I want to quit keeping fish.....

[Bleeding]

I think all i ever do is get on here and complain about my fish....

For anyone who had followed previous posts, I had a fish loss to some weird "red tube" looking thing that came out of the vent. Another guppy had the same instance a few days ago (the very first fish I had ever purchased). The first fish to get it died shorty, but this second fish lost half of the hanging object by the next day, and then by the second day, it was gone. Then this morning I woke up and one of my many female platys was dead on the bottom of the tank. Checked the water conditions, everything is normal but the nitrates were a little high, so i did a 20% water change.

THEN...I looked today and I have a betta with these livebearers and he has a werid looking growth on his head just behind his gill. Looks similar to a tumor, but shows no change in color (like its internal not external). He apperars to be acting normal during feeding (he comes to the top when the lid is opened, etc.) but is hiding more than usual in one of the cave ornaments.

WTH is wrong with my tank and my fish???? I searched for this tumor thing, and someone suggested using spectrogram as an antibiotic on a different site.

Any comments? By the way, i guess i chalked the platy dying up to giving birth/stress afterwards without being seperated after giving birth....it showed no other signs of anything wrong.

 

[ewurm]

Sounds like you might have internal parasites, which are common in livebearers. Check this months issue of TFH, I believe they recommended levamethiasole.

 

[cichlaguapote]

Would agree. Could be a parasite. Whatever it is don't just give up. Working through it and finding the answer and learning is part of the process and you'll be a better fish keeper in the end.

 

[Lupin]

Sounds like you might have internal parasites, which are common in livebearers. Check this months issue of TFH, I believe they recommended levamethiasole.

Yes, it was camallanus if I remember some of your posts though I haven't answered on any of those if my memory serves correctly. Levamisole is recommended for this case.

 

[guppy]

Jungle makes a good anti-parasite medicated food that contains praziquantel, metronidazole, and levamisol or benzimidazole. The mix is pretty safe to use and will knock out round and flat worms as well as many protozoals, all without screwing up your filter.

 

[TankBuster]

Sounds like you might have internal parasites, which are common in livebearers. Check this months issue of TFH, I believe they recommended levamethiasole.

Wow, you were on top of that one. Good call.

 

[USMCtanker]

sounds to me like ur haveing a bad luck streak, when u ever have bad luck in fish keeping its never just one thing its always bad. if u can make it thro with at least some fish u willl be fine, we have all had these times when it feels like nothing else could go wrong and it does. good luck to ya

 

[CHOMPERS]

Don't give up on fish keeping. You just need to get the right medication and then carry on. The worms are nematodes, a very difficult internal parasite to get rid of. They are the root cause of the condition Bluebell mentioned. Camellanus (camel-anus) is caused by the nematodes being in high numbers in the large intestine, causing a large hump at the fish's anus. In smaller fish, they seem pregnant or with full bellies. Often fish will live with nematodes for months without having any outward symptoms. The tell tale sign is when the red worms protrude from the fish's anus. Usually they do not break off but they may retract back in the fish.

There are two stages to the nematode life cycle. The adult nematode is the worm you see hanging from your fish. It is anchored in the intestine with hooks on the head end of the worm. The larva stage requires copepods as a host. Copepods are close to the microscopic scale but can be seen with the unaided eye. They are tiny white insect looking bugs in the tank that swim erraticly. An adult nematode produces thousands of larva and the presence of copepodes will guarantee the infection of every fish in the tank. If an infected fish is used as a feeder, the nematodes will survive the digestion of their host and will take up residency in the new fish.

Before finding Levamisole Hydrocloride, I tried everything made for internal parasites including the medicated fish food. None of the medications worked and none of the fish stores carry any products containing Levamisole Hydrochloride (except for the fish food). Levamisole Hydrochloride will make all of your fish vomit everything they ate in the last two days. To put it into fish food makes for very predictable results First off, I couldn't get the fish to eat it. Even after starving them for several days they would only mouth it and then spit it out. I ended up finding a supplier online and ordered a bottle of the Levamisole Hydrochloride. It will treat 400 gallons and costs $20 when you include shipping. After two days the worms will fall out with out your help. I do not know if it kills the nematodes in the larva stage but it would be a good idea to treat your fish in a bare bottom tank and then do a thorough cleaning of their tank to get rid of any copepods that may be infected.

 

[Bleeding]

Ok, i know this thread is a little old, but I have been able to get a few pics of this weird thing coming out of my guppys vent.

To me, this does not look like the camellanus worms or whatever, but if you guys think thats what it is, i will treat for it. I know its a little hard to see.

The first guppy that had this died, and the one you see in the picture lived. The day after he lost about half of whatever that mass is, and then the next day it was completely gone, and he appears to be back to normal.

Any ideas????

 

[benzjamin13]

Looks like you need some anti-parasite medication.