Skinny Fish

[kcalbat]

i just brought home three gold barbs and put them in my quanrantine tank. I JUST noticed that one of the barbs looks awfully skinny....almost deformed. Could this be a problem? Can i fix it or do i return the fish?

 

[WILDER]

Yes sadly can you issolate him. When you say deformed can you describe it abit more.
Do you mean a sunken in belly or a bent spine.

 

[mlawson]

It is unlikely that it is deformed, suppliers would have culled it at an early date.
I would feed it up and see how it progresses. Can you explain in more detail
it's deformities and possibly send some pictures.

 

[WILDER]

Some lfs don't care what they sell believe me.
Some members on here have even said that they got a fish for free, but they didn't realise what a bent spine meant.

 

[kcalbat]

the stomach is concave and sunken. It doesnt have a bent spine. Ill try and get a picture uploaded. but what is that?

 

[kcalbat]

well...morning came and the fish is now dead. The other two fish are starting to look awfully skinny too. Please help...what do i do?

 

[sussexgirl]

well...morning came and the fish is now dead. The other two fish are starting to look awfully skinny too. Please help...what do i do?

I've just gone through a similar sort of thing but not as rapid as what you seem to be experiencing. I've lost 5 in 10 weeks but they all have become really skinny and then died. My LFS said that it sounded like wasting disease and that my tank needs a course of sterazin followed by an immediate course of Octozin. Both are Waterlife products, I don't know if you can get those in the States. I know that a little knowledge is dangerous and I'm no expert (although my LFS is fantastic) but I wouldn't just go out and buy those without a second opinion. See 'piscine tuberculosis' on the link below.

http/www.fish-disease.net/diseases.htm

 

[WILDER]

Need also to look at internal parasites with being skinny.
What does it look like when the fish goes to the toilet.
Is the anus enlarged or red and inflamed.

 

[kcalbat]

I have yet to see one poo, but they cant be constipated...too skinny for that! I also dont see any physical abnormalities. They are swimming kinda of jerky like, kinda of like a shimmy but more jerky in movement, but im assuming that is because their are only two and they are uncomfortable!
edit: while waiting for replies since yesterday i salted the water and covered the unlit tank for the whole day. I just uncovered them, waited, then turned on the light, and fed them some crushed anti parasite food. They went right for it! so i guess that is a good sign. If they dont have parasites....will the food harm them?

 

[kcalbat]

bump

 

[WILDER]

Any signs of flicking and rubbing against objects.
Check the gills to see if there pale with excess mucas, or red and inflamed.
Flukes can cause a fish to go skinny and also with flukkes they swim in a jerky movement.

Take alook here as we need to rule flukes out.
Increased breathing, (as for oxygen deficiency), shying at objects, jerky swimming movements in conjunction with shock colouring or apathetic "hanging around" in the aquarium are signs of infection with gill worms.

In the case of infection with skin trematoda, bloodshot areas of skin may also be observed. Infection of the gills may be diagnosed using simple means as follows: catch the suspected fish and lay them on a damp surface, then, with a pair of tweezers, carefully raise one gill cover. The white worms may be easily recognised using a magnifying glass (10x).

 

[tlagden]

Do you mean a bent spine.

One of my fish had a bent spine and then died - why is this - what is bent spine?

 

[WILDER]

Bent spine can mean a birth deformatity, fish tb, to internal parasites.

 

[kcalbat]

Well..so far i do not see any physical abnormalities. They are still kind of jerky in movement and their mouths are opening and closing, not fast but steadily. They seem more plump now that they have eaten all they have eaten is anti parasite medication, which they gobbled right up and they seem to be more active and exploring a bit more. Will the food hurt them if they do not have parasites?

by the way..i returned the fish at the lfs and after testing my water parameters they replaced the skinny fish with a fat, plump one! Ill see if the other two fish change having another friend around.

thanks for your help..ill keep you updated....

 

[WILDER]

I would keep going with the parasite med, all fish have parasites.