Sick Platy, wasting away

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QueenReptar

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Hey everybody! I have a couple quick questions. I have a sick platy, (the third so far, the other two have already passed). I have decided to try API general cure as a last ditch effort to save the rest and was considering adding some Epsom salt after as I have read it can help them pass the dead parasites. There are so many mixed opinions on it that I'm just not sure. I have platys (including one baby fry), guppies, a nerite snail, a pleco, and a Siamese algae eater. Will the Epsom salt have any negative effects on any of them?
 
It won’t help. The fish will pass the parasites naturally. Is it acting better since the General Cure?
 
It won’t help. The fish will pass the parasites naturally. Is it acting better since the General Cure?
I just added it so I will have to wait and see. I'm really hoping this works. I'm so new to it and I've made alot of rookie mistakes because I listened to the pet store people. Now that I've done tons of research I know they lied about so many things or are just very ill informed. I really don't want to watch them all die one by one. I have also noticed some flashing, not very often, few and far between but still concerning. I'm also very worried that it could be something general cure doesn't cover but fingers crossed.
 
I just had a platy lying at the bottom of the tank. I treated with General Cure to no success. I then treated with Spectogram which is a combination of Kanamycin and Furan-2 . Best you can get in antibiotics. He pulled through. You can order Spectogram from American Aquarium Products Inc. You can also buy Kanaplex and Furan-2 and use together as directed in packages. The latter 2 you can get from Pet Smart. I just like the Specto because it’s easier to use. Good luck!
 
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U just had a platy lying at the bottom of the tank. I treated with General Cure to no success. I then treated with Spectogram which is a combination of Kanamycin and Furan-2 . Best you can get in antibiotics. He pulled through. You can order Spectogram from American Aquarium Products Inc. You can also buy Kanaplex and Furan-2 and use together as directed in packages. The latter 2 you can get from Pet Smart. I just like the Specto because it’s easier to use. Good luck!
I will definitely look into that! Thank you sooo much!
 
I think it's working! The Platy that was having problems is pooping a long white thing and I haven't seen her poop in days! I know that doesn't mean she didn't but I've been watching pretty closely for days and never see her poop just all the others. Hopefully that means she's passing the parasites but I feel like it's too soon since I just added the meds a few hours ago.who knows, I will keep updating any changes I see. (update: Her tail fin is already starting to unclamp!)
 
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How long have you had the fish for?
Have you added anything to the tank in the 2 weeks before this started?

How long has the tank been set up for?
How often do you do water changes and how much water do you change?
Do you gravel clean the substrate when you do a water change?
Do you dechlorinate the tap water before adding it to the tank?

What sort of filter do you have?
How often and how do you clean the filter?
What are the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels in the water?

What is the GH (general hardness) and pH of your water supply. This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

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You shouldn't add medications unless you know what the problem is.

Don't use anti-biotics unless the fish have a confirmed bacterial infection that does not respond to normal fish medications. Improper use or misuse of Anti-biotics can lead to drug resistant bacteria that can kill people, animals, birds and fish.

Most fish health issues are caused by poor water quality. The following link has information about what to do if your fish gets sick. It's long and boring but worth knowing.
https://www.fishforums.net/threads/what-to-do-if-your-fish-gets-sick.450268/
 
How long have you had the fish for?
Have you added anything to the tank in the 2 weeks before this started?

How long has the tank been set up for?
How often do you do water changes and how much water do you change?
Do you gravel clean the substrate when you do a water change?
Do you dechlorinate the tap water before adding it to the tank?

What sort of filter do you have?
How often and how do you clean the filter?
What are the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels in the water?

What is the GH (general hardness) and pH of your water supply. This information can usually be obtained from your water supply company's website or by telephoning them. If they can't help you, take a glass full of tap water to the local pet shop and get them to test it for you. Write the results down (in numbers) when they do the tests. And ask them what the results are in (eg: ppm, dGH, or something else).

---------------------------
You shouldn't add medications unless you know what the problem is.

Don't use anti-biotics unless the fish have a confirmed bacterial infection that does not respond to normal fish medications. Improper use or misuse of Anti-biotics can lead to drug resistant bacteria that can kill people, animals, birds and fish.

Most fish health issues are caused by poor water quality. The following link has information about what to do if your fish gets sick. It's long and boring but worth knowing.
https://www.fishforums.net/threads/what-to-do-if-your-fish-gets-sick.450268/
So my tank has been a pretty constant struggle. I have had it about a month and a half or so, same for the fish, no new additions. The filter says tetra whisper 10 but thats all i know, it came in a starter pack with the tank, i will see if i still have the box. I was dumb and didn't do research before starting and feel pretty silly. I didn't even know what the nitrogen cycle was. So when I realized one was sick I did tons and tons of research and realized how bad my tank was. Since then I do at least 20 percent water changes everyday to every other day by siphoning via a gravel vacuum, until I can afford and cycle another tank because I now know my tank is over-stocked. I only clean my filter maybe once every week by rinsing the cartridge in some tank water in a bucket as I've heard that is best, is that too little/much? I test my water everyday and with every water change I add seachem prime and am on day 4 of seachem stability because I've had a hard time getting it to cycle un-aided. Even with me keeping the water in great condition they are still getting sick. I will have my tap tested because I want to make sure it's done properly. Never thought to test the regular tap water. Thank you for all the info!
 
Most of your fish problems would have been from ammonia and nitrite in the water when the tank was cycling. It should have finished by now, however if you have been washing the filter out each week, then it might just be starting.

If the filter is new (less than 6 weeks old) do not clean it unless the flow of water is reduced.

It takes about 4-6 weeks (sometimes longer) for a filter to develop the colonies of beneficial bacteria that keep the ammonia and nitrite levels down. During that time, any disturbance to the filter media, can cause the cycling process to stop or slow down. Once the filter is established (usually after about 2 months), then the bacteria will have a decent hold on the filter media and they won't be washed off as easily when you clean the filter.

Established filters should be cleaned at least once a month and every 2 weeks is better. Once a week is fine if you like but not normally necessary.

For the time being I would stop cleaning the filter for a bit and see if it helps the tank settle down.

If you have an ammonia or nitrite reading, it normally means the filter has not cycled yet.

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Big water changes are better than small ones and the quickest way to dilute nutrients is with a big water change.

You do water changes for 2 main reasons.
1) to reduce nutrients like ammonia, nitrite & nitrate.
2) to dilute disease organisms in the water.

Fish live in a soup of microscopic organisms including bacteria, fungus, viruses, protozoans, worms, flukes and various other things that make your skin crawl. Doing a big water change and gravel cleaning the substrate on a regular basis will dilute these organisms and reduce their numbers in the water, thus making it a safer and healthier environment for the fish.

If you do a 25% water change each week you leave behind 75% of the bad stuff in the water.
If you do a 50% water change each week you leave behind 50% of the bad stuff in the water.
If you do a 75% water change each week you leave behind 25% of the bad stuff in the water.

Fish live in their own waste. Their tank and filter is full of fish poop. The water they breath is filtered through fish poop. Cleaning filters, gravel and doing big regular water changes, removes a lot of this poop and makes the environment cleaner and healthier for the fish.
 
So it's not looking good for my little Mickey mouse platy. She did perk up when I first started the treatment with general cure, but ended up going back to clamped fins and shimmies. She is still decently active, eats a bit, but is still wasting away. I've done all the reading and have been following everything I have found. Reluctant to try any other treatments so soon. Starting bigger water changes, still making sure all the parameters are where they should be. Not sure if I should just let nature run it's course, or euthanize, or what. If I decide to euthanize can anyone recommend the fastest, most humane way?
 
My platy is back in the community tank after using Spectogram! :)
 
What is the GH and pH of the water?
Livebearers like platies guppies and swordtails need a GH of 200ppm and mollies need a GH of 250ppm. They all need a pH above 7.0. If your GH is too low, it can cause them to shimmy.

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You can add rock salt (often sold as aquarium salt), sea salt or swimming pool salt to the aquarium at the dose rate of 1 heaped tablespoon per 20 litres of water. If there is no improvement after 48 hours you can double that dose rate so there is 2 heaped tablespoons of salt per 20 litres.

If you only have livebearers (guppies, platies, swordtails, mollies), goldfish or rainbowfish in the tank you can double that dose rate, so you would add 2 heaped tablespoons per 20 litres and if there is no improvement after 48 hours, then increase it so there is a total of 4 heaped tablespoons of salt per 20 litres.

Keep the salt level like this for at least 2 weeks but no longer than 4 weeks otherwise kidney damage can occur. Kidney damage is more likely to occur in fish from soft water (tetras, Corydoras, angelfish, gouramis, loaches) that are exposed to high levels of salt for an extended period of time, and is not an issue with livebearers, rainbowfish or other salt tolerant species.

The salt will not affect the beneficial filter bacteria but the higher dose rate will affect some plants. The lower dose rate will not affect plants.

After you use salt and the fish have recovered, you do a 10% water change each day for a week. Then do a 20% water change each day for a week. Then you can do bigger water changes after that.
 
What is the GH and pH of the water?
Livebearers like platies guppies and swordtails need a GH of 200ppm and mollies need a GH of 250ppm. They all need a pH above 7.0. If your GH is too low, it can cause them to shimmy.

------------------------
You can add rock salt (often sold as aquarium salt), sea salt or swimming pool salt to the aquarium at the dose rate of 1 heaped tablespoon per 20 litres of water. If there is no improvement after 48 hours you can double that dose rate so there is 2 heaped tablespoons of salt per 20 litres.

If you only have livebearers (guppies, platies, swordtails, mollies), goldfish or rainbowfish in the tank you can double that dose rate, so you would add 2 heaped tablespoons per 20 litres and if there is no improvement after 48 hours, then increase it so there is a total of 4 heaped tablespoons of salt per 20 litres.

Keep the salt level like this for at least 2 weeks but no longer than 4 weeks otherwise kidney damage can occur. Kidney damage is more likely to occur in fish from soft water (tetras, Corydoras, angelfish, gouramis, loaches) that are exposed to high levels of salt for an extended period of time, and is not an issue with livebearers, rainbowfish or other salt tolerant species.

The salt will not affect the beneficial filter bacteria but the higher dose rate will affect some plants. The lower dose rate will not affect plants.

After you use salt and the fish have recovered, you do a 10% water change each day for a week. Then do a 20% water change each day for a week. Then you can do bigger water changes after that.
GH Is in the high 200s closer to 300 ppm. KH is 80 ppm. PH is a bit above 7.8. Any chance water current can be causing issues? I read that platys don't prefer strong currents but my filter creates a pretty strong current.
 
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