# Assuming its skinny disease. couple questions



## epicseller2012 (Mar 1, 2014)

Reommended treatments that show up are levimasol, api general cure , metro soaked food.
One article said 
General cure- *Alternative treatment for Clout, with less fish stress (especially for delicate fish), although not quite as strong
*General Cure Anti-Parasitic Fish Medication treats a wide variety of parasitic diseases including; Parasitic causes of hole-in-the-head disease (Hexamita), Gill & skin flukes (Dactylogyrus spp. & Gyrodactylus spp.), & some cases of Anchor Worm, Fish Lice, Planaria (Clout is generally more effective for Anchor Worms, Lice, & Planaria),

I don't have levi or general cure. But I have a giant bottle of clout. Enough to treat the whole tank many times ( its a 300 gallon tank) .
So the questions are- 1) should I use the clout, or order one of the others. 
and 2 ) treat the entire tank or the fish affected only.
I would pull only 2 fish out for treatment if its recommended to treat affected fish only.
Sunken for as long as I can remember ( must be like a year or so) but assumed if it was parasite- surely the fish would of died?
and I am guilty of over feeding- so not under fed


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Skinny disease? Do you think it is a parasite?

I don't like clout but if you have it and think it will cure what your fish have...I would treat just a hospital tank. Clout satins the silicone and can harm the beneficial bacteria.

Maybe there is a bit of aggression?


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## epicseller2012 (Mar 1, 2014)

yes, skinny. Sunken belly. For a long time. The tank is really calm. *** removed the more robust males to a 125.
One of the two the fish was in a 60 gallon with juvies for a while, so not even in the main tank until recently.
I'm worried of a parasite, and because *** moved fish around - I'm wondering if its best just to treat all the tanks.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I've heard of wasting disease and the theory that it may be actually fish TB. But there is no cure for that.

I'd try to treat one fish and see what happens. I'm not convinced it is a parasite. Or if it is, you may need to ID which one before choosing a medication.


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## epicseller2012 (Mar 1, 2014)

This first fish isn't nearly bad as the second. Both active, eat. Normal poop. The tank has minimal aggression. The dolphin seems to have waste more slowly over time over time, while the first fish remains to this day the same as the the pic.
The picture of the dolphin is from oct. Since then, the belly remains very caved. but the head almost looks thinner. Almost like you can see the bone structure a bit now. Sorry the picture its not great, it is extremely caved

do you recommend a treatment to start out with? or have any idea what I could be dealing with?
I did order some levimasol just in case


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Have you ever tried isolating them and just feed more to see if they will gain?

Maybe a little Epsom salt in the water?


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## james1983 (Dec 23, 2007)

I had an exochromis that for really skinny, I fed the whole tank Epsom salt soaked food for a week and he eventually started to put on weight. He had the sunken stomach and head.


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## epicseller2012 (Mar 1, 2014)

Either has been solo in tank. Is a long time issue I was very good about feeding and actually watching to make sure they got food. The dolphin seems to struggle. Hes got a weird way of eating. ALmost like bobbing for apples ? Slow and misses the pellets. Its bizarre. *** got to watch , and over feed some times until I see him get some. Drop it right on him and he may get one. The other is a power eater.
So would you recommend pulling the dolphin to isolation and just starting with just feeding? 
*** got all sorts of meds, but I guess unless I know what I'm dealing with its no use.

What does Epsom salt do? is it better to treat the water or food, can you do both ?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Maybe the dolphin has a vision issue? I had an 8" borleyi that ate better with bigger pellets.

Epsom salts are a mild laxative.

The idea with isolation is removing all possible stress just as much as removing competition for food...no nervous energy burning off calories. How long was each fish isolated?

If you feel the isolation idea has been tried and failed...then just isolate and pick a med and try it at will, but just on one fish. When you find what works then expand your treatment.


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## wortel87 (Apr 15, 2014)

If their eating and get thinner and thinner try medicating with levamisole. Probably intestinal nematodes.

Try it in quarantine first because their not going to like it one bit.

Good luck


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## epicseller2012 (Mar 1, 2014)

thank you everyone.
The dolphins been pulled first solo. The last couple days have been no treatment other than just making sure he has been able to eat properly. Ate readily.
I was able to get some better pics to show the poor guy! I hope he can recover from this without any permanent damage. 
Sorry djransome, in the previous post- it was to say they have not been previously isolated. I have purchase some of the Levamisole , but now I'm nervous! lol
If it is something such as Nematodes, what are the chances the other fish could have this. 
There is a skinnyish clown loach in main tank as well. But I have had him less than a month.
Is it possible that the loach could of already contracted the parasite and shown symptoms so fast? I was originally thinkinh he wasn't getting enough food because of the cichlids and thinking of rehome them.
If this treatment loach safe?


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## epicseller2012 (Mar 1, 2014)

So in doing a search , I found a great read about the nematode and found this article 
http://fisheries.tamu.edu/files/2013/09 ... n-Fish.pdf

Then , I remember not too long ago asking for help on these egg things all over my glass
viewtopic.php?f=23&t=408609

So I wonder if those are the eggs/larva of the nematode on my glass? I haven't had any problems with it since I got the clown loaches, which if if this is the case , they would be infected.


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