Attention Diana RE Skinny Disease

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MandaMunky
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Attention Diana RE Skinny Disease

Post by MandaMunky » Tue Jun 04, 2013 2:09 pm

Hi there,

Just wondering what specific products you recommend for skinny disease. I have some levamisole but I'm wondering if it's expired. I reconsituted it about 8 months ago. Since it's been in a dark bottle in the fridge. I tried some last night but no effects yet. I'm worried because my Yoyo that I rescued, who is in quarantine (with the other tropical fish from the same tank he was rescued from) looks like he's got a slight "knife back" appearance to him & his little belly is ALWAYS bloated. It gets bigger after a meal & will go down but never completely. I'm going to attach a few pictures of him.

I'm wondering if I should get some febendazole? It's much easier to get & cheaper in the US than almost anything else. Also what antibiotic would you recommend? I have API General Cure, Maracyn, Maracyn II, & Erythromycin on hand. It looks like you guys are suggesting that you mix it with their food. I'm not sure how to do this?

Any specific recommendations regarding the afore mentioned products would really be appreciated. He's still acting very happy & is super active & loves to eat. So, I'd really like to catch this before he gets anyworse.

Thank you so much!!
Amanda

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Diana
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Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2006 1:35 am
Location: Near San Franciso

Re: Attention Diana RE Skinny Disease

Post by Diana » Sat Jun 08, 2013 9:18 pm

Maracyn = Erythromycin. Mostly Gram positive bacteria, but also some Gram negative and some fungi.
Maracyn 2 is minocycline. Mostly Gram negative bacteria.
API made them to be used together. They seem to be a bit weak, IME. They are fine when things are just getting started, though. add to the tank water, not the food.

Kanamycin, mixed with food IME is a lot stronger. Mostly Gram negative bacteria. General idea about mix with food: Figure out how much you want to dose the fish with, and how many times. Dissolve that much medicine in water. Put the right amount of food in a baggie or spread it out on a tray. Either pour the medicine into the baggie, or spray the medicine over the food. Spread out the food and run a fan over it without heat to dry the food. Then feed this food exclusively when you are treating the fish for bacterial infections.

I am not sure about the shelf life of Levamisol. It is a good one, especially to start with because as well as being good against many internal parasites, it also improves their immunity. I do not think you would notice results with just one treatment.

Here is a link about using Fenbendazol. The same general instructions for making medicated gel-food will work for most meds. Just be careful not to add the medicine to hot foods. Wait until the foods are starting to cool. This is the way I make medicated foods.
http://www.simplydiscus.com/library/dis ... worm.shtml

API General cure might be better for external parasites, but is worth giving it a try.

Basic idea about treating:
We do not know what species of parasite or other problem the fish has.
Most medicines do not cure every variety of parasite or bacteria.
If you can alternate, rotate products, at least 2 antibiotics, and at least 2 parasite meds you are more likely to attack the problem.
Research the medicines. For example, anti parasite meds.
Some are highly active against many nematodes. Make sure you include one of this group.
Some are better against tape worm or other internal parasites, not so good against nematodes. This would be a good alternate.
That way, both groups of internal parasites are treated.
38 tanks, 2 ponds over 4000 liters of water to keep clean and fresh.

Happy fish keeping!

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MandaMunky
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Joined: Tue Sep 11, 2012 12:16 pm
Location: Yucaipa, CA, USA

Re: Attention Diana RE Skinny Disease

Post by MandaMunky » Sun Jun 09, 2013 12:34 pm

Beautiful reply... Thank you very much!

I have ordered a anti-parasitic/antibiotic/immune booster master pack of foods sold by Angels Plus (on eBay just search levamisole & the guy's store will come up - Aaron Bragelman sp?) http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fish-Flake-Medi ... 27cc56fcb5

Anyway, the guy seems pretty knowledgeable & confident with his product. I'm going to try it. I'm really actually starting to think that the Yoyo has tapeworm. Ugh. Does this mean it's contagious to all of the other fish? I tried to research this to find the tapeworms lifecycle in the aquarium but I can't? He's the only one with symptoms, but like previously mentioned I want to do something!! Also, is tapeworm in the aquarium contagious to humans?

Thanks... stressin out... hopefully for nothing. I'll keep everyone updated.

Diana
Posts: 4675
Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2006 1:35 am
Location: Near San Franciso

Re: Attention Diana RE Skinny Disease

Post by Diana » Wed Jun 12, 2013 12:19 am

Yes, internal and external parasites are easily transmitted to the other fish. Treat all the fish that have been exposed.
"Exposed" means in the same tank (obviously) but also means if something has been moved from the infected tank to another tank, the thing that was shared MAY carry the parasite to the next tank.
Example: Many parasites go through a spore or egg or other resting stage. Some may burrow into the substrate (so moving a rooted plant can move the parasite) or may drift in the water and get trapped by the filter media. They might be stuck on a branch of driftwood, or a hole in a rock (small hole, like lava rock). ANYTHING (even a net) that is dipped in one tank then another MIGHT carry diseases or parasites.

Many parasites need an alternate host. They live a 2-part (or more complex) life, living for a while in a fish, then a snail, then a bird... This sort of parasite cannot move from fish to fish. They need that alternate host. I have NO idea if the pond snails, Malaysian Trumpet Snails, Apple Snails, Nerites or other snails that are kept in aquariums can be the alternate host.
38 tanks, 2 ponds over 4000 liters of water to keep clean and fresh.

Happy fish keeping!

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MandaMunky
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Re: Attention Diana RE Skinny Disease

Post by MandaMunky » Sat Jun 15, 2013 2:46 pm

Thank again for another wonderful reply!!

I received the food I ordered from Angels Plus & today they had their 3rd feeding of Praziquantel. I decided to start with this because I had already used that Levamisole that MAY or MAY NOT have been expired? Either want I didn't want to OD them - although according to the article it's hard to do! Anyway, no results yet... my Yoyo is still got a super bloated tummy. Otherwise it's acting fine, SUPER active, eats aggressively, swims around happily... no weird poops? IDK... next I think I might try the Metronidazole flake? The whole pack included: 3 dewormers (Levamisole, Fenbendazole, & Praziquantel), an antiprotozoan (Metronidazole), 2 antibiotics (Oxytetracycline Hydrochloride & Kanamycin Sulfate), & an Immune booster flake. Obviously you're only supposed to use one at a time so I think I should proceed with an antibiotic of some sort? Which of the ones I've listed is usually safest for loaches?

Also, here's a video (below) of her the other day before we got the medicated food. They were munching on an algae wafer... Do you think there's a chance that it's just a gravid female?

Thanks again for all of your support/help.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-C5TFkol ... e=youtu.be

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MandaMunky
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Location: Yucaipa, CA, USA

Re: Attention Diana RE Skinny Disease

Post by MandaMunky » Sun Dec 01, 2013 2:42 pm

UPDATE!!

My Yoyo finally started to look like a normal fish! I'm not sure what did it? It could have been the medicated food from Angels Plus, my healthy tank environment, good foods & appropriate feeding schedule, or all of the above (probably).

Anyway, he's doing great he just LOVES my clowns & oddly enough he's best buddies with some rummy nose tetras I have!! (I say he because his barbels are a little reddish & I think I remember reading somewhere that that can indicate he's a male?)

I'm in the process of upgrading from my 29g to a 80g tank & plan to use the old tank to quarantine a couple new Yoyos for the larger tank. I may also get a couple new clowns, haven't decided there yet & I don't want to overstock my 80g because I don't *plan* on upgrading again.

Thanks!

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