Problem With Bosemani Rainbow

[Louiseness]

Hi guys and girls,

Just noticed a problem with one of my female bosemanis this morning. Didn't have time to grab a picture but she looks pretty skinny with a sunken belly. She was hiding amongst the plants while the other 5 were swimming about as normal. I dropped in a few flakes just to see if she was getting bullied off the food by the others but she showed no interest.

No other weird signs other than skinniness. She is smaller than the others and perhaps doesn't seem to be growing as much but I can't be sure. I haven't seen what her poop looks like since I only noticed this morning. None of the others seem to be affected. Tested the water and ammonia is 0, nitrites 0, nitrates about 40. Temp is about 26. Live plants, slate, bogwood and rocks in the tank but no chemicals or anything added.

So I'm thinking internal parasite of some sort? I'm in the UK, so what would you guys recommend for treatments? Tankmates are cories, a clown plec and bamboo shrimp but any of these can be moved to other tanks if any treatments will affect them.

 

[KittyKat]

How long have you had these guys for and when did you last add *any* new fish?

 

[Louiseness]

How long have you had these guys for and when did you last add *any* new fish?

Hmmm. About three or four months? They're not fully grown yet, maybe about three inches including tail and still pretty slender in the body. The skinny one is more like two inches. Last fish that was added was the clown plec - In June I think?

 

[Louiseness]

Bump, any other ideas anyone? Today she seems to be swimming a bit strangely, kind of a bit unstable and 'wiggly' looking. She looks very sorry for herself indeed

I can set up a temporary hospital tank, although I don't have a spare filter I don't have a problem with daily WCs if it'll help.

 

[KittyKat]

Microbacteriosis (fish TB)? Apparently it's common in rainbow fish batches. If it is, then all the fish are infected, so a hospital tank won't help.

If is probably worth treating for internal parasites, just in case, especially because of the sunken belly. Have you seen any of her poo yet? No worms sticking out of her anus? No sores?

 

[Louiseness]

ugh
Microbacteriosis (fish TB)? Apparently it's common in rainbow fish batches. If it is, then all the fish are infected, so a hospital tank won't help.

If is probably worth treating for internal parasites, just in case, especially because of the sunken belly. Have you seen any of her poo yet? No worms sticking out of her anus? No sores?

Ugh, well that's not great news but the symptoms do sound quite accurate. I saw her poo a tiny bit the other day, as far as I could tell it was brownish and definitely not long or stringy. No worms, no sores. She seems to have taken to trying to swim into the current of the filter and roudn the surface which is weird. She isn't actually gasping for air though, and the surface is well-rippled and everyone else is breathing fine. Strange!

 

[KittyKat]

Ugh, well that's not great news but the symptoms do sound quite accurate. I saw her poo a tiny bit the other day, as far as I could tell it was brownish and definitely not long or stringy. No worms, no sores. She seems to have taken to trying to swim into the current of the filter and roudn the surface which is weird. She isn't actually gasping for air though, and the surface is well-rippled and everyone else is breathing fine. Strange!

Going by the poo, I'd say it's not likely to be parasites. The problem with microbacteriosis is that it may take years to manifest in the other fish and if you add any new fish, you will be infecting them, from what I understand.

 

[Louiseness]

Going by the poo, I'd say it's not likely to be parasites. The problem with microbacteriosis is that it may take years to manifest in the other fish and if you add any new fish, you will be infecting them, from what I understand.

That's useful to know, I;m not planning on adding any more fish to that tank for the time being anyway. Sadly, the fish in question died last night.