Wasting disease? Parasite? opinion please.

[KaraWolf]

I'm losing my dwarf gourami. Relatively new to my tanks arrived october 22nd from the wetspot tropical fish along with some cherry barbs who are doing great.
One has dropsy but doesnt seem to have lost any weight or had color change.
The other two are turning into bottom dwellers, heads are turning grayish like their scales have decided to change color and they generally look skinner then the healthy ones.They also have partially clamped fins.
Also. A currently healthy one just swam past with white/clear poo behind him.
I would headge a bet that they've all got the same thing but what it is and the best way to treat it Im not sure.

 

[DMD123]

Are they still eating?

 

[KaraWolf]

The one with confirmed stringy poo is. The other 3 not really. One got interested during the tank cleaning today but there was no food.

 

[DMD123]

Once they stop eating it is a hard road. Sometimes a combination of treating the tank with Tetra Parasite Guard and feeding a medicated food or Epsom Salt soaked food can work. Ive had good success with the Tetra stuff because it is a cocktail of meds. Problem is that a lot of times you also seem to deal with infection after a parasite. So I also end up treating with something like Kanaplex.

 

[bassetman]

Looks pretty bad. Good luck with it.

 

[KaraWolf]

I have bacterial treatment on hand but Ill have to go out tomorrow and find some parasite meds.
Thanks for the luck! And the advice

There may be hope yet. Tried sinking some of their food and all 5 are interested.

 

[Madness]

Yes get parasite guard by Tetra, as well as kanamyacin, (also called kanapro, kanaplex, etc...) The Kanamyacin will help act as a pathway for the other meds to get into the fishes system. Freshwater fish do not drink the water so it is very hard to get the meds into the body by just adding it to the tank. The Kanamyacin helps open the gills for better absorption of the meds. Also soak the sinking food in 1TBL of epsom salt and a TBL of water, let the food absorb the salt and then feed. I would also add epsom salt to the tank 1TBL/5gal

Good luck

 

[ShortyKiloGyrl]

Unfortunately, dwarf gourami are known to come with parasites I hope you the best.

 

[KaraWolf]

None of the nearby stores had it unfortunately. So had to ship it. Will be here the 30th :/ hopefully they hold out till then. If you're right ShortyKiloGyrl then if I have to replace them might as well treat for parsites when they arrive >>

 

[DMD123]

In a pinch Walmart carries a Jungle product 'Parasite Clear' which is almost identical to the Tetra.

 

[swamp-rat]

They definitely have hexamita aka hole-in-the-head, as most gouramis do. Unfortunately Metronidazole needs to be given orally to have any effect on the parasite, and it tastes like licking the inside of a 140 year old rusty lead pipe, so most fish won't eat it willingly even when they're feeling fine. Absorption rates when administered in a bath are poor. The only success I've had with fish that are anorexic with internal parasites is gavaging medication directly into the stomach with a syringe...unfortunately this is pretty impossible for most people. Your best bet is to get an insulin syringe, break off the needle, and use a paste of fish food and metronidazole (I'd say about 1/32 tsp of medication to 1/2 tsp food) to administer 0.06-0.08cc of paste intraorally to each fish. This means restraining them in hand, inserting the syringe in their mouth, and slowly injecting the food. Without getting the applicator all the way into the pharynx you'll see a lot get "coughed" back up or through the gills as, like I said, it tastes horrid; but some will get in, and it's the best chance they have. Treat every other day for 3 treatments. If this is just sounding impossible, try Bi-Furan by Hikari. It contains the antibiotic nitrofurazone and the anti-protozoan furazolidone. I have not tried this myself and I'm unsure how well furazolidone will work for hexamita in ornamental species, but it is used in a bath which is easier than intraoral administration. It has been found to reduce but not eliminate the parasite load in the intestines of hatchery trout, whereas metronidazole orally will eliminate the parasite. However, a reduction may get them well enough to eat, and then you can try medicated food.
Salt is always a good idea, 1 tbsp/10 gal. You will also want to do a water change every other day to help remove any passed parasites to prevent reinfection. I tend to use Melafix as my go-to preventative for secondary bacterial infections - Kanamycin is a potent antibiotic and can cause renal damage if used in excess, and when used unnecessarily can lead to antibiotic resistance in the future.
Here's a good article as well: https://www.extension.org/mediawiki/fil ... chlids.pdf

 

[swamp-rat]

Also, once/if they start eating again, it's imperative to replace lost nutrients as quickly as possible to speed recovery. Feed frozen foods soaked in HUFAs/vitamins - I like Vitamarin-C with all other supplements as Vitamin C is not very stable long-term and many carnivorous fish are deficient - and Aminomega food soak as my "everything else" supplement. Find info here:http://brightwellaquatics.com/products/ and I think Barrier Reef in Renton has them.