Lima Cat Shedding question not acting normal

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lakers12345

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
May 5, 2014
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United States, IA
Hi, So i've got a Lima Shovelnose Catfish that is not acting normal. It sheds its slime coat on a daily bases. Is that normal or is something stressing him to do this. Over the last several months he has become very lalargic and shy. He never swims around any more and really struggles to eat. He acts like he wants to eat but seems to have trouble getting the food into his stomach. He spits his food out and sheds his slime coat when he tries to eat. I can only get him to eat a couple times a week and its getting worse. He also has some things protruding from his anus from time to time( See pictures) are the pictures normal for Lima's? He has not been right for 6 months or so, I've wondered if this is a parasite but could he live this long with a parasite?
Please help im a desperate fish owner.. Thanks in advance!

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I am not sure exactly what is going on, but I do have a lima shovelnose and it does shed its coat from time to time. although it is not daily. usually when I am doing a water change .
 
What are you water parameters and what test kit do you use? You may simply have toxins in the water.

With the info at hand, it does not look or sound right. I'd try epsom salt first ($0.88 from Walmart for 2 lbs). It rids of almost all intestinal parasites. With food it is the best. If he does not eat, then baths.

Or, if one wants something stronger, praziquantel (de-wormer) or metronidazole (general insecticide) or their mixture can be applied. Again, best via food, if not, via a long-term bath.
 
Thanks for the reply's. Forgot to mention the water. No Ammonia, No Nitrites, No Nitrates. Ph is 8 or higher but so is the tap water. Test kit is an API master kit. Is Epsom salt the same as Aquarium salt form API? I used aquarium salt for months with no luck and quit using it as i was informed salt irritates catfish. He has become a very picky eater. I have to soak krill in garlic and put the krill inches away from him and that is if he can even get it down with out spitting it out. Could you give me more info on how to do a bath. Is that just putting him in a bucket for awhile with salt, Medication, etc. and then put him back in the main tank? Let me know if you or anyone else needs more info? thanks
 
Also to add, a few months ago I treated my tank with praziopro and re-dosed the tank 3 times. No luck. I left the Carbon in the filter though but my LFS said that shouldn't matter( if that's correct)
 
lakers12345 said:
Thanks for the reply's. Forgot to mention the water. No Ammonia, No Nitrites, No Nitrates. Ph is 8 or higher but so is the tap water. Test kit is an API master kit. Is Epsom salt the same as Aquarium salt form API? I used aquarium salt for months with no luck and quit using it as i was informed salt irritates catfish. He has become a very picky eater. I have to soak krill in garlic and put the krill inches away from him and that is if he can even get it down with out spitting it out. Could you give me more info on how to do a bath. Is that just putting him in a bucket for awhile with salt, Medication, etc. and then put him back in the main tank? Let me know if you or anyone else needs more info? thanks
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Epsom salt, or MgSO4 magnesium sulfate hydrate, is a single medicinal chemical, not Aquarium salt, which is mostly NaCl sodium chloride. It is also used for people for constipation.

pH is a bit too high, at the border of adaptability I'd think. Amazon water is soft and acidic.

Nitrates are not zero even in heavily planted aquaria. Sorry. This statement casts doubt on the much more important test results you report on ammonia and nitrite.

Yes, if short-term bath. Do not forget excellent aeration / stirring. For long-term bath, the med is put in the tank and taken out with WCs or with carbon, if the med is an organic compound such as prazi and metro.
 
lakers12345 said:
Also to add, a few months ago I treated my tank with praziopro and re-dosed the tank 3 times. No luck. I left the Carbon in the filter though but my LFS said that shouldn't matter( if that's correct)
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Why? To treat the same problem? Did you follow the directions correctly? I'd most definitely not leave the carbon in there as it adsorbs all large organic molecules, such as prazi.

Prazi is very safe. ~impossible to overdose.
 
Eating shouldn't be a problem. Mine eats everything and anything all the time. I have preformed a salt bath for a external parasite before. I dumped a bunch of aquarium salt in a 5 gallon bucket with water from the tank it was in. Put fish in for a few minutes (maybe 3-5) continuously watching for signs of stress. Pulled it out and returned to tank. I believe your supposed to add an air stone to the bucket but I didn't.
 
Is there sufficient aeration in the tank? He maybe suffering from low DO - dissolved oxygen.
 
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