Yoyo loach not doing well

[Amlyel]

Hello any help would be appreciated. I have a yoyo loach that is about 5 years old that I got along with this tank back in August. Today I came home to find him with reddish fins and heavy breathing. I made a bad decision it seems by adding 4 more small yoyo loaches. I added them Thursday with no quarantine. I know! Never again! This is a 40 gallon tank with 5 yoyo loaches, 8 small male guppies, 7 pristella tetras, and 1 upside down catfish. I do at least 50% PWC once a week. I use a liquid test kit and took my parameters earlier tonight.

Ammonia was .15 (between 0 and .25)
Nitrate 10
Nitrite 0
Ph7.5

Any thoughts??

 

[Amlyel]

Also my last water change was yesterday and I use Prime. Usually have a little ammonia in my tap water but haven't checked for a bit.

 

[Amlyel]

Sorry for these follow ups I had this all typed out and I lost it and had to redo it. I keep realizing I left things out! He didn't act odd until yesterday where he seemed a little sluggish and hid most of the day. He hasn't eaten possibly since Saturday night. I don't know if he ate Sunday morning.

 

[J.Mcpeak]

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f17/constipated-dropsy-or-just-fat-286937.html

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f17/gold-saum-protruding-anus-285953.html


Been there done that with this species of fish. Botia almorhae.

Read these posts.

 

[Amlyel]

Thank you for the reply. I appreciate it. I read those posts and it seems they are both about worms. I don't see the similarities in these posts and my issue. This is new to me so I'm not sure. Maybe you could shed some light for me. Also I know treatments aren't necessarily the same for loaches due to their scales. I have a 10 gallon with guppies that I can move the guppies out of to give him a hospital tank but I don't want to do that without a plan. He's already stressed so much! He's still in the same shape today but the redness subsided a little. He also looks like he has a hole? or injury under his mouth that I have a picture of.

 

[Amlyel]

Thank you anyway, but he passed overnight.

 

[Bichir Bro]

It may have just been old age. I don't know their normal life span but he looked pretty old to me. Sorry about your loss

 

[J.Mcpeak]

Make a cut from the pectoral fins to the anal vent, fold back skin, open the silver sack to the intestine, open intestinal tract.

Sorry your fish died too early. Was anything protruding from it?

My first encounter with worms was with one of these fish. It died from the camallanus strain. By my experience it is the biggest killer of all tropical fish, excepting human error. With over 10,000 different species of "worm" known to affect tropical fish it is difficult to instantly diagnose. The obvious signs are abdominal swelling and lack of faeces. Other symptoms include loss of appetite and buoyancy issues. It is one of the few ailments requiring fast response medication. Treatment of a healthy fish will cause no problems. Left untreated for too long always has the same result.

 

[Amlyel]

I didn't want to but I opened up my fish. I'm not seeing what you are talking about. The silver sack to the intestinal track. I don't want to be totally inappropriate and put a picture but there isn't anything worm like but he is filled with a sack of round white things? All around his organs and down to his vent. Nothing was protruding from him. I checked him over when I took him out of the tank this morning. Now I have an open fish with no idea of what I'm looking for.

 

[J.Mcpeak]

research ligula intestinalis or schistocephalus.

Helminth parasites, Cestoda 1500+, nematodes 10,000+, acanthocephala 400approx.

Numbers are of various different species. If you want a positive ID, photograph specimen as it will not be pleasant for you in a few days time.

Brave move, much respect to you for that. I have to know too!

 

[Amlyel]

Nothing looks even close! Thanks for your input. Do you mean to post the pic here for help on an ID? I can do that I just would warn everyone not to go further down if they don't want to see it. Let me know and I'll post. Poor loach. I just don't want all the others I just brought in to go through this. Is seems so sudden for what his abdomen looks like.

 

[J.Mcpeak]

There are many species that look very different, they fall under just a few basic categories. I don't know them all! I don't even know 100, I'm fairly sure of what I can already see. The best part of 12,000 options will take a considerable amount of research. This is why I suggest a photographic reference as opposed to a decaying specimen. Failing that freeze it, allow a vet to pass judgement. Freezing may not be ideal.

What do they use? Formalin or alcohol as a preservative.

 

[J.Mcpeak]

If you want privately email a pic. I will try to help. I don't have a full photographic reference of all known species. Biological analysis is out of my league. Bear in mind I have a regular job, one that isn't fish related.

If you've found the organs these are contained within the sac. The white string sure sounds like worms, most likely of the body cavity.

 

[Amlyel]

Ok I took a couple pictures already, so I'm good there. I wasn't sure if you were wanting to see the picture but I can continue to research. I've already disposed of his body so the photos will have to be enough for now.

Thanks for the suggestions. My brother has cleaned fish many times so I had him take a peek and he's never seen anything like it so whatever was in there is obviously the problem. It honestly looks like an abdominal cavity full of tiny white eggs but they were contained in the abdominal sack? I don't know if that's what you call it. Seeing as tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I have to start some cooking I'll hold off on the heavy research for now. There are some nasty pictures on google! Again thank you.

 

[J.Mcpeak]

Potentially all stock is infected. I would treat for internal parasites to be safe.

The newest fish or plants were the most likely carriers. 2-3 months can pass before any obvious signs.

Some worms have a few phases of life, yes it's an ugly business but necessary to prevent further loss.

I have a few threads with different symptoms I have been involved in.
The treatment is basically the same. The bloated/constipated thread has developed some more since I posted you the link.

I kept these fish for up to 6 years, I re homed the shoal to a friends tank before moving.

 

[Amlyel]

That's where I was a little thrown. I put those fish in Thursday night. Not even a week ago so whatever happened was so crazy that it seems they should all be dying or something was already going on? Ugh it's just confusing. I'll try to read up later. I'm still needing to look at the fact that treatment for them will be different from most fish. I'll have to look up internal parasites and loaches and see where that gets me. Lots to look up. As of now the rest of the tank looks happy and healthy. That's a start. Thank you!!

 

[J.Mcpeak]

No problem, thank you for the thank you.
Hope all is ok with all other stock.

Thing to watch for is loaches are scaleless fish, some meds require reduced dose.
Best of luck, Jamie.