Caryl Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 I have just asked a vet on another forum I mod for if she can read this and offer any advice. She is in the USA so allow for time difference EDIT: Just discovered she has gone for a week's holiday in Mexico 8) :roll: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelsta Posted April 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 Oh thank you Caryl, I'll keep an eye out because a week isn't that long - I've been arguing with hubby about it for a year already! :roll: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelsta Posted April 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2008 Hey guys, just updating... Firslty, I've finally convinced hubby to treat with Prazi and we did it last night!! Woohoo!! :bounce: I've also been doing some serious research - having the day off work helps! - and found a couple of things. I found out my fish had a few symptoms I hadn't even noticed as abnormal... Doc Johnson (www.koivet.com) says split fins can actually be a secondary stress indicator of parasites, such as gill flukes. I also discovered that the "injected fins" (red veins in the tail fins) I had asked about are a stress response. Can also be due to various things but the only thing it could be in my case is parasites or bacterial sepsis as the water tests are all good. Assuming it's flukes. Jumping, can also be a symptoms of either poor water conditions (irritants) like high ir low pH, ammonia etc, or else it can be parasites. Once again, because water tests are god, assuming it's flukes. Also hanging at the surface (leaning up, head to surface) can be low pH or else gill probloems - bacterial infection in gills or flukes. Once again, assume it's flukes as no outward sign of bacterial infection in the gills. So, armed with all the info we have treated with prazi for flukes, and will see of that stops the symptoms. Id so, we've found the problem. Thanks everyone for your help and support Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FreedingFrenzy Posted April 16, 2008 Report Share Posted April 16, 2008 Hopefully it works! Fingers crossed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kd123 Posted April 16, 2008 Report Share Posted April 16, 2008 Any noticeable changes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelsta Posted April 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2008 Well, Flossie has stopped "hanging" at the surface, although she does swim up there a lot still and still 'pipes' or gulps in air from the surface. Interestingly, she used to have bad float problems, but this seems to have improved markedly. I have not noticed Flipper doing his dolphin dives - although it's only been 8 days. We have so far done two treatments, 4 days apart. Due for another good vacuum and re-dose tonight. Perhaps it will take some time to notice a major improvement. Sometimes the fish still look like they're chewing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted April 17, 2008 Report Share Posted April 17, 2008 The vet finally got back from Mexico 8) She says; It looks like they already started treament. Basically a healthy fish should not get sores that lead to ulcers. There has to be some reason that the skin is becoming suseptable to infection like that. With the dwarf gourami we know that they have a virus that causes necrotic ulcers. One of the things that causes a disruption of the skin and leaves it open to infection are ectoparasites. Lice and anchor worms are visible with the naked eye. Flukes are a little less obvious. If you can rule out water quality, virus, and trauma I think parasites are really a possibility. Normal dewormers wont kill flukes. Praziquantal is what is reccomended. It is a relativly safe medication that is used in dogs/cats/livestock for the treatment of tape worms and people to cotrol tapeworms and schistosomas infections. There are a lot of different reccomendations for treatment. It can be harmful to some marine fish but golfish usually handle it well. You can dissolve it in water and use it like a treatment bath, or you can feed it in medicated food. Its also not a bad idea to increase the salinity of the water for a week or so. Or even treat the lesion topicly if your fish are large enough for safe handling It sounds like your forum member has done her homework already and is off to a good start. I tried to join and post some confirmatory info but I couldnt join so you can pass along what you want from this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelsta Posted April 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2008 Oh thank you Caryl, you are such a godsend! I am so glad I got hubby on board with the prazi. Hopefully this will be the solution. We have been salting as well, so I was pleased to read that's the right thing to do. They've had three treatments now with thorough vacuuming and water changes etc. The goldies are looking happy. Still go to the surface now and again to 'breathe' but not for long. Sometimes I catch them yawning. But the float probs are gone, and the ripped fin isn't getting any worse. Fingers crossed aye! The borneo suckers are remarkably happy and healthy looking now too. They must've had the gill flukes as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelsta Posted April 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2008 Actually!! Man, I'm blond - memory like a seive... Last night when I got home from work, all the goldfish were doing poos that were really really long and white and thin and stringy. Not like normal food-coloured pooop. Fish didn't seem concerned and were behaving totally normal. What could this mean? Should I worry about it ignore it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted April 17, 2008 Report Share Posted April 17, 2008 Have asked her. Hopefully we get a reply soon. She is in the USA so often posts afternoons our time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelsta Posted April 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2008 Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolliolli Posted April 18, 2008 Report Share Posted April 18, 2008 Last night when I got home from work, all the goldfish were doing poos that were really really long and white and thin and stringy. Not like normal food-coloured pooop. Fish didn't seem concerned and were behaving totally normal. What could this mean? Should I worry about it ignore it? it usually means internal parasites Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelsta Posted April 18, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2008 Oh my... will the prazi be getting rid of them or is there something else you have to use for internal parasites? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelsta Posted April 18, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2008 Hey! Could internal parasites cause float problems?! Maybe that's why Flossie has had such bad issues with float, and now she seems a bit better since the prazi...? Just an un-educated guess...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted April 18, 2008 Report Share Posted April 18, 2008 Perhaps it means the prazi is working and the body is ridding itself of the parasites the only way it can? :-? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelsta Posted April 18, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2008 Could be aye. I know when you worm cats and dogs their dead tape worms get pooped out. I do indeed hope that's what's happening. Maybe the fish had tape worms. Gross, the poor things! My neighbour's cat once pooped out a live tape worm! It was disgusting. I assume that if they're being pooped out they'll be dead, and therefore no threat to the fish? If there's anything left that didn't get sucked up the filter intake it will hopefully be vacuumed out, but not for a fews more days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolliolli Posted April 18, 2008 Report Share Posted April 18, 2008 as i understand it prazi is usually for external flukes (ie gill flukes) and metronidazole is usually what you would use for internal flukes. I've used both in the past and had quite good success for with the metro for the internal parasites. your symptoms sound similar to what i had in the link posted earlier, (holes in fins, stringy poos etc). i found the metro quite successful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted April 18, 2008 Report Share Posted April 18, 2008 Vet says; The droncit is deworming the fish so the white poo may just be secondary to dieing parasite but its hard to say?? As long as they are getting better and better and they are eating I wouldnt worry too much. It sounds like they are being good and attentive to their fish!! Some roughage might be good for the gut like some peas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelsta Posted April 18, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2008 Thanks so much, that's great. Will just assume it's either parasites being expelled or something else harmless. Will just continue with the Droncit and vacuuming and hope for the best Also, thanks Jolliolli - will try the stuff you mentioned if symptoms persist after the Droncit treatment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jolliolli Posted April 18, 2008 Report Share Posted April 18, 2008 don't worry about the stringy poos harming the fish they should be fine, i think what you actually see is part of the fish's stomach lining being shed as the med tries to expel the parasite (or something like that from what ive read) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelsta Posted April 18, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2008 Woah, that sounds pretty radical!! Shedding stomach lining?! Oh well as long as they seem happy and un-stressed. I'll just let things take their course now. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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