White strings on Loach Fins!

[MRT555]

So come home to find my Loach not being very active, kind of just sits there. Watched it for awhile and saw some white strings on it's upper and dorsal fins. I could not get a good pic of the dosal ones, but attached are the best pics I could get of it's upper fin. It is hard to see, but you can make it out on the top fin.

I am assuming this is a parasite? If so what do you recommend for treating it? Going to be moving him to a QT shortly, or should I be treating the whole tank? Currently in a 55g with another Loach, 3 BN plecos, about 12 guppies, and 17 guppy fry that showed up a couple days ago...

EDIT: Will have tank parameters in a bit.

 

[MRT555]

Ammonia 0, NitrItes 0, NitrAtes ~10, ph 8.0, temp 78. Around a 60% water change last night, and gravel vac.

 

[absolutangel04]

I can't tell from the picture. I can see the little white line on the fin, but I'm not totally sure what it is. Is it an anchor worm? Try googling that and seeing if its that or something else.

 

[MRT555]

I'm not sure. Anchor worms sound possible. It is very hard to see, but looks like very fine strings attached somewhere around/on the fins. The Loach was very active with it's buddy until today, now it just sits in one spot for very long periods of time. It only moves if you get to close, or anther fish gets nearby.

 

[MRT555]

So how should I treat if I don't know for sure what it is?

 

[absolutangel04]

I am not sure. Hopefully somebody else will have an idea. I would usually say try a bit of salt to see if that helps, but I don't know how sensitive that particular loach is to salt.

 

[MRT555]

Yeah I was thinking a daily salt bath, it seems to be a very effective treatment. Just trying to figure out the best dosage, I don't have anything to measure salinity though.

 

[MRT555]

Alright. So I am slowly increasing the temp, and we added 1 tsp salt per 5g. It is a low dose of salt. I really can't find any good information on how salt will effect my Loaches, so went with a very low dose.

I don't know if it will be enough for something like anchor worms, but hopefully it will be low enough not to hurt the Loaches or plants. I guess we'll see...

 

[absolutangel04]

Alright. So I am slowly increasing the temp, and we added 1 tsp salt per 5g. It is a low dose of salt. I really can't find any good information on how salt will effect my Loaches, so went with a very low dose.

I don't know if it will be enough for something like anchor worms, but hopefully it will be low enough not to hurt the Loaches or plants. I guess we'll see...

That sounds like a good plan. Most plants will be ok with a little salt for awhile. Same with the loaches. Be on the look-out for any odd behaviors though. Hopefully somebody else has some better input for you.

 

[MRT555]

Did a 50% WC, added dosed another 1tsp per 5g of the aquarium, which should bring the salt up to about 1.5tsp per 5g. Can't see the white strings on my loach anymore, but it has a larger belly than my other loach, and breaths rapidly. Any idea if the loach has something like bloat, or an internal parasite? I'm really at a loss here, just raising temp and adding salt... Here is a crappy pic, best i could get so far.

 

[absolutangel04]

The rapid breathing may be a result of him not liking the salt, or it may be from stress caused by the parasite, or it could be something else. Since you don't see the white strings anymore, I suggest lowering the salt content of the tank and seeing if that makes a difference. Salt shouldn't cause bloat. In fact, salt baths can be used on some fish to help cure bloat. So, I am not totally sure whats going on. Internal parasites are an option.
Try cutting back the salt a little and skip a day of feeding and see if it makes a difference.
Thats the best advice I have at the moment.

 

[MRT555]

It had rapid breathing before the salts, just added that problem because I didn't mention it before.

 

[MRT555]

And my girlfriend just pointed out that my pleco has ich... So I am thinking that maybe my loach a some one it too, don't know. Gonna keep raising the temp.

 

[absolutangel04]

Ok, that makes sense. On the plus side, since the rapid breathing is not a new symptom, you don't have to decrease the salt (unless you see any other changes or lethargy in any of the other fish).
Bummer about the ich.

 

[siva]

Raising the temp will decrease the dissolved oxygen causing rapid breathing. Need to add an airstone. Not sure about the full tummy though.

Loaches, often considered scaleless fish, though they do have scales, they are just very small, should be more sensitive to salt. I've never treated loaches though so I don't have any experience with it, just what I've heard.

Good luck, sure is a pretty loach.

 

[MRT555]

I have 2 airstones going in my sponge filters, and 2 HOB's making some bubbles too. Doing daily water changes/gravel vacs as well. Having a problem getting the temp up though I have a 300w heater and it hasnt seemed to really make much progress, added a 100 or 150w last night to see if that helps. Temp is almost to 80 this morning...

Thanks siva, I really like my loaches Didn't know they needed alot of friends though. After I get this ich stuff taken care of I am gonna get 3 or 4 more, only 2 in there right now. I am only increasing the salt my small amounts per day, hopefully they can take it well.

 

[absolutangel04]

How is the treatment going?

 

[MRT555]

Going good so far. Keeping the temp around 86-87, up to almost 2 tsp salt per 5g, and daily water changes. No deaths so far!

I still haven't seen the strings on my loaches again, before just the pleco's had noticeable ich, but most everything in the tank has it now. All the fish, fry, and shrimp seem to be holding up fine. Had 7 more fry today lol.

The plants aren't liking the salt, but they don't look too bad. I also picked up Kordon's Ich Attack, and we are dosing with that also. I figure the ich that is showing up on the other fish was already there, so it's prolly just a matter of waiting it out. I was worried about the fry, but fortunately they seem to be doing fine with the treatments too.

The Loach I originally posted about is about the same. It plays with the other Loach more often now, but still sits at the bottom breathing hard alot too. Hopefully we should see more improvement by this weekend!

Thanks for the concern!!!

 

[absolutangel04]

Yeah, plants don't always react well to salt. If they appear too bad off, you can cut back on the salt. Often the heat alone is enough to kill the ich.
Do you still see any spots? You should continue the treatment for at least a week after the last visible sign is gone. I hope they all pull through. Glad to hear its ok so far.

 

[KlcoKN]

Yeah unfortunately all my guppies, both loaches, and the three plecos have lots of spots now I know its supposed to get worse before it gets better, but its sad seeing them itchy...