It may be too late

[fishieguy]

I have a Gold Mickey Mouse Platy that has gone from seemingly perfect health to death's door in less than 24 hours. I don't expect him to last the night. He's become bloated, his top fin has dropped, he's trailing some sort of white matter (not what you think), he's listless, tends to slant to the side from time to time and has a couple of white bubbles on his side. I do not believe it to be ich (I've seen fish riddled with ich), but what do I know?

This is one of three platies in a 10G. The tank just recently finished cycling. Nitrites are 0. Nitrates are about 20. Temperature is a hair above 80. One of the platies was introduced to the tank yesterday, but seems to be in perfect health, as is the other platy. I carefully studied the platies in the tank at the LFS and could detect no signs of illness in any of them.

The worst part is I feel helpless. I'm a new hobbyist and I don't have anything to medicate with. I think It'd kill him if I moved him. I don't have a quarantine tank and am afraid I'd cause more harm if I were to set one up in a rush. I'm also afraid that if I leave him in the existing tank and move the others, I'd harm them.

Don't know what to do, but I expect it will be a moot point by the morning. If he survives the night, any recommendations? Even if he doesn't survive, any advice for future reference?

This really sucks.

 

[TankGirl]

If there is any way to remove the sick platy I would do so asap to protect the health of the others. From what you describe I agree this fish is not likely to survive. He could have internal parasites with a secondary bacterial infection, or just plain old bloat, hard for me to tell.

 

[fishieguy]

He's still alive, but no change in his condition. I isolated him after I saw your message last night, Tank Girl. Basically, I've got him in one of the buckets I use for water changes -- not ideal conditions. I have no filter or heater on it, but I did try changing some of the water this morning. I tried putting an air stone in there, but it turned it into whirlpool. 8O It would be a little funny if it weren't sad.

The other two seem to be fine this morning.

 

[Meredith]

I don't have any suggestions for you, but I just wanted to say sorry and I know what you are going through. I am nursing a whole tank full of sick fish and I feel totally helpless. Good luck with your sicky.

 

[Menagerie]

I woul dgo out and stock up on some fish meds for the future and even know. Get some Melafix, fungal and bacteria med. Does the fish look bloated? Have the spots grown, changed color or gotten "cottony"?

 

[frshwaterfinatc]

Sounds like it may be anchorworm and dropsy to me... check out Jungle's medication that says it treats fungal and bacterial problems- it also gets rid of anchorworms. And QT him if at all possible! It also may help to raise the temp in his tank slightly. Good luck!

 

[fishieguy]

Thanks, all, for the support. He's still hanging in there but sure doesn't look any better. I bought a little tank and some meds on my way home from work tonight, so he's in a little better environment. Still don't have a filter or heater for him.

Poor thing has no strength. I had a small air stone in the QT and he kept getting drawn (sucked) toward it -- to the point he was almost wrapped around it. He could hardly swim away -- and I swear this was a tiny, low-strength stone. So I took it out. I guess I'll have to keep the water oxygenated through frequently changes.

I looked at a number of sick fish diagnosis sites today (boy, was that depressing) and really couldn't find anything that looked like his problems. There were some descriptions that seemed possible, but nothing that I could say, "Aha! That's it!"

Meanwhile, the new fish I added to the established tank has turned out to be a real bully. There are only two little platies in a 10G tank and this guy is a relentless nipper. My little aquatic world (my first!) is sure having a rocky start.

 

[Menagerie]

How are things going this evening?

 

[fishieguy]

Thanks for asking. He's shown minor signs of improvement, but is still in the fish ICU. Although he's slightly more mobile and and his fins look better, he's still not eating. I haven't seen him eat anything since I put him in QT. I think he now has a small chance of pulling through (I was SURE he was a goner), but I wouldn't put money on it. Still way too iffy.

 

[Menagerie]

These are my "favorite" diagnostic sites. I am sorry I didn't give them to you earlier.
http://www.aquatronicsonline.com/hobbyist/hobbyist3.htm
http://www.aqualink.com/disease/sdisease.html#ich
http://fish.mongabay.com/diseases.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/AqBizSubWebIndex/fishdisho.htm
http://www.fishpondinfo.com/health.htm

 

[fishieguy]

I can now officially say that I do not understand fish. The sick platy died sometime overnight. What bothers me most is that I have no idea why he became sick so suddenly or why, after slowly but definitely showing signs of improvement over the last few days of intensive care, he just died.

Something like this shakes my confidence. I now realize that any of my fish could go south for apparently no reason and, apparently, it is not within my power to do much about it.

Oh, there are reasons, I'm sure, but none my unskilled eyes can detect. This particularly fish was actually healing -- fins were much better yesterday. Mobility was much better. Whatever the white spot had been on the side was almost gone. Bloating was gone. Everything was good except the fish was still not eating.

I really enjoy my aquarium and am in no way ready to give it up. But this is just disconcerting. :x 8O

 

[rubysoho]

sorry to hear about that, losing a fish always sucks

 

[rjas007]

Sorry about your loss and it is discouraging. In the saving of many or the losing of 1 there is something gained - KNOWLEDGE - hang in there...