Im beginning to hate this hobby

[FishFingers]

Hi Folks,

Ok Im doing this about 2 1/2 years now and I just have a pain in my arse with all the fish diseases/deaths.

I've had the usual Fin rot, Ich and now I believe 1 of my Clown Loaches has an internal bacteria infection. He is having trouble eating (like he's having trouble swallowing the food). He shows no signs of damage other than wasting away. I find this very distressing and I'm having a hard time looking at the poor guy. These guys have been in my tank for 4 months showing no signs of disease.

http://www.loaches.com/faq_parasites.html

I read this article on www.loaches.com and its just about pushed me over the edge. I can't get this drug in ireland and I don't know any Doctor Hackinabush who could get it for me. I love loaches and this is killing me.

I do pretty much every conceivable thing to keep my fish happy and I spare no expense either. I keep a clean tank do 50% water changes every week. Do all the tests. Feed 5 course meals "would you like blood worm today, no you want shrimp with a side course of cucumber and maybe some algae wafers to, red or white from the rhone valley?"

I honestly don't mind the work I really enjoy the tank, but I am finding it hard to justify my hobby if all I'm doing is killing fish!

If I'm to believe this article its pure bloody luck any fish I get will be healthy. This parasite has probably already spread to other fish in my tank and any question I ask in LFS, well lets just say I have 3 heads and look like a dragon.

SORRY ABOUT THE RANT JUST SO FRUSTRATED!

Anyone out there used an over the counter med that beat this?

 

[stainless_wm]

I am no expert by any means. But just a thought,,,, I have heard that some people will set up a quarantine tank, for new fish and fish that appear to not be doing too well.... If you worry that this infection is contagious, you might want to separate that fish till you figure out whats going on.
I cant offer any advice on the drug or the infection, Just support. I feel your pain. I tell people that this is the most frustrating hobby i enjoy. Keep fighting the good fight.

Wade

 

[FishFingers]

Already quarantined. But it is probably far to late because its a bit obvious that this guy had the infection before I bought him. The tank he was in has fish in it now for 9 months with only 1 fin rot outbreak on 2 fish (now cured).

Thanks

 

[stainless_wm]

So how is the little guy doing now?

 

[FishFingers]

He's still as skinny as ever and just looks like he's wasting away.

4 of the other clown loaches just dropped dead. They never got skinny either, all looked healthy.

I have no idea why they dropped dead because I tested the water every 2 days for 3 weeks and no ammonia or nitrite showed up. Nitrates were always at 10ppm. They looked fine right up to the day they died. No swimming or habit changes apart from dieing all in the 1 day. Used two different tests tablet and liquid. results consistent.

I am completely stumped. The other healty loach is now hiding all the time and the skinny one constantly swims. I have never seen him eat anything in the last week but hes still there?

Damn I love these loaches this is really killing me.

Thanks Stainless

 

[Zagz]

If you suspect internal parasites try some jungle internal parasite medication. I have a cichlid that appears to be afflicted also with internal parasites. It is worth a shot if he is already in QT.

 

[FishFingers]

thanks zags but i cant get it here. I will try online.

 

[Zagz]

Oh don't you hate that ! I have the same troubles here, can't find many meds that are common in the US. What I would do, is see what your lfs carries for internal parasite and just get that. It will be faster than getting anything online. I hope he does better soon.

 

[Devilishturtles]

Check any med you can find with Metronidazole in it. It's a great cure for Internal Parasites.

 

[FishFingers]

thanks devil

 

[Kilgore]

Hi FishFingers,

I've never had a problem with finrot - the bacteria which cause it are always there but only take hold when a fish is injured and/or living in an unhealthy tank. Since you do 50% water changes every week, that seems unlikely. Have you tested your water lately? Not to suggest, based on your outstanding menu, that you may be overfeeding, but when fish get sick frequently there is usually cause. Perhaps your filter media is clogged?

It sounds like these are fish you've had for quite some time. In my experience, my established fish no longer succumb to a specific disease. Rather, they die of "sudden fish death" with no visible symptoms. Except for hole in the head on cichlids - that's the one that makes me want to cry.

Anyway, you probably know all of this, but just in case, you should always up the temp in your quarantine tank and do not use carbon.

I also believe that sometimes fish we get are just of poor stock. They are raised improperly, some are overtreated with medication that creates resistance, many are inbred, they aren't shipped properly, etc. Who knows, but it is very frustrating.

 

[FishFingers]

Hi Kil,

5 out of the 6 loaches i bought are dead. I had them for 6 months and they were all between 2 and 3 inchs in size. They were the best fish I ever had. I kept them in a quarantine tank for 6 weeks before I brought them over to my 55g.

The 55g has 4 firemouths and a severum in it. Its also got plants in it which regulates the nitrate levels at about 10ppm (can be trouble even keeping nitrates that high for them too). The fin rot was on the severum and a firemouth that just would'nt stop fighting. It cleared up within a week.

It was about 3/4 weeks after that the loaches just uped and died.

I have been watching the firemouths to see if any are breeding because I was thinking maybe they were attacking the loaches but I have seen no evidence of breeding. I don't think they are matured enough 3".

I also thought that maybe the Severum 3" had a go at the loaches but if anything he really liked them and would follow them because he knew they always turn up food.

My single loach is now just laying about alot in the quarantine tank but still eats and he seems fine but then again so where all the others bar the skinny one.

I just wish they had something I could identify so I would know if I was making a mistake.
Something I could get my teeth into as they say.

I am guessing that maybe there was something in the frozen shrimp/bloodworm I was feeding them.

The filter I have is a canister Eheim ProII which I check every 3 weeks. Its never been blocked yet. Its for a 155g tank but i keep the flow rate down.

I'm on the look out for 2 loaches to keep him company if he is still alive in a few weeks. Bad time of year to get them though only the stupid baby ones going around.

Hope you have better luck.