Bottom sitting then rapid decline...

[carolynm]

I need some help...over the period of a year I have lost about 5 fish with the same symptoms. The fish will start to look sluggish and bottom sit...and then die. I had one die almost overnight...it started bottom sitting on Friday..I moved it to a hospital tank...treated with salt and metromeds and it died Saturday night. So once the bottom sitting sets in...whatever is causing this has already worked it's course.

My 2 latest additions came about 3 weeks ago (2 orandas). I prazi'd the tank. I was unable to qt these fish as my other qt's are occupied and I only had one other goldfish in the main tank so didn't figure the risk too great. They have looked great until the one showed the symptoms on Friday. I reprazi'd the tank on Friday fearing flukes or some other parasite. When the one oranda still looked punky on Saturday I moved it to a hospital tank.

I'm thinking this is parasitic - I believe when the sun shone directly on the oranda in the hospital tank that I could see little tiny particles on its face and its eye. Would this be flukes? If so how come the 2nd round of prazi didn't take care of them? Also there looks like some blood (red streaks) at the base of one of the dead fishes gills.

My calico fantail is bottom sitting - I have had this fish 8 months in this tank. It's not as bad as the oranda was but she is bottom sitting so something is amiss.

I don't salt the tank and was thinking this might help. Which is best regular non-iodized salt or epsom salts? I followed directions for the prazipro -and it says not to retreat before 3-5 days. Do you think it would be safe to treat again tomorrow (3rd day) and perhaps a stronger dose? Is there something else I can try to get these parasites with (perhaps they don't succumb to flukes??). I would guess whatever this is is RESIDENT in my tank and giving it to the new fish rather than vice versa considering my history -and the fact that the timeline is usually about a month and then the symptoms start. I may also do a major waterchange on the off chance that there is something amiss in the water for which I haven't tested. Any other suggestions???

Tank paramters: 30 gallon cube with Fluval 204 for filitration plus air wand.
Well planted.
waterchanges: about 5 gallons per week

Inhabitants: 5 white clouds (been there since the start), 2-3 Goldfish about 2" long (currently 2) and 2 Ottos.

Tank current parameters:
ammonia-0
nitrite-o
ph-7.26
temp: 76

Feed: I have been feeding homemade gel food for about a month. Prior to that Hikari pellets and oceanpro flakes. I feed peas on Sunday and also occasionally feed a spirulina algae pellet for the bottom feeders.

Thanks

Carolyn

[Cincy Ranchu]

First, I love putting White Clouds in the tank!


I would start with a 50% water change three days in a rowtable salt or aquarium salt at a dose of 1 teaspoon per gallon. If this helps I would go to a 50% water change forever weekly. I don't know but it is probably bad water quality.:coffee::youtellme:

[Ichthius]

I would treat for flukes with praziquantel and as Gary suggests.

I have pure prazi 20 grams for $25 delivered.

[bekko]

It's not flukes because it acts too quickly and you already used prazi. My guess is Costia. Costia is extremely small (for a parasite), but you may be seeing something associated with the characteristic white haze and accumulation of mucus. Salt can work but you have to begin the salt treatment very early. Try one of the parasite treatments containing formalin and malachite green.

-steve

[Ichthius]

what about Dactylogyrus egg laying flukes? Usually takes multiple treatments.

Potassium permanganate is great for ciliates, is very safe and treats both.

Fomalin is a carcinogen and a teratogen...