EMERGENCY female Oscar bloated/worms? day#15

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Oscarlover300

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My 3 yr old female Oscar fish has been fighting for weeks now what started as a swollen anus has now swollen her chest and fins, I believe I narrowed this down to Camallanus worms. I can see a brown/red thread like thing coming from her anus? Iā€™m almost positive this is Camallanus worms?! Here are the signs ā€œPotential findings include thin/poor body condition, abdominal distention, and abnormal feces. The presence of red wormsprotruding through the anal vent is indicative of Camallanus sppā€ her body is looking very skinny and all distended she also just sits and stares at me in the water ā€œlistlessā€ I believe Iā€™ve seen something brown and stringy before but now Iā€™m VERY nervous itā€™s to late. Iā€™ve been treating her with kanaplex metroplex. Iā€™ve tried everything by the book and sheā€™s only got more bloated. This still could be a bad blockage from constipation but I doubt it Right now I have Epsom salt in the main tank to relieve pressure only thing still keeping her going. I just ordered fenbendazole Iā€™ve heard itā€™s the only treatment available for Camallanus worms. I paid for express shipping almost 50$ alone I really hope thereā€™s still time and Iā€™m so mad for not realizing this sooner. Her anus is so inflamed itā€™s very hard to see. Please any info or thoughts I believe she has ā€œblack ichā€ black spot disease as well? Never thought anything of this her spots are darker than ever now A2ABA600-4D55-458B-AB13-BDAB5BA54266.pngC1E335E3-37CC-44AF-B923-5370C9C12BD5.png1EA935A8-0D8E-45A3-A774-7D25E4EA1FF5.png7A77D85E-B6E8-459C-9C35-08362D663A4F.png69610A05-6C14-4AB0-B2D3-0E25A7E4B4BA.png6CF89DCE-5043-4E5E-837C-A7D907DE28C9.png8F559233-2666-4B11-B267-6EBB70455E06.png
 
Camallanus worms look like small red threads - a bit like paintbrush bristles - protruding from the anus. But there are several intestinal worms which can affect fish, both round worms like camallanus and flat worms such as tapeworms.

The usual recommended treatment for round worms is levamisole, and paraziquantel for flat worms. Flubendazole will treat both. If the fenbendazole doesn't have any effect, maybe try flubendazole. Other American members may know where that is available (I only know UK meds, I'm afraid).
 
Afraid I can't help here but hope you get sorted. Do you know how the worms were brought into the tank? Figuring that out can help avoid it in the future - eg if its from a specific shop. I have a, on the face of it, very good shop about 30 mins from me but after a string of disease outbreaks 8 years ago I now drive 1hr 30 to 2hrs to a shop that competes on quality of fish but much more likely to be disease free.

Good luck :)

Wills
 
Thank you, I was just informed the site I ordered from yesterday is now out of stock. I feel so let down and feel as if Iā€™m out of time, I just dosed her tank with prazipro is there any way possible I can get fenbendazole or anything like it if the prazi isnā€™t strong enough?? Literally everywhere sold out online. Iā€™ve heard of people using safeguard for dogs the itā€™s 10-20% fenbendazole Idk what to do anymore :/ nothing is red just looks like a black thread almost
 
Afraid I can't help here but hope you get sorted. Do you know how the worms were brought into the tank? Figuring that out can help avoid it in the future - eg if its from a specific shop. I have a, on the face of it, very good shop about 30 mins from me but after a string of disease outbreaks 8 years ago I now drive 1hr 30 to 2hrs to a shop that competes on quality of fish but much more likely to be disease free.

Good luck :)

Wills
Thank you this is really making me think, thereā€™s no way possible she could of got it?? The only live thing Iā€™ve ever given her is ghost shrimp years ago, her diet consisted of pellets and freeze dried/frozen food :/ Iā€™m worried I didnā€™t give her enough fiber and had her tank around 30-40 ppm nitrates for to long. Her kidneys may have just had enough :/ trying this round of prazipro
 
Can you get something with levamisole as the main ingredient? I am not familiar with US meds so I'm afraid I can't suggest one.
Nothing here at all, I canā€™t believe they cancelled my order yesterday. Iā€™m so disappointed feel like Iā€™m just far to late woth her if itā€™s worms like that, is the prazipro just not enough:/ her anus so bloated and her chest, she still comes up to me with so much energy so happy and just stares at me very confused with everything:/ still trying metroplex every other day with peas
 
Its so difficult with big fish when they are in this possition. I am really stumped if nothing has been recently added to the tank its hard to know how they have got into her system in the first place?

I'm not sure if you can get either of these but my go to medication brand is Waterlife and their medication for this is called Sterazin. I've also been hearing really good things about Esha brand meds and their product is called Esha - NDX in the UK both of these are available off Amazon but are also in most LFS.

Have you tried treating with salt? From what I have read it wont cure but it may give you more time to get the proper medication into the tank.

If she is still active in the tank don't give up hope and keep us up to date!
 
Its so difficult with big fish when they are in this possition. I am really stumped if nothing has been recently added to the tank its hard to know how they have got into her system in the first place?

I'm not sure if you can get either of these but my go to medication brand is Waterlife and their medication for this is called Sterazin. I've also been hearing really good things about Esha brand meds and their product is called Esha - NDX in the UK both of these are available off Amazon but are also in most LFS.

Have you tried treating with salt? From what I have read it wont cure but it may give you more time to get the proper medication into the tank.

If she is still active in the tank don't give up hope and keep us up to date!
Before she got very bloated she would swim erratically when she would poop at times, I went tot the store and got a fiber based pellet and something called hex shield, worried Iā€™ve overfed her these and there still stuck in her, sheā€™s passed green peas/cucumber but thatā€™s in no brown poop and today I believe I saw white cast looking poop nothing inside:/ Ive tried salt baths in the beginning, now Iā€™ve had Epsom salt in the main tank For weeks 1 tablespoon for 5 gallons.. only thing keeping her fluid from expanding. any info or ideas at all would mean the world to me this fish means as much to me as a dog or anything else, would hate for this to happen to anyone else, sheā€™s had hith in the past and itā€™s been scarring over could this be an advanced form of Hexamita that **** her organs down? 145519DF-2DA4-471C-A83F-FBDEE9AFE12A.png888664F3-A6A8-49D3-B10C-7DE19E10E403.pngB6FC6E5C-4AEA-4A4A-854B-4675CB0EBAAF.png20F689DA-953B-4FEC-A5DA-F88A3E03E5DD.jpegDB1BDFB8-E585-4E17-9FB4-DCB73E8AAF5F.png1451612A-69F1-425F-9340-1E871DAF3939.png
 
Iā€™ve just ordered levamisole hydrochloride wonā€™t be here until Friday:/ hope the prazipro does something seems useless compared to this, so sad and crazy how there is no fish vet within 100-200 miles of me willing to help donā€™t think Iā€™ll ever be able to have another tank again.
 
Ok lets try and get as much info in this thread as possible. Bit of a quick fire check list, please can you let us know the following.
  1. Tank size
  2. Tank mates
  3. Age of the fish
  4. Age of the tank
  5. Have any new fish, plants or decor been added
  6. Do they fight with any other fish in the tank
  7. What are your tank water parameters (ph, kh, gh, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate)?
  8. What are your tap water parameters (ph, kh, gh, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate)?
  9. How often do you do water changes?
  10. When did you do your last water change?
  11. How much water do you change on a regular basis?
  12. What type of filter do you have?
  13. How often do you clean your filter?
Aquatic vets are very rare, and ones that really understand the ins and outs are rarer still so its not that unusual to be in this situation. Lets focus on getting to Friday first and then start the new medication.

If you can answer the questions/info as much as possible someone might see something that will help get an answer.

Wills
 
Ok lets try and get as much info in this thread as possible. Bit of a quick fire check list, please can you let us know the following.
  1. Tank size
  2. Tank mates
  3. Age of the fish
  4. Age of the tank
  5. Have any new fish, plants or decor been added
  6. Do they fight with any other fish in the tank
  7. What are your tank water parameters (ph, kh, gh, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate)?
  8. What are your tap water parameters (ph, kh, gh, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate)?
  9. How often do you do water changes?
  10. When did you do your last water change?
  11. How much water do you change on a regular basis?
  12. What type of filter do you have?
  13. How often do you clean your filter?
Aquatic vets are very rare, and ones that really understand the ins and outs are rarer still so its not that unusual to be in this situation. Lets focus on getting to Friday first and then start the new medication.

If you can answer the questions/info as much as possible someone might see something that will help get an answer.

Wills
  1. Tank size 75 gallon
  2. Tank mates Just her, some people thought she may be egg bound?
  3. Age of the fish 3 years old
  4. Age of the tank 3 years
  5. Have any new fish, plants or decor been added none
  6. Do they fight with any other fish in the tank Just herself and me she will wag her head and swim at me
  7. What are your tank water parameters (ph, kh, gh, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate)? 7.4 ph 0 ammonia 0 nitrite only 10-20 nitrate I am worried she was exposed to 40+ for to long.
  8. What are your tap water parameters (ph, kh, gh, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate)?
  9. How often do you do water changes? Weekly/biweekly
  10. When did you do your last water change? Today
  11. How much water do you change on a regular basis?25-50%
  12. What type of filter do you have?fluval FX6
  13. How often do you clean your filter?only once every 6 months. A few months ago I changed a few pads because my nitrate was 40ish?
  14. Really appreciate anyone and everyone helping, I can see some blackish thread thing by her anus, she has more energy and anger than ever, Iā€™ve been feeding super light half pea a day or so. At first I thought this was really bad constipation and it still could be but she is swelling and I canā€™t stand to see her suffer, my last couple water changes Iā€™ve seen small whitish worms moving in the water some squirming even? Iā€™ve never seen these before, and I recently realized she is COVERED in black spots ā€œblack ichā€ never thought anything of this at all they become mire visabke when she changes color very weird, I believe this is caused by a nematode so you think she has a nematode infestation? Never fed live food except ghost shrimp year ago shes down in basement not much sun but have her on light cycle, never seen a fish with so much personality wonā€™t take her eyes off me ;(
 
Try going to this site http://www.wetwebmedia.com/index.html and email them all the details, and photos. It's run by real aquatics experts who know fish and diseases, I believe some of the people who write answers are scientists, is that right @Byron ?

I've never written to them myself (yet) so I don't know how long it might take to get a reply, but anything is worth a shot, and I would trust their advice over almost anyones. Once you've sent it, search the site for the issues you're having, and read through some of the answers. I've dealt with a few tank/fish problems and diseases just by reading the responses to other people with the same or similar issues. Has to be worth a shot.

I hope you can save her, I can feel how much you care and understand your desperation.
 
thank you for the response yes Iā€™ve talked to them very helpful and detailed, we left of with the order of fenbendazole but that got cancelled on me, going to try them again just feel like Iā€™m bothering :/ very important details with this, she is acting so normal coming up hungry begging for food even now swimming looking at me but she is just so so bloated by her anus abdomen and chest she even looks skinny in the middle like a pinch or something, so many possibilities feel like a piece of gravel may got impacted. One main symptom is her poop is not right, greenish white and Bill lately hasnā€™t been any poop at all. Right now I can see this black thread like thing just hanging from her anus
 

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