Livebearer problem

[JHudson]

Hi
I've talked to some other people about this and they have had the same
happen. Originally it just affected my fancy guppies(I gave up on them,
just have feeders in with the crayfish now, hard to tell if they experience
the same problem as they are living up to the millions fish name and the
crayfish or chinese algae eaters would eat anything they could find), but
recently the platies are showing the same. What happens is that the fish
eat well and look well and then I'll notice one getting thinner and thinner
until they die or I euthanise(sp?) them. I have checked my water quality
and the Ammonia and Nitrite are both reading 0. I know our water is
hard(about 8), but I don't think that is the problem. We do have a water
softner on our well. The other fish in the tank are not affected. I
thought the Red-Tailed shark or chinese algae-eaters may of been the problem
and they were moved into the crayfish tank, but no difference. So according
to the test kit and the other fish the water is fine, but I have fish that
just waste away. I was looking for any ideas as what it could be and flukes
have come up, but if there are any other ideas they would be much
appreciated.

--
JHudson
Sure. Fine. Whatever. -Syzygy
I have. I did. It's done. -Fight the Future
Duct tape is like the Force, it has a dark side and a light side and it
holds the universe together.
I'm completely normal, just the rest of the world is nuts...
There are lies, damn lies and statistics!

[Harry Muscle]

"JHudson" > wrote in message
news:6l3Ab.11788$d35.10426@edtnps84...
> Hi
> I've talked to some other people about this and they have had the same
> happen. Originally it just affected my fancy guppies(I gave up on them,
> just have feeders in with the crayfish now, hard to tell if they
experience
> the same problem as they are living up to the millions fish name and the
> crayfish or chinese algae eaters would eat anything they could find), but
> recently the platies are showing the same. What happens is that the fish
> eat well and look well and then I'll notice one getting thinner and
thinner
> until they die or I euthanise(sp?) them. I have checked my water quality
> and the Ammonia and Nitrite are both reading 0. I know our water is
> hard(about 8), but I don't think that is the problem. We do have a water
> softner on our well. The other fish in the tank are not affected. I
> thought the Red-Tailed shark or chinese algae-eaters may of been the
problem
> and they were moved into the crayfish tank, but no difference. So
according
> to the test kit and the other fish the water is fine, but I have fish that
> just waste away. I was looking for any ideas as what it could be and
flukes
> have come up, but if there are any other ideas they would be much
> appreciated.
>
> --
> JHudson
> Sure. Fine. Whatever. -Syzygy
> I have. I did. It's done. -Fight the Future
> Duct tape is like the Force, it has a dark side and a light side and it
> holds the universe together.
> I'm completely normal, just the rest of the world is nuts...
> There are lies, damn lies and statistics!
>
>

OK, here's what my Handy Dandy Fishlopedia mentions about "What if my fish
is too thin?" ...

- "Pathogenic, usually systemic, infection with bacteria"
- Fish TB is "particularly likely to cause" this
- "endo sitic protozoan infection (ie: neon tetra disease, hole in head,
heterosporis)" ... doesn't mention anything specific to livebearers
- "Heavy infestation of endo sitic worms"
- "incorrect diet or long term shortfall in food intake"

The above doesn't really mention anything too specific, but I looked up fish
TB in the same book and it mentions that fish TB is "fairly common in
aquarium fish, particularly gouramis, barbs, tetras, and livebearers."

My guess would be since the livebearers are particularly susceptible to fish
TB, along with the other fish mentioned above, but if you don't have any of
the above mentioned fish, then only your livebearers would be showing signs.

Try reading up a bit on fish TB. The book I use is excellent, it's called
the Tropical Fishlopedia by Mary Bailey and Peter Burgess.

Btw, here's what in mentions about a cure:

"difficult to cure, although antibiotics such as kanamycin and erythromycin
are sometimes effective."

Hope that helps,
Harry




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[JHudson]

> OK, here's what my Handy Dandy Fishlopedia mentions about "What if my fish
> is too thin?" ...
>
> - "Pathogenic, usually systemic, infection with bacteria"
> - Fish TB is "particularly likely to cause" this
> - "endo sitic protozoan infection (ie: neon tetra disease, hole in
head,
> heterosporis)" ... doesn't mention anything specific to livebearers
> - "Heavy infestation of endo sitic worms"
> - "incorrect diet or long term shortfall in food intake"
>
> The above doesn't really mention anything too specific, but I looked up
fish
> TB in the same book and it mentions that fish TB is "fairly common in
> aquarium fish, particularly gouramis, barbs, tetras, and livebearers."
>
> My guess would be since the livebearers are particularly susceptible to
fish
> TB, along with the other fish mentioned above, but if you don't have any
of
> the above mentioned fish, then only your livebearers would be showing
signs.
>
> Try reading up a bit on fish TB. The book I use is excellent, it's called
> the Tropical Fishlopedia by Mary Bailey and Peter Burgess.
>
> Btw, here's what in mentions about a cure:
>
> "difficult to cure, although antibiotics such as kanamycin and
erythromycin
> are sometimes effective."
>
> Hope that helps,
> Harry

Hi
Actually TB was my other choice, but it just doesn't seem right, but flukes
don't either. I looked at the worst one and besides the weight loss, it was
slightly red/pink in front of the anus. It had also been flashing and the
fins were also clamped. Thats why I thought maybe flukes, In the tank
there are also corys and a bulldog pleco and some live plants. How about
adding salt? Would salt harm the other residents? If it is flukes what can
I treat the tank with that won't harm anything but the flukes(salt work?)?
LFS has Clout and Life Bearer for sure. I'm going to a bigger store on
Monday so maybe they would have Fluke Tabs or something else if I need to
treat for flukes. BTW I hate treating my tanks, but I don't any other
ideas. I change my water either weekly or bi-weekly(20%-25% approx) and the
only thing I think that may not help is the pH being a little high.
What does your book say about gill and body flukes?
JHudson

[Harry Muscle]

"JHudson" > wrote in message
news:ryuAb.26857$bC.2563@clgrps13...
>
>
> > OK, here's what my Handy Dandy Fishlopedia mentions about "What if my
fish
> > is too thin?" ...
> >
> > - "Pathogenic, usually systemic, infection with bacteria"
> > - Fish TB is "particularly likely to cause" this
> > - "endo sitic protozoan infection (ie: neon tetra disease, hole in
> head,
> > heterosporis)" ... doesn't mention anything specific to livebearers
> > - "Heavy infestation of endo sitic worms"
> > - "incorrect diet or long term shortfall in food intake"
> >
> > The above doesn't really mention anything too specific, but I looked up
> fish
> > TB in the same book and it mentions that fish TB is "fairly common in
> > aquarium fish, particularly gouramis, barbs, tetras, and livebearers."
> >
> > My guess would be since the livebearers are particularly susceptible to
> fish
> > TB, along with the other fish mentioned above, but if you don't have any
> of
> > the above mentioned fish, then only your livebearers would be showing
> signs.
> >
> > Try reading up a bit on fish TB. The book I use is excellent, it's
called
> > the Tropical Fishlopedia by Mary Bailey and Peter Burgess.
> >
> > Btw, here's what in mentions about a cure:
> >
> > "difficult to cure, although antibiotics such as kanamycin and
> erythromycin
> > are sometimes effective."
> >
> > Hope that helps,
> > Harry
>
> Hi
> Actually TB was my other choice, but it just doesn't seem right, but
flukes
> don't either. I looked at the worst one and besides the weight loss, it
was
> slightly red/pink in front of the . It had also been flashing and the
> fins were also clamped. Thats why I thought maybe flukes, In the tank
> there are also corys and a bulldog pleco and some live plants. How about
> adding salt? Would salt harm the other residents? If it is flukes what
can
> I treat the tank with that won't harm anything but the flukes(salt work?)?
> LFS has Clout and Life Bearer for sure. I'm going to a bigger store on
> Monday so maybe they would have Fluke Tabs or something else if I need to
> treat for flukes. BTW I hate treating my tanks, but I don't any other
> ideas. I change my water either weekly or bi-weekly(20%-25% approx) and
the
> only thing I think that may not help is the pH being a little high.
> What does your book say about gill and body flukes?
> JHudson
>
>

It says quite a bit about both types of flukes, so I won't write everything
down here ... I'll try to summary a few of the points, especially the
treatment parts.

It mentions that with heavier infestations, gasping or increased breathing
rate is common (for the gill flukes). Also, flashing, scratching, clamped
fins, loss of appetite. For treatment it mentions to use bath immersion
with a proprietary anti-fluke remedy. Another possibility is bath immersion
using formalin or an anthelminthic such as praziquantel.

Under skin flukes it mentioned that severe cases can cause reddened skin
areas. For treatment it again mentions using a proprietary anti-fluke
remedy. It also mentions that salt can be used (but see my note about salt
below), as well as anthelminthics such as mebendozole. Also a bath in
formalin.

If you use any medications just always make sure you follow the suggested
dosages, bath times, etc. I would really recommend getting the book that
I'm getting all this info from, since there is lots more info about both of
these diseased in it, way more than I can quote.

The biggest problem I see with using salt in your main aquarium is that you
mentioned that you have corys. They are quite sensitive to salt and the
last thing you want to do is cure one fish and kill another. Salts baths
(in another small tank) might help, but I'm not sure if it would cure it.
You're probably best off getting medicine or if you go the salt way only
give the fish baths in it (ie: don't use it in the main tank).

Hope that helps,
Harry




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[John]

On Mon, 8 Dec 2003 09:47:20 -0500, "Harry Muscle" >
wrote:

>"JHudson" > wrote in message
>news:ryuAb.26857$bC.2563@clgrps13...
>>
>>
>> > OK, here's what my Handy Dandy Fishlopedia mentions about "What if my
>fish
>> > is too thin?" ...
>> >
>> > - "Pathogenic, usually systemic, infection with bacteria"
>> > - Fish TB is "particularly likely to cause" this
>> > - "endo sitic protozoan infection (ie: neon tetra disease, hole in
- snip-

>> Actually TB was my other choice, but it just doesn't seem right, but
>flukes
>> don't either. I looked at the worst one and besides the weight loss, it
>was
>> slightly red/pink in front of the . It had also been flashing and the
>> fins were also clamped. Thats why I thought maybe flukes, In the tank
>> there are also corys and a bulldog pleco and some live plants. How about
>> adding salt? Would salt harm the other residents? If it is flukes what
>can
>
>It says quite a bit about both types of flukes, so I won't write everything
>down here ... I'll try to summary a few of the points, especially the
>treatment parts.
>
- snip -

>If you use any medications just always make sure you follow the suggested
>dosages, bath times, etc. I would really recommend getting the book that
>I'm getting all this info from, since there is lots more info about both of
>these diseased in it, way more than I can quote.

Ok, I give up... what is the book's title? or ISBN number please?

[Harry Muscle]

"John" > wrote in message
...
> On Mon, 8 Dec 2003 09:47:20 -0500, "Harry Muscle" >
> wrote:
>
> >"JHudson" > wrote in message
> >news:ryuAb.26857$bC.2563@clgrps13...
> >>
> >>
SNIP
>
> Ok, I give up... what is the book's title? or ISBN number please?

I thought I had mentioned it in one of my previous posts, but here it goes
again:

"Tropical Fishlopaedia - A Complete Guide to Fish Care"
ISBN 1-58245-166-4

Hope that helps,
Harry




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[John]

Thanks Harry... I will definately be purchasing this book today!
- snip -

>> Ok, I give up... what is the book's title? or ISBN number please?
>
>I thought I had mentioned it in one of my previous posts, but here it goes
>again:
>
>"Tropical Fishlopaedia - A Complete Guide to Fish Care"
>ISBN 1-58245-166-4
>
>Hope that helps,
>Harry