Need second opinion on disease.

[aqua_chem]

Hello everyone!


I've got a sick platy with a fairly unique pathology. I've got my suspension about what it is, but I want a second opinion on it.

Thoughts?

 

[Aces11]

I've had sick platys like that before too. I'd like to know what it is because I had no idea.

 

[HN1]

Has the spine of the fish changed shape at all? Do you have a pic of the fish when healthy?



1st guess would be intestinal flagellates or worms.

 

[aqua_chem]

I think it's kind of arching down, but apparently that might just be in my head. She kind moves through the water with her back near her head flat and her back near her tail pointing down.

Here's a past pic I have of her. She's not healthy necessarily, as I took the picture trying to get a shot of a scuff on her back side. She's lost a lot of weight, and is coming off of a week fast from a vacation.

I've gone round and round with this fish. The first time I put her in my 40, she got all stressed out, started flashing, and her slime coat started to get thick. I put her in QT and dosed her with Prazi. She got better after about 4 weeks, so I put her back into the tank, where she starts to deteriorate. I thought I just didn't get it all, so I QTed her again and 1.5x dosed her for 1.5x the duration. I put her back in, she was fine for awhile, then started hiding a lot, followed by flashing and another slow deterioration.

I figured the flashing suggested external parasites (as did the slimecoat buildup/mucous). I know Prazi will work on some internal parasites, but not all.

 

[HN1]

Not sure by any means, but if the other fish in the tank are fine I'd QT again and use prazi. If the prazi doesn't work, malachite green may. If it isn't something terminal.

Check this out and if you are able to come to a conclusion, please let us know.

http://www.fishyfarmacy.com/fish_diseases/skin_disorders.html

 

[aqua_chem]

I used up the last of my Prazi on the last bout, but I think I can at least dose Malachite Green/Formalin until the Prazi gets here, and make sure she's getting gratuitous food. The other fish in the tank look fine. I occasionally catch the other platies flashing (and only the platies), but they never develop other symptoms and don't keep doing it in QT. They are collectively some of the fattest, happiest platies I've ever seen.


TB is what I'm worried about.

 

[HN1]

I used up the last of my Prazi on the last bout, but I think I can at least dose Malachite Green/Formalin until the Prazi gets here, and make sure she's getting gratuitous food. The other fish in the tank look fine. I occasionally catch the other platies flashing (and only the platies), but they never develop other symptoms and don't keep doing it in QT. They are collectively some of the fattest, happiest platies I've ever seen.


TB is what I'm worried about.

Me too. That is just about worst case though and I try to be optimistic. Good luck and keep us updated. I may be as curious as you are now.

 

[jlk]

This is just a thought here but have you considered treating with metronizadole-medicated food such as Metromeds (which contains metro & oxytetracyline)? Prazi is only effective against specific types of worms (flukes, flatworms, tapeworms) and you seem to be only having limited success using it. There are different diseases that have similar symptoms to fish tb- ill keep my fingers crossed that tb is not what you are dealing with!! Good luck!!!

 

[aqua_chem]

She's not showing much improvement in QT. I've brought the temp down to 74 to slow down whatever this is until the meds get here. She's having some trouble staying upright and off the bottom.

Kanamyacin comes tomorrow, and I think I'll try to go get some metro tomorrow. I would like to get her to eat some, but she's not taking food atm. She ate half a brine shrimp yesterday and a shread of flake today before spitting out the rest.

Not looking great.

 

[aqua_chem]

Also one of her scales on her back is popping up, possibly from the spinal bending?

 

[ejaramillo01]

Also one of her scales on her back is popping up, possibly from the spinal bending?

What is TB? Sorry for asking.

 

[aqua_chem]

Fish tuberculosis, the only zoonotic fish disease (can be transferred to humans).

 

[absolutangel04]

I hope it isn't, but I do have to say it looks like fish tb to me as well. I hope she pulls through though! Keep us updated.

 

[aqua_chem]

Yea, that's one can of worms I don't want to have opened on me.

 

[jlk]

Good luck!!! As a last option (and if you really want to know what you are dealing with), you should look into either a fish vet or a university in your state with an aquatic pathobiology department. Unfortunately, a necropsy & a microscope/lab work is the only way you will ever truly know what you are dealing with. Hopefully, the new meds will work & you wont have to resort to this! I wish you luck!!!

 

[aqua_chem]

This is day 3 of simultaneous doses of kanamyacin and Metro. She's swimming around a bit more, occasionally coming off the bottom. She's still refusing frozen food and pellets, and I can get her to eat one small chunk of spirulina flake at a time. She's not going for any medicated food, garlic or otherwise.

 

[absolutangel04]

Good luck. I hope she turns around!

 

[aqua_chem]

Well, she passed away this morning. She didn't have any marks on her body, ulcers or otherwise, with kinda discredits the TB theory a bit. I've been doing some snooping on the internet, and apparently it's a fairly common disease with platies, and is almost universally fatal. I found a video on Youtube of a platy with almost the exact same pathology.

Sick Platy

Well, that's a bit disappointing, but you can't save them all. I'm not sure how old she was, so it might just have been the end of the road for her.

 

[jlk]

Im sorry about your fish

 

[absolutangel04]

Sorry about our fish.
What is the disease called? Of course, it sucks she died, but its good to hear there is a different explanation than TB.