Parasites...

[jnms]

My four new Platys in quarantine - one died five days after purchase. I notice now that they are doing white or clear poos. I know this can be a sign of infection or parasite, or also constipation and / or stress.

I have just started feeding them peas, to try and flush their system out. I have also read <a href="http/www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/health/nematodes.shtml" target="_blank">http/www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/health/nematodes.shtml</a> and I am not sure this fits the description of what is going on.

All the water parameters are fine, with the Ph at around 8.1

I also notice that their anus seems to be swollen, this has only been so for the last day or 2. Here are some photos showing what they look like.

Any thoughts on whether this is parasite, infection, stress or constipation?

The first photo is a female, so it's clear she isn't happy at the moment has her fins are clamped, she has only been doing this since yesterday...

 

[jnms]

I read a bunch of other posts here on this topic, before I posted. So I researched the issue a bit.

The only thing I can't figure out is if the platys have problems with their anus - hence the above pictures...

 

[WILDER]

Sounds like internal parasites to me if there anus is swollen.
There this med,
http/www.thegreenmachineaquatics.com/mal...ol%20001/198936

 

[jnms]

Thanks for the reply Wilder. Looks like I will be medicating them then. Just glad I didn't put them into the main tank...

 

[WILDER]

Good luck.

 

[jnms]

Thanks.

Strange thing is the plattys were brought from different shop (at the same time), yet all four break out with the same problem at the same time.

 

[WILDER]

Internal parasites can spread.
Fish can get infected also by sucking another fish poo up and spitting it out.
Had internal parasites camallanous worms with my guppy when I kept them, but there wasn't a med available to treat them then,.

 

[jnms]

Ok thanks again.

Sad story about the guppys...

 

[WILDER]

Never had any luck with guppys so stopped keeping them.
Good luck with yours.

 

[jnms]

Ok, I tried the Nematol - but it doesn't seem to have worked.

After looking into it, it seems I should have got Flagellol instead - which is actually for parasites...

http/www.thegreenmachineaquatics.com/mal...nal%20Flagellol

 

[WILDER]

So did I leave the wrong link getting abit confused and it dosn't take much for that to happen,.

 

[jnms]

Well I should have double checked I guess. Bit of a pain as money is a bit short. Though at any rate it's probably a good thing to de-worm the fish.

Right now, the fish have red poo. From what I understand these is almost certainly a sign or parasites is that correct?

Also, do you know if the Flagellol is definitely what I need?

 

[WILDER]

Red poo yes is a sign.
Camallanous worms will look blood red when they have been feeding on the host.
Is the fish anus enlarged or red and inflamed.
Sometimes you can see the worm prutruding from the anus.

No the flagellol is for hole in the head.
You need the other med I put the link up to as that treats camallanous worms.


Just checked the med details on the one you have and you have to retreat in 3 weeks to kill the young parasites.


Sera Nematol


Sera Nematol is a very effective remedy against nematodes such as Camallanus, roundworms (Capillaria) and discus pinworms (oxyurids) for fresh and salt water fish. A sensational R & D success: sera med Professional Nematol is the first ornamental fish treatment against Nematodes that may be sold freely. It is based on a patented Emamectin/solvent complex, highly effective and easy to dose. sera med Professional Nematol is particularly effective against Camallanus and round worms of the genus Capillaria, which mainly occur in angelfish and discus. It can also be optimally used against pinworms (Oxyurida), dreaded by discus keepers. At the same time it combats the small copepods that Camallanus uses as intermediate hosts. Result: With sera Nematol a well tolerated and highly effective ornamental fish treatment that can be sold freely is now available for the first time! It is a liquid and therefore can be dosed easily and precisely.



Dosage for sera Nematol:

Add 1 ml sea Nematol per each 40 litres of aquarium water. Distribute the treatment on the watrer surface from the dosage cup while stirring it into the water with a spoon or staff. Aerate the aquarium well during the treatment, switch off UV-lamps and do not filter through active carbon. A water change of at least 80% must be carried out after two days (or during the treatment if the water gets cloudy). You can combat larvae that have hatched from the eggs in the meantime with a second application of sera Nematol three weeks later.



From £11

 

[jnms]

The fish anus appears to be large, though I am no expert and it maybe normal for Platys, I have tried to capture it in the above photos. A white dot / protrusion between the two bottom fins.

The poo is red, though I am not sure if it is blood red. More of a brownish-red. I starved the fish for about 5 days - and just fed them a load of flake, so perhaps this is the reason for the red poo?

There is no sign of worms anywhere though...

Just checked the med details on the one you have and you have to retreat in 3 weeks to kill the young parasites.

Thanks. So Nematol will kill all intestinal parasites? Pretty tricky knowing what is the correct diagnosis and correct medication isn't it. Fish keeping seems to get very involved.

 

[WILDER]

Humans get enlarged anus when we have worms, so do fish.
I would retreat the med in another 3 weeks.
Enlarged anus is not normal its a sign of parasites internally.

Not sure what you mean by a white dot on the fins does it have any redness to the spot.
How big is the spot.
Does it look like a cauliflower.

Yes its the right med for camallanous worms but not sure on how good it is.
its 1ml to 40 litres so work that out in gallons.
You have to retreat the med in 3 weeks.