Do All Fish/aquariums Harbour Internal Parasites/eggs?

[Elisabeth83]

I don't know if many of you know but I've been battling on and off dealing with internal parasites with my platies. I've had to euthanize 2 that just haven't gotten better despite treating them a number of times. The other fish all now seem to be healthy and plump and passing normal feces.

I'm just wondering are the internal parasites gone or still there just the fishes immune system can deal with them now? Do all fish/aquarium have internal parasites present in low numbers..they just take over when a fish is stressed or?

Another question I have is I had 5 platies in a 14.5 gallon tank. One of the platies still remains to get thin and hide after I stop treatment for the internal parasites. She'll get better during the treatment get plump, appear to be passing more normal feces and stop hiding but once I stop the treatment everything comes back. Well I had treated for like a 4th time and for a longer time this time in hopes to get rid of the internal parasites once and for all. She seemed to be better for like 2 weeks. So the other day without even thinking too much about it I decided to swap some fish around so now the platies are in a bigger tank and I've put some female bettas in the 14.5 gallon tank.

Then yesterday I take a look in the platy tank and I notice that same fish is hiding in the back with a long trail of clear feces behind her She seems to be dropping weight yet again. So here I am now worried that the female bettas I put in the 14.5 gallon tank will get internal parasites??? They have been in the tank for about 3-4 days now.

Do you think the platy that never seems to get better is just doomed? Why is it the other ones have seemed to of gotten better but yet this is the 3rd one now that just doesn't seem to be able to fight these parasites off? If I euthanize her do I take away the risk of the others getting sick or do the others still have the parasites in them anyways?

 

[dwarfgourami]

Can't tell you, I'm afraid, but they are exactly the same questions I would want answered. What meds are you using?

 

[Elisabeth83]

Can't tell you, I'm afraid, but they are exactly the same questions I would want answered. What meds are you using?

I've been using Metronidazole which is supposed to be like the best stuff out there for internal parasites among other things.

 

[Elisabeth83]

Nobody knows?

 

[The-Wolf]

Endoparasites(internal parasites) are uncommon in ornamental fish. However, there is a wide diversity of blood parasites, worms that colonize the intestines and other parasites that can invade various organs and tissues. Many require an intermediate host, such as snails, birds or the introduction of an infected fish, and so are rare in pond/ aquarium fish.

taken from
http/www.fishdoc.co.uk/disease/parasites.htm

HTH

 

[dwarfgourami]

I think we are probably talking "worms that colonize the intestines" here. They don't seem to be all that uncommon in livebearers. And if my book is right (Tropical Fishlopedia) they do not need an intermediate host.