the sake of whatever. I would rather have a few good and healthy ones.
These things are bound to happen I supose, but I lay the blame all on me. If I had been able to give more attention to the tank then I may have been able to notice something sooner, and mabey even save more. This is why I'm cutting back somewhat. No use in have many tanks that look like crap and sick fish just for the sake of whatever. I would rather have a few good and healthy ones.
So sorry about your losses, but you don't necessarily need to downsize. Weird things can happen even if you carefully check your fish each day. (I always at least briefly check each fish daily, make sure it's eating, etc, and I still had the problem with the camelanus) It can happen to anyone, no matter how careful you are. So, don't feel so bad! That said, downsizing can allow you to more fully enjoy fewer tanks. Best of luck!
Sorry H2O, I didn't mean to make it sound that this was the only reason I'm tring to cut back on tanks. I've been doing so for some time now. Belive me, I have plenty. With 10 in our appartment there is plenty to keep me busy with it. Really I'm downsizing my 'show' tanks or display tanks. The tanks that are seen by just about anyone who comes to visit. I have a rack in our spare bedroom that I keep my grow out tanks and QT tanks at. These are just barebottomed tanks with minimal decor for easy cleaning and maintance.
About a year ago it stoped being so much fun for me, and started to feel more as an obligation to keep everything clean and pretty. I've since droped about four display tanks and made my life and my hobby much more enjoyable.
About a year ago it stoped being so much fun for me, and started to feel more as an obligation to keep everything clean and pretty. I've since droped about four display tanks and made my life and my hobby much more enjoyable.
I'm afraid to say anything for fear of jinxing it but...
It's been over a week and no other cyps are showing any symptoms. Boy I hope I've got this thing whiped.
I was thinking to continue feeding the medicated food for at least another month. Is this long enough, or should I feed a little bit longer. I don't mind too as it really isn't much more work at all once I have a batch made up.
It's been over a week and no other cyps are showing any symptoms. Boy I hope I've got this thing whiped.
I was thinking to continue feeding the medicated food for at least another month. Is this long enough, or should I feed a little bit longer. I don't mind too as it really isn't much more work at all once I have a batch made up.
Although I'm a relative newbie, what about ordering something like this:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produ...&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Np=1&pc=1&N=0&Nty=1
Is that what you have already?
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produ...&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Np=1&pc=1&N=0&Nty=1
Is that what you have already?