Sick Platy In Upgraded Tank

[sannesley]

I came home from work today to find that one of my platys from my old tank (I recently upgraded from a 5 gallon to 20 gallon tank) was lurking under the filter and looking very thin and sunken.

When I moved to the new tank I took the ornaments and filter media out of the old tank and placed them in the new tank. I also gathered up the stone substrate and placed it in the tank suspended in a pair of tights. In this way I was hoping that the bacteria in the stuff from the old tank would give me a kick start on the cycling process. The fish from my old tank were 1 cardinal tetra, 2 glowlight tetras and 2 platys. I added 4 cardinal tetras and a bronze cory on Saturday and everything was fine.

I checked the ammonia levels today and ammonia is reading between 0 and 0.25ppm but closer to 0ppm. I performed a 10% water change on the tank to lower the levels a bit and now I'm hoping for the best with the platy. Does anybody have any experience of what might be wrong with the little guy??

 

[WILDER]

Looking at internal parasites to fish tb.
Check the anus to see if its red and inflamed, or enlarged, what colour is the poo.
Any other symtoms on the fish.
Issolate him.

 

[sannesley]

As I've already said I bought 4 neon tetras and a bronze cory on Saturday past. If he has parasites it's more than likely that he got infected from the new fish. You talk about isolating him. I only have the one tank. I have nowhere to put the fish except in the tank I have.

 

[WILDER]

I doubt the new fish, but he could of infected the whole tank.
http/www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/health/nematodes.shtml
Thought you still had the 5gal which I would of kept for a hospital tank.

 

[sannesley]

Sadly 5 gallon has since found a new home due to space constraints

 

[WILDER]

This is going to sound awful I would end his misery, can't save him gone to far now.
Get a bucket of very cold water add some ice cubes, place the fish in the water takes about 20 seconds, leave the fish for a while just to make sure its passed on, sorry, been here myself not nice.

 

[sannesley]

I can understand killing the infected fish to put it out of its misery but what about the other fish. Is it likely that they are infrected as well. They all appear pretty normal at the moment, but in saying that the platy just turned real bad overnight. He was swimming around this time last night and appeared in good health

 

[WILDER]

Thats why I want to get the fish out of the tank fast to help the others out, if they peck on the dead body even worse.
Hes ill the meds for him in the uk are very hard to get hold of, only a vet levamisole, then its to late as they do alot of damage to the inside of the fish causing bacterial infections, once there really wasted away not good.

 

[sannesley]

The thing I can't understand is where the nematodes came from. I've had the guy about a year now and he's been in good health all the time I've had him. It's only now he's showing signs of being poorly. All the fish I added 7 days ago seem to be in good health and don't show any signs of infestation YET!!!

 

[sannesley]

I had to put the littel guy out of his misery in the end up about 20 minutes ago. It upset the missus a bit but the ice cube treatment seemed to work very quickly without causing any noticable distress to the fish. Let's hope now that none of the other fish in the tank start to exhibit similar symptoms.
You do get attached to the little guys swimming about your tank don't you

 

[stang1]

Sorry to hear your news.

 

[plecofan]

wormer plus is good for internal parasites. you can get it online at any of the discus shops. even tho its used for discus it is fine for any other fish including plecs and shrimps. if that fish had parasites chances are so will the others and it might be worth "de worming" them. only need one treatment but does kill snails.



ive just used in two tanks containing plecs, rainbow fish, danios, platys, loaches and baby platys and all fish are fine.

 

[WILDER]

To be honest it could of been fish tb or internal parasites but without a microscope it hard ot say.
They carry them as when a fish get stressed that when they really do the damage.

 

[sannesley]

I noticed this on one of the peices of bogwood in my tank this morning. I appreciate the picture isn't the clearest. There appears to be a number of orange growths on the peice of bogwood. There's a single similar growth on another bit of bogwood as well. Does anybody know what this might be and if it's related to the nematodes and sick platy?? I suspect it is related but I justed wanted some of you guys with a bit more experience to see it and give me your opinion

 

[WILDER]

Don't know what they are, put a net over the growth things on the bogwood and remove it and sterlise both peices in boling salty water, rinse well, let dry out for a day.

Put the pic up in tropical chit chat someone over there might know.