Sick Platy And More...

[MeanHoney]

I have a 20 gallon long tank with 5 platies, 2 swordies and 2 small featherfin catfish (yes I know they will outgrow the tank -- they'll be rehomed). Since last Thursday one of the platies has been ill - lethargic, laying on the gravel or in a plant, little eating and she seems to have a curved spine.

I've recently added two platies (not the sick one) and the two swordies to the tank. My water paramters are good (amonia and nitrie 0, nitrate 5-10). But, I had an amonia spike over the weekend and after a 60% water change it went back to zero

I've tried a course of marcyn2 which didn't seem to help. And now I've noticed that one of the swordtails is missing part of her tail and the the featherfin has a spot of fungus on his back. I'm currently treating the fungus with Pimafix.

I'm pretty new to fish (had the tank since May) and am starting to feel like a failure. Is there any hope for any of my fish?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[smmetz]

Hey, it happens to everyone eventually. Don't feel like a failure just because your fish got sick.

It sounds like you caught the amonia spike, which is good. Hopefully it didnt get too high.

Remember to keep an airstone or something in there while medicating, I hear that is good to do. Also be sure the carbon is out of your filter so it doesnt absorb the medacine.

I don't have much experience with sick fish yet, but sounds like you're doing a good job.

 

[MeanHoney]

Thanks for the encouragement smmetz.

Unfortunately, things seem to getting worse. The sick swordie is having a hard time swimming now. Fins are clamped on both the platy and the swordie.

 

[WILDER]

Remove the fish with the bent spine as you are dealing with internal parasites to fish tb if she wasn't born that way.

http/www.4qd.org/Aqua/disease/tb.html

 

[MeanHoney]

I'm setting up a hospital tank right now to will remove the two that are obviously sick. Seems to be a real outbreak of fish TB.

Thanks Wilder. You are so kind to help everyone and you seem to be a wealth of knowledge!

--Cindy

 

[WILDER]

It could even be internal parasties , so keep a look out for a red inflamed anus, or enlarged anus, long stringy white poo, and finally worms prutruding from the anus.
Good luck, get you some more info.
http/www.aquarticles.com/articles/manage...fer_FishTB.html