Parasites

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FrogFrenzy

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Jul 24, 2013
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316
3 of my fish died this week from an unknown cause. 2 died yesterday with expanded stomachs. When I took them out I noticed their stomachs exploded. I couldn't tell if it was parasites or just over feeding. Any help? And if it is parasites what medicine do I need?
 
Parasites do not cause stomachs to explode, constipation or twist could cause excess internal pressure resulting in this. I would re-evaluate what your feeding and how much as low quality foods combined with overfeeding can cause this.
 
Parasites do not cause stomachs to explode, constipation or twist could cause excess internal pressure resulting in this. I would re-evaluate what your feeding and how much as low quality foods combined with overfeeding can cause this.

I'm feeding my ghost catfish frozen blood worms once a day and that's all they eat. Some of their stomachs are expanded though. Should I skip feeding them and just feed flakes since the cats don't eat them?
 
I'm feeding my ghost catfish frozen blood worms once a day and that's all they eat. Some of their stomachs are expanded though. Should I skip feeding them and just feed flakes since the cats don't eat them?

I personally don't ever feed blood worms to anything, they have a hard exoskeleton which is extremely hard to digest. So add this along with overfeeding and you have your answer. I feed New Life Spectrum products exclusively if you can't get this then Omega Pellets and flakes will be more than adequate.
 
I personally don't ever feed blood worms to anything, they have a hard exoskeleton which is extremely hard to digest. So add this along with overfeeding and you have your answer. I feed New Life Spectrum products exclusively if you can't get this then Omega Pellets and flakes will be more than adequate.

My ghost cats and gudgeon will only eat meat. No flakes or pellets. What do you suggest I feed them?
 
Hello Frog...

Most fish deaths are the result of poor water conditions. If you're not removing and replacing half the tank water at least every two weeks, you might consider it. By flushing a lot of pure, treated tap water through the tank, frequently, there's no time for toxic nitrogen to build up in the water before the next large change.

B
 
Hello Frog...

Most fish deaths are the result of poor water conditions. If you're not removing and replacing half the tank water at least every two weeks, you might consider it. By flushing a lot of pure, treated tap water through the tank, frequently, there's no time for toxic nitrogen to build up in the water before the next large change.

B

I did a water change on Sunday and this morning. I ran out of testing strips so I'm getting a master kit today. Ill see if my waters bad.
 
My ghost cats and gudgeon will only eat meat. No flakes or pellets. What do you suggest I feed them?

The majority of my fish are wild caught which have never seen processed foods before, starve them for a few days and they will start to eat slowly over time.
 
The majority of my fish are wild caught which have never seen processed foods before, starve them for a few days and they will start to eat slowly over time.

They will start to eat flakes?
 
Yes it may take some time but all fish should start to accept processed foods over time, only a very slight amount will decline and starve to death.

Ok thanks! Will brine shrimp work too?
 
Yes, brine shrimp will work but again do not use too much. Do you know if your Gudgeon is wild cought or was he captive breed?
 
Ok just give them some time off of food like previously stated and your tank should return to normal. Also change your food, aqueon food is crappy (I've found this out through experience) and Tetra Min plus has always worked overtime for me. All my fish (except my BGKF he won't eat anything but meat) love tetra min plus so consider getting some more high quality and expensive foods. My reccomendations...a combo of Tetra Min as main food, New Life Spectrum as a treat and Omega one as another treat. I use all of those foods and I have absolutely no complaints about any of them.
 
Ok just give them some time off of food like previously stated and your tank should return to normal. Also change your food, aqueon food is crappy (I've found this out through experience) and Tetra Min plus has always worked overtime for me. All my fish (except my BGKF he won't eat anything but meat) love tetra min plus so consider getting some more high quality and expensive foods. My reccomendations...a combo of Tetra Min as main food, New Life Spectrum as a treat and Omega one as another treat. I use all of those foods and I have absolutely no complaints about any of them.

The ingredient list in Aqueon or Tetra is no better than any other low end food which uses alot of grains such as corn, wheat, and oat flour which serves as low grade proteins, fillers, and binding agents. Look at their list and then compare to NLS flakes which uses actual whole Antarctic krill and whole hearing instead of fish meal which utilizes all the left over parts from other industries rather than the whole fish. The type and origin of proteins will have a drastic effect in digestion in which most people with fish should be concerned with.

NLS:
Whole Antarctic Krill Meal, Whole Herring Meal, Wheat Flour, Whole Squid Meal, Mussel Meal, Algae Meal, Garlic, Soybean Isolate, Beta Carotene, Spirulina, Vegetable and Fruit Extract (Spinach, Broccoli, Red Pepper, Zucchini, Tomato, Pea, Red and Green Cabbage, Apple, Apricot, Mango, Kiwi, Papaya, Peach, Pear), Ginseng, Vitamin A Acetate D-Activated Animal Sterol (D3), Vitamin B 12 supplement , Thiamine, Biotin, DL-Alphatocophero (E), Riboflavin Supplement , Niacin, Folic Acid, Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, L-Ascorby-2-polyphosphate (Stable C), Choline Chloride Ethylenediamine Dihydroiodide, Cobalt Sulfate , Copper Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate.

Tetra:
fish meal, dried yeast, ground brown rice, shrimp meal, wheat gluten, feeding oat meal, fish oil, potato protein, dehulled soybean meal, soybean oil, algae meal, sorbitol, lecithin, monobasic calsium phosphate, ascorbic acid (source of vit. C), yeast extract, inositol, niacin, L-ascorbyl-2-poolyphosphate, riboflavin-5-phosphate (source of vit. B2), A-tocopherol-acetate (source of vit. E), D-calcium pantothenate, thiamin mononitrate (source of vit. B1), pyridoxine hydrochloride (source of vit. B6), vitamin A palmitate (source of vit. A), menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vit. K), biotin, cyanocobalamin (source of vit.B12), cholecalciferol (source of vit. D3), manganese sulfate monohydrate, zinc sulfate monohydrate, ferrous sulfate monohydrate, cobalt nitrate hexahydrate.

Tetra, Aqueon, and Wardley's are absolute junk not fit for consumption, here is their proteins(heads, lips, and backsides) which are left over bi-products from other industries.


 
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Well my fish like it so I think I'll keep using it. Until they stop eating I'll keep using it.
 
And I have not seen any problems with the fish, they eat and they poop like clockwork with no signs of trouble with digestion.
 
I will give NLS a shot and see the results for about a few months.but tetra has always been great for me in my many years of fish keeping
 
If I see that NLS has better results well i shall thank you in the coming months. Good day sir
 
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