# Working this out



## Shill (Mar 10, 2008)

Okay... So I treated for internal parasites a couple of weeks ago just before my shipment of fish arrived because a couple of my yellow labs were "shrinking", lethargic, and had clamped fins.

My ammonia is 0
Nitrite is 0
Nitrates around 15

Tank was fully cycled before any fish were added over a month ago.

I have a 45 gallon tank with 2 danios, 6 labs, 11 dems, and 5 red zebras. Everyone is still young and I haven't noticed any real aggression. (I'm guessing that is to come as they get bigger and start to sexually mature but for now, it isn't the issue).

I had a fungus and some fin rot also and started treating with Myracin last Monday. As of yesterday I noticed that the slight white I was seeing on their fins and on the largest of my red zebras is all cleared up.

BUT I have 2 dems that have been lethargic, have clamped fins, aren't eating, and like to hide. I have no stringy white poop, no spots, and no external signs of anything else. It's just these two guys. Is it possible that I need to treat with another round of anti parasite? Are parasites the only thing that would cause them to just hide out and waste away?

I'm feeding NLS Cichlid pellets (the little ones but not fry food) and a little crumbled Wardley flakes for the littlest dem who can't seem to manage the pellets.

Oh... and as far as water quality. Since I've been treating (which has been almost constant and is making me crazy) I've been doing a water change at least every 5 days and sometimes every 2-3. I did a 50% water change yesterday which was the first since last Monday as I read somewhere to keep the water changes down when using Myracin.

Everyone else looks GREAT now. Just gotta get these last two "fixed up".


----------



## Robin (Sep 18, 2002)

So its the new fish that are sitting on the bottom? How long has it been since they've shown interest in food?

What did you use for an antiparasite med before? Depending on what you used you might try treating again. New fish are more prone to illness because of all the stress of being netted, bagged and transported.

Robin

You can do as many water changes as you can fit in with Maracyn--you just have to work around the medication schedule, ie, do a water change just prior to the next dose.


----------



## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Well I guess the guys doing bad are from a bad dealer. If you can demonstrate you keep em well dump em back on the dealer. If he/she will not accept em back well I guess you know do not go back there again.


----------



## Shill (Mar 10, 2008)

Yes, the two that are sick were in the bags from the online store. they came in the mail two weeks ago Friday. I had treated with Jungle Parasite Clear. I used up the box and that was that.

I'd say I've been watching them off and on for a few days. Sometimes they come out and swim a little but they just aren't behaving like the others. I am not sure how long they haven't been eating as I have trouble just counting them all to make sure they are all there. They all move so much! I think one of them (they hide in different places and I'm not positive it was one of these two) got a NLS pellet that hit the bottom. Sucked it up and spit it out just like it was poop. Couldn't figure out why he'd bother to taste it if he didn't want it to begin with. But during feeding time, at least yesterday and today, they don't even come out when I drop the food.


----------



## Shill (Mar 10, 2008)

I will say they may have been severely stressed when they arrived. I'm NOT sure though. I ordered from a VERY reputable place that has gotten rave reviews on this site.

However, I called him the day they arrived because I had a couple of questions. He told me that he had tried a new system for shipping this batch and I was a "test". He got new breathable bags that exchange carbon dioxide and oxygen. They seemed kind of weak. The bottom of the box was all wet when it arrived and the Fed Ex lady had put the whole box in a garbage bag to keep her truck dry.

When I opened it up, there were 2 bags that had popped, one that had lost a significant amount of water, another that had lost some water, and one that had a stretch mark in it like it was being squeezed and the pressure was pushing out at that point. I'd say another few hours and that bag would have gone too.

The one dem that was in the bag with very little water died about 2-3 days later. I've been treating with something almost every day since they arrived. I have to admit. I'm have a LOT more trouble with my shipped fish than I did with my lfs fish.


----------



## ccol74 (Aug 13, 2006)

Your not the only who has trouble with shipped fish. I too seem to get a lot more casualties with shipped fish than with local fish.


----------



## Shill (Mar 10, 2008)

One of the dems died.


----------

