Loaches with Skinny Disease (Worms)

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T

True Love

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Nov 16, 2010
67
0
0
NY
1. Size of tank?
90G

2. Water parameters
a. Ammonia? 0
b. Nitrite? 0
c. Nitrate? 10-20ppm
d. pH, KH and GH? Ph 7.2
e. Test kit? API test kit

3. Temperature?
86

4. FW (fresh water) or BW (brackish)?
FW

5. How long the aquarium has been set up?
6 months

6. What fish do you have? How many are in your tank? How big are they? How long have you had them? 13 Clown Loaches. all between 2-4" Acquired slowly through the past 4 months or so.

7. Were the fish placed under quarantine period (minus the first batch from the point wherein the tank is ready to accommodate the inhabitants)? Yes

8. a. Any live plants? Fake plants? Fake only for now
b. Sand, gravel, barebottom? Gravel
c. Rocks, woods, fancy decors? Any hollow decors? Driftwood

9. a. Filtration? 2 canisters (Fluval 404 and Sun Sun 304-B)
b. Heater? 300W

10. a. Lighting schedule? What lights are used? 8 Hours 20W Aquarium light
b. Any sunlight exposure? How long? No

11. a. Water change schedule? twice a week
b. Volume of water changed? 30-40%
c. Well water, tap water, RO water? Tap
d. Water conditioner used? Prime
e. Frequency of gravel/sand (if any) vacuumed? 1/2 tank with each WC

12. Foods? Flakes/sinking pellets, Cucumber and occasional boiled shrimp or some other protein source like frozen blood worms.
How often are they fed? 2-3 small meals a day. (usually done in under a minute)

13. a. Any abnormal signs/symptoms? Some of these guys are way too skinny. I see them eat, but they just don't grow. They're bones are almost showing.


14. a. Have you treated your fish ahead of diagnosis? Nothing yet.



I read all the treads about this in the loach section, I even posted in there. Basically, I want to know if I should separate the 3 or 4 real skinny ones and treat them in a QT. From what I am reading, I don't have to worry about the other guys catching it, unless they somehow eat the sick guys poop or eggs which I doubt. What should I treat them with? Levisole? Metronidazole? Please include doses also. The information on how much medication to use is kind of all over the place.

Please help. I don't want to loose any little guys with a misdiagnosis or incorrect medication.

Thanks ahead of time.
 
You can try metronidazole or prazipro, and follow the directions. If you could provide some pictures of both the effected and non-effected fish that would also be helpful.
 
calioutlaw1a;5032936; said:
You can try metronidazole or prazipro, and follow the directions. If you could provide some pictures of both the effected and non-effected fish that would also be helpful.
Click to expand...

From what I read, prazipro treats for outside worms. I don't think that would help if the worms are internal. I'm trying to get pics, but a cell phone camera and really quick fish aren't working very well.
 
I am currently treating 2 CLs I got form petsmart that were extremely skinny and not not eating when I got them. After 2 treatments they have started to eat and are more active. I also treated 3 about a month or so ago with great success. I am treating with Tetra Parasite Guard. It treats internal and external parasites. The active ingredients are as follows.

Praziquantel, Dflubenzuron, Metronidazole and Acriflavin.

You can read the other information HERE

I know CLs can be very sensitive to many medication and I have found on the five that I have treated with this to have no issues. Also If you have internal parasites in a few fish in that aquarium I would treat the whole tank just to be sure. It would be pain to treat only the fish that are showing symptoms. The other fish may still have the parasites but the symptoms are not as developed yet.
 
bigbadfish711;5033653; said:
I am currently treating 2 CLs I got form petsmart that were extremely skinny and not not eating when I got them. After 2 treatments they have started to eat and are more active. I also treated 3 about a month or so ago with great success. I am treating with Tetra Parasite Guard. It treats internal and external parasites. The active ingredients are as follows.

Praziquantel, Dflubenzuron, Metronidazole and Acriflavin.

You can read the other information HERE

I know CLs can be very sensitive to many medication and I have found on the five that I have treated with this to have no issues. Also If you have internal parasites in a few fish in that aquarium I would treat the whole tank just to be sure. It would be pain to treat only the fish that are showing symptoms. The other fish may still have the parasites but the symptoms are not as developed yet.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the response. Nice to hear that someone has been successful in treating CL's. I am going to pick up the parasite guard and try it out. I'll post results also.
 
True Love;5033677; said:
Thanks for the response. Nice to hear that someone has been successful in treating CL's. I am going to pick up the parasite guard and try it out. I'll post results also.
Click to expand...

It would not hurt to feed the Medicated food as well.
 
True Love;5033322; said:
From what I read, prazipro treats for outside worms. I don't think that would help if the worms are internal. I'm trying to get pics, but a cell phone camera and really quick fish aren't working very well.
Click to expand...

You are correct. It is the external parasites that generally result in fish-wasting. I would start with prazi. Both praziquantel and metronidazole have a large therapeutic index, meaning they are relatively non-toxic even with higher doses, so it shouldn't be a problem treating your loaches.
 
calioutlaw1a;5034208; said:
You are correct. It is the external parasites that generally result in fish-wasting. I would start with prazi. Both praziquantel and metronidazole have a large therapeutic index, meaning they are relatively non-toxic even with higher doses, so it shouldn't be a problem treating your loaches.
Click to expand...

Do you know if there would be any adverse effects to treating the worms as suggested, and treating ick with salt at the same time? I know that I mixed salt and another ick cure med and it killed off most of my tank a long time ago. I wouldn't want to risk it again.
 
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