# Fish Flashing



## CichlidLover2 (Jul 31, 2005)

I rarely see this happening, it usually doesnt occur on a daily basis just randomly sometimes if at all.

My parameters are fine and the tank is already cycled. No indication of any sickness on the fish. Just because they are flashing does it mean I have to suspect something wrong with them? Its only my very large yellow lab and he doesn't even do it all the time. I've only seen him do it once or twice a week maybe even not at all sometimes.

Any insight would be appreciated.

PS Also he does have a sorta of concave stomach, would this be related to internal paraites? What should I use to treat this? Also I have a clown loach that has "skinny disease" but seems to be getting better since I have strictly fed NLS Anti parasitic Thera A+.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Once or twice a week isn't excessive, so that's nothing I would be alarmed about.

The concave stomach may indicate problems. Any chance of a pic?


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## CichlidLover2 (Jul 31, 2005)

Im not the best photographer.... but here is a pic I use to show people the quality of my labs...


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## CichlidLover2 (Jul 31, 2005)

Also, I think he might be doing the flashing more often...Im starting to watch more closely now and he does it like once or twice every two days. Its starting to worry me. But I have had fish flash all the time and none of them have died.


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## smellsfishy1 (May 29, 2008)

I don't know if it would be accurate to compare it to an itch but it seems similar to me.
If you itch once in a while its no big deal but if it persists it probably is an issue.
Like an itch on your back which is here and there versus itch from a rash or poison ivey.
If the flashing is starting to make you uncomfortable or uneasy just do a water change.
That usually does the trick as long as you match the water chemistry and dechlorinate.
Keep us posted on the progress.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

I see what you mean about the concave belly. Has it always been like this? Any better at times? Ever any worse?

Have you ever treated the tank for internal parasites?

I would try feeding medicated antiparasitic food, or NLS Thera A.


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## CichlidLover2 (Jul 31, 2005)

Yeah I've been strictly feeding NLS thera A for about almost a month now because I have a clown loach with skinny disease, but no progress. I have been feeding spirulina flakes as well but not often. The clown loach and the yellow lab are still very active and yes the lab has been this way since I got him. I got him at the size he is now and I have had him for about over a year now. He eats fine, breeds well, and even looks like one of the best labs I have ever seen, its just his belly that worries me...

I have never treated the whole tank, I was thinking of isolating the lab if I ever did treat because I dont wanna risk anything with the loaches, I know they are sensitive to meds. Never been any better or any worse, just seems to stay that way.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

I once had a fuelleborni male who had a slighly concave belly like your guy. Nothing I did would fatten him up.

I take it the clown loach is in the same tank? If so, the "skinny" or "wasting" disease could be spreading to your other fish. I would remove the clown loaches and treat the remaining fish, just to be safe. And I don't know that I would put the obviously affected clown loach back in the tank.


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## CichlidLover2 (Jul 31, 2005)

The lab had the concave belly before the loach got the skinny disease, so I think it might be the other way around. Anyways... I work at a fish place, so I just borrowed a little bag full of med that seems to be good. I don't remember the name, but it said it is safe to even use as a preventative. This is what I plan on doing:

1. Remove the one clown loach that has the skinny disease and put him into a 10 gallon.

2. Leave all other fish in my 55 gallon

3. Treat the 10 gallon but only with half dosage because I know loaches are scaleless so they can't take too much meds.

4. Fully treat the 55 gallon after removing carbon.

Now my new question is, is this the right course of action?


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Well, without knowing the name of the medication, it's hard to say... :-?


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## CichlidLover2 (Jul 31, 2005)

I will get the name of the med today because I work in a couple hours. I have been treating the clown loach in a 10 gallon with it already.

It says use 2 ml for 10 gallons but I have been using a little less because I know theyre sensitive scaleless fish. Also I treat, leave it for one day, change 50 percent of water and treat again. This is the 4th day since I have been treating


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## CichlidLover2 (Jul 31, 2005)

http://www.shopwiki.com/detail/q=Hikari ... ToFirst=t/

Its called ParziPro and it is used as a preventative and as well as a treatment.

Does anyone else know what else works well for Internal Parasites? Also what works best for skinny disease in clown loaches?


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

PraziPro is praziquantel, and is probably one of the best meds for internal parasites.

Another medication commonly used is metronidazole, so you might try treating with that if the PraziPro doesn't help.

I'm not sure how the scaleless clown loach will react to either med, though. They are very sensitive.

"Skinny" can also indicate fish tuberculosis. There is no cure for this, to my knowledge. But it will usually affect more than one fish in a tank.


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## CichlidLover2 (Jul 31, 2005)

Hmm, well I have been treating the loach and I see no progress so far how long should I keep treating him for?

This is what I have been doing should I change my methods? (He is in a 10gallon tank all by himself w/sponge filter)

Day 1: Treat with 1ML PraziPro

Day 2: nothing

Day 3: 50% water change treat with 1.2ML PraziPro

Day 4: nothing

Day 5: nothing

Day 6: 50% water change treat with 1.5 mL PraziPro

Day 7: nothing

Day 8: that would be today (11/9/08) I havent done anything yet.

NOTE: He hasnt been eating when I am present by the tank but it seems that he is pooping and the pellets are gone when I come to check up on him later.

He also seems to have bursts of energy then just hides behind a rock whenever I am around.


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## corrie22 (Oct 11, 2008)

> should I change my methods?


more than likely

a 1/2 dose of praziquantel/droncet probably won't work

Prazipro is not harsh, use a full dose.

it will take a while to see any results for something internal
but a trick to getting fresh water fish to take in something
is to add salt.
makes them drink more water, which makes them take in more of the med.


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## CichlidLover2 (Jul 31, 2005)

Yeah I have been using salt with the treatment. Ill just do a 50% change right now and do a full 2.1 ML dose of it then.

Also I have just noticed his fin is kinda deteriorating... I might not be able to get a pic of his tail but I will find a pic and circle the area of where it seems like it is deteriorating. This might have been from the Demasoni in my main tank before I moved him because I remember him being a little beat up. However I wont treat for bacteria because clean water should heal his wounds properly anyways.

ALSO It is confirmed he is eating, he just is skittish of eating in front of me when I'm moving. (Yes I sat in front of the tank for 10 minutes until he finally came out from behind his rock and ate hahaha).


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## corrie22 (Oct 11, 2008)

It might be external flukes
and internal bacterial

or any combination


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## CichlidLover2 (Jul 31, 2005)

Well even if it is flukes, the PraziPro should treat that aswell. As for the bacterial infection goes, shouldn't clean water take care of that?

I could add some "APPLUS+ Anti-Bacterial" but I heard its not good to mix meds.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

If the fish has a bacterial infection, clean water will help, but it won't cure it. I really don't see anything that you've given so far to indicate a bacterial infection.

I would continue what you're doing for another full round.


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## CichlidLover2 (Jul 31, 2005)

Alrighty then, so I will do this for the next few days and see how things go. He is already showing signs of recovery because he doesn't seem as skinny as he used to be! Thanks for the help so far!


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## CichlidLover2 (Jul 31, 2005)

=/

Well to my dismay I think I may have another problem!!

My loaches "whiskers" are completely gone, I don't know if they were infected or what but they are not there anymore. He just looks really stressed and mostly stays in one place. Should I move him back to the main tank because he doesn't look skinny any more and I think the 10 gallon tank might be too stressful for him.

What should I do now?


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Is he in the tank alone?

How do his fins and tail look?


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## CichlidLover2 (Jul 31, 2005)

Well his whiskers were never gone, I guess he tucked them into his mouth so it made it look like they were. He seemed very inactive in the quarantine 10 gallon so I moved him back to the 55 gallon. He seems fine just still looks skinny, at this point I'm not sure what to do anymore.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

I would have probably continued the prazipro a bit longer before returning him to the main tank.


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