brishe Posted February 9, 2007 Report Share Posted February 9, 2007 i posted some questions about our gouramis sitting on the floor of the tank alot and one was skinny,sadly the skinny one died yesterday. But just before she died she would not eat much and was passing a clear stringy thing from her back end, today i have noticed that our female bristlenose is also passing a clear stringy thing but there is also faeces in it too, she seems healthy and is eating well, but she also seems to have a slightly distended abdomen, i dont know if its normal for them or not, our male doesnt have it. Could it be possible that we have an infection in our tank, we lost a rainbow tetra last week too, it suddenly went all disorientated and died. Also i would like to know how often i should be offering the bristle noses algae tabs or pellets?? Can blood worms be contaminated?? it seems to be since i started offering blood worms that we are having issues. Sorry for a long list of questions but some help would be much appreciated as we are new to the fish thing and i dont want to lose any more fish. Thanks. I am about to do a water level check and will post the results but after getting our nitrite under control the water has been stable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted February 9, 2007 Report Share Posted February 9, 2007 There is alot of info around on the internet that suggests bloodworms are full of parasites and I suspect this is what may have happened to your fish.. Also clear stringy poo's are a sign of parasites. The gouramis have always had problems with health as far as im aware I know a few people who've brought a few and lost them etc. You should probably dose your tank with something for parasites maybe metro or something like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AL008 Posted February 9, 2007 Report Share Posted February 9, 2007 Sorry to hear that, brishe. I hope your other two do better. I think I already mentioned antibiotics as the best treatment for parasites? Your LFS will probably have something, if not, the vet. Go back and have a look at the link to the diagnostic I put in the other thread, it has treatments on it as well. Cheers (and good luck) L Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharn Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 white stringy poop (no segments in it right?) is probably an indication of Heximita. metrondiazole is commonly used for treating that, just remove the effected fish to a BB tank (so you can check poops) while treating. Heximita is a flagellite found in all fishes guts in manageble numbers and only becomes a problem when the fishs immune system is down and it can take hold. i beleive the white poop is intestinal lining. fish generally stop eating after a period of time and if left untreated will starve to death so treatment is reccomended. i have seen garlic (freshly crushed) being used to treat fish that are still eating but it takes alot longer and i have read of mixed results. i would go with metro if you can get it (also known as Flagyl when used in humans) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brishe Posted February 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 Thanks so much for that info!! It definatly sounds like parasites then as thats what happened to my poor gourami, Can i get metro from the vets without taking the fish in?? Our LFS said he had nothing for parasites etc. So i should stay away from blood worms then??? seems a shame as the fish love it, what could i give them as an alternative? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimTam22 Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 Are you feeding live blood worms? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharn Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 theres a big debate about the whole 'bloodworms are bad/good'. some wont touch them (even if they are frozen) while others swear by them. i dont think bloodworms caused the Heximita problems personally but i am no scientist. you may be able to get metro from the vets without taking the fish in. give them a ring and ask if they will prescribe it if you take along a piece of the fishes poop (bag with a big of water) and some info on hexamita and anything else they may want (photos of fish, tank etc). i dont think they are legally allowed to dose without seeing the animal though even though some friendly ones do. the LFS will not stock anything for hexamita sadly. i know a few people on here can get it, i have no idea where from though, perhaps one of them is willing to send some up for you. perhaps give your doctor a bell? i know it comes under another name other than metro and flagyl, but i cant remember off the top of my head (trichlorzile or something?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 It is available from your pet shop and possibly the local coucil for worming dogs. Someone who has used it should be able to help with the way to use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brishe Posted February 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 Are you feeding live blood worms? no we were feeding frozen blood worms but they partially thawed out on the drive home. We put them back and re froze them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 Don't think the bloodworms defrosting and then being refrozen would hurt - mine sometimes defrost on the way home as well. You do need to be careful with how much/often you feed them though as very high in fat. The only thing I have noticed is that since I reduced feeding bloodworms to only once every 2-3 weeks that the occurance of dropsy in my tanks is nil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brishe Posted February 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2007 Don't think the bloodworms defrosting and then being refrozen would hurt - mine sometimes defrost on the way home as well. You do need to be careful with how much/often you feed them though as very high in fat. The only thing I have noticed is that since I reduced feeding bloodworms to only once every 2-3 weeks that the occurance of dropsy in my tanks is nil. Thanks for that, i might have to cut it down too then as we were advised to feed it once a week, and while we had our skinny gourami the LFS said up it to every second day (which the fish loved). I am a bit weiry of it now if its going to cause issues, mind you it says on the packet that it is bacteria free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharn Posted February 11, 2007 Report Share Posted February 11, 2007 It is available from your pet shop and possibly the local coucil for worming dogs you meaning metro alanmin? if so what is it called when you buy it from the petshop? i havent seen it for sale here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted February 11, 2007 Report Share Posted February 11, 2007 I can't remember what it is called but I think it is what was used to treat dogs for the control of sheep measels. Would it be drontal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharn Posted February 11, 2007 Report Share Posted February 11, 2007 drontal has prazi? is that the one you were thinking of? prazi is effective on flukes/tapeworm and a few other things, im not sure how it would go with hex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted February 11, 2007 Report Share Posted February 11, 2007 You are right. I have had a brain explosion. Forget the above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brishe Posted February 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2007 I am having trouble her tracking down some Metro, no one wants to give it out without a consultation, now my big bristlenose is passing the same stuff, now i am worried, i was advised to start garlic. So i have made up mashed zucchini with crushed garlic and have frozen them into little cubes, they seem to like it. And i will mix garlic into the flakes for the other fish and see if that helps. One petshop offered me furan 2 but said it may not help, true?? I so dont want to lose any fish, any other ideas?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharn Posted February 12, 2007 Report Share Posted February 12, 2007 :lol: @ alan every now and again i see garlic mentioned to help prevent it, but im not sure how it would go with curing- ive read a few accounts which say they used garlic alone but that took over 6 weeks and sometimes fish dont have that long. it definatly wont hurt so do keep up with the garlic feedings, its better than nothing furan-2 will not help as far as i am aware. do you know anyone that keeps discus? they may be a good bet as hex is common in discus. are you friendly with your doctor? i hope someone can help you out with finding it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brishe Posted February 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2007 Several of our fish are now passing clear stringy poo!! I have no doubt its Hexamita. Our female bristlenose is definatly slightly bloated too, but they are still eating really well. I am going to take one of them to the vet (even though there is not much to see) and hopefully they will prescribe Metronidazole and if i need it in the future i shouldnt need to bring the fish in. Cant say i have ever taken a fish to the vet!!! lol But i am desperate now, i just hope she doesnt get too stressed. As our vet doesnt have much to do with vets, can anyone give me dose rates for metro, oral dosage and bathing dosage?? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharn Posted February 14, 2007 Report Share Posted February 14, 2007 collect a piece of their poop to take in with the fish, it stays intact and nice in a little bit of water. they may want to check it under a microscope or something. dosage is (this is what i do anyway) 200mg/40L every 12 hours (w/c of 30-50% or so before each retreatment) for fish that arent too bad. treat for around 5 days (you need to see their poops become normal) but up to ten is ok. for heavily affected fish the dosage is 400mg/40L every 8/12 hours (i did every 12 cause i need more than 8 hours sleep) with the 30-50% w/c in between for up to ten days, usually a week is sufficient though. i cant remember the dosage for the food sorry up temp a few degrees if you want. i advise treating in a seperate tank, it really messes it up when you use the pills, barebottom will help you keep track of their poops really well. apparently metro loses its effectiveness in water after 8 hours which is why the w/c's are so frequent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brishe Posted February 14, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2007 Thanks Sharn for all your advice, its a real help!! When you say metro messes up the tank, what do you mean? does it affect the filter System?? I dont have another tank set up yet and most of the fish are showing symptoms, would it hurt to treat the tank? or should i look at getting another set up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharn Posted February 14, 2007 Report Share Posted February 14, 2007 it coats everything in a white layer (sorta slimey), dunno if it does that for everyone or not but it did for me :lol: i treated in barebottom tank. im not sure if it effects the filter system to be honest. would all the fish be able to fit into a standard two footer for treatment comfortably? if so you could perhaps borrow one from a local, fill it up 40L (ten gal) and treat like that? just need a small heater and sponge filter. pollution/spikes shouldnt be a problem as the large w/c's will keep everything in check (id think doing 50% a time would be a good idea though if you were to use a brand new filter with no exisiting media/bacteria just incase). finding a heap of poops in a tank with substrate, plants etc might be quite hard. i beleive there are quite a few articles out there on hex, a google should return enough to fill your brain for years :lol: i like to advise researching treatment methods/dosages and picking the one that is best for you (i normally shoot for the most common one), the treatments above are for discus but i would assume the treatment dosages are all the same, might pay to check if cats are sensitive to it or not though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brishe Posted February 17, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2007 I set up my tank to start treatment with a filter, heater. Sadly the filter broke last nite and woke to find 3 dead neons, my big gourami not looking hot either. The water was so cloudy i couldnt even see the fish! I have only treated them with two treatments 12hours apart but have put them back in main tank and hope not to see any more die. I know its not long enough but i will see how they go and if still showing signs i might get some more and treat the main tank. I see what you mean by white slimy stuff though, it was all over the drift wood that i put in for the bristlenoses. Thanks again for you help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharn Posted February 18, 2007 Report Share Posted February 18, 2007 sorry to hear it didnt go so well there are heaps of articles out there on the net, perhaps have a read and try and find something that suits you? what works for one person may not work for someone else. i have only treated discus for hex and it went well. how did you dissolve the tablets? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brishe Posted February 19, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 19, 2007 sorry to hear it didnt go so well there are heaps of articles out there on the net, perhaps have a read and try and find something that suits you? what works for one person may not work for someone else. i have only treated discus for hex and it went well. how did you dissolve the tablets? thats ok, im just grateful for the advice!! the neons looked like they got dropsy, their bellies just puffed up and they went all disorientated and died, everyone else is ok, even my big gourami is doing ok now. The bristlenoses are still showing signs, so i got some more metro(solution) and i have got enough to treat the whole tank so i will try that and see what happens, the female bristlenose isnt very lively so i have to do something. i will keep you posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishfingers Posted February 22, 2007 Report Share Posted February 22, 2007 How did you get on with your metro dosing? I've started a thread asking about which of three dosing protocols is the correct one to use. What did you do? http://www.fnzas.org.nz/fishroom/metron ... 19201.html Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.