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Post by babygeige on May 4, 2009 10:46:29 GMT -5
Tank Size: 30 gal Age of the tank: 2 years pH: 7.8 Ammonia: 0 NitrAtes: 20 nitrites: 0 GH/KH: 161/90 Temperature: 76 Fish: Symptoms: I lost my boy platy a couple of weeks ago. His belly looked swollen. I noticed it a while before he died, but then my grandmother died suddenly and I sort of forgot about the platy until it was too late.
But now my head and tail light seems to be having the same problem. I'm not sure what the problem could be. It doesn't seem to be bothering him too much. His belly just looks really chubby. I fasted the tank for 2 days, just in case he's been overeating somehow.
I am thinking of doing an MB bath for him. Any other thoughts? Symptoms: I lost my boy platy a couple of weeks ago. His belly looked swollen. I noticed it a while before he died, but then my grandmother died suddenly and I sort of forgot about the platy until it was too late.
But now my head and tail light seems to be having the same problem. It doesn't seem to be bothering him too much. His belly just looks really chubby. I fasted the tank for 2 days, just in case he's been overeating somehow. Reading Carl's articles, I'm wondering if it could be aeromonas. but he doesn't have any open sores, just what could be described as a distended abdomen.
I am thinking of doing an MB bath for him. Any other thoughts? Unfortunately I don't really have a good place to QT him right now.
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Post by Carl on May 4, 2009 11:02:34 GMT -5
I think the MB bath with salt (2 teaspoons are more per gallon) is a good start. Metronidazole in the food and/or bath may be helpful as well. The fasting was also a good idea IMO. At this point, I would start with this, and be ready for more aggressive tank or hospital tank treatment if need be. Possibly Kanamycin, or Kanamycin & Nitrofurazone (other treatment options may be better if other symptoms present themselves) Carl
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Post by babygeige on May 4, 2009 14:08:14 GMT -5
Is it ok to put Metro in the MB bath, or should that be a separate bath? I just did MB and salt for today.
Man, I hate trying to catch these guys. It's like they know they're sick and you are after them. I feel so bad. And on top of that, poor Mr. Tetra got stuck in the net. I have had this problem with head and tail lights before and I forgot about it. I at least have a very small brine shrimp net that I can use to put him back in the tank after his bath, but it's too small to use to try and catch him in the big tank. The mesh on the bigger net must be too coarse for tetra's anal fins or something. I felt so bad for the little guy. I had such a hard time getting him free of the net!
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Post by kagome on May 4, 2009 14:28:52 GMT -5
You can put the Metro right in the same MB bath.
You might want to think about putting one of those net breeder boxes in the tank and keeping him in there since it is such a big tank and you'll have to catch him repeatedly. It is stressful for them to stay in there but IMO it is less stressful than being chased around with a catch net everyday. I'm very sorry to hear about your grandmother and your sick fish. I hope things start looking up for you.
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Post by goldenpuon on May 4, 2009 15:25:43 GMT -5
My guess is it could have been any of the following, dropsy, internal paraistes, or constipation. I agree about treating with Medronidizole and perhaps epsom salt and (correct me if I'm wrong) neomycin. Sorry to hear about your fish. I hope they improve.
Sorry to hear about your grandmother. I know that must be a very hard loss for you. I hope you feel better.
Best of luck. Renee
Best of wishes to
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Post by Carl on May 4, 2009 15:35:33 GMT -5
My guess is it could have been any of the following, dropsy, internal paraistes, or constipation. I agree about treating with Medronidizole and perhaps epsom salt and (correct me if I'm wrong) neomycin. Sorry to hear about your fish. I hope they improve. Sorry to hear about your grandmother. I know that must be a very hard loss for you. I hope you feel better. Best of luck. Renee Sorry I missed this Stephanie ( I usually speed read in the morning to get through all my email, etc.) and did not even notice you lost your grandmother. My deepest sympathies to you and your family Carl
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Post by murdock6701 on May 4, 2009 16:21:17 GMT -5
my sympathies to you Steph for the loss of your Grandmother
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Post by babygeige on May 4, 2009 22:58:24 GMT -5
Thanks everyone. The suddenness was very hard for us to handle but it was better for her.
As for Mr. Tetra, I just might take Kagome's suggestion and put up the net breeder for him. Although now I think about it, I threw out my net breeder because it had small gaps in the mesh. (It was probably 20 years old!) Perhaps I will get a new one tomorrow. Considering how terrible I am at catching fish, I'm sure it will be less stressful for him to just be in the breeder...
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Post by Carl on May 5, 2009 9:32:16 GMT -5
Using a net breeder will take a lot of the stress off both you and the fish. They are also quite inexpensive too. Good luck Stephanie! Carl
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Post by Suzie Q (Lori) on May 5, 2009 11:09:12 GMT -5
Steph..I too am sorry for the loss of your Grandmother ((hugs)). Your family are in my prayers.
I can't add anymore suggestions for your fish as all have been covered by everyone else.
The breeder net is a great idea...that way you can see if he passes poo...start ruling out things as you go. I would fast him for a few days first and see if he passes anything...then soak food in the meds as Carl suggested. I know with Betta you can feed a pea...wonder if that or spinach for a Tetra/Platy/etc. for constipation?
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Post by babygeige on May 7, 2009 16:42:32 GMT -5
The lfs was out of breeder nets, so I've just been chasing him like normal. It's getting easier though... I'm starting to learn his evasive tactics.
I did fast the whole tank for 2 days before I began giving him the medicine baths, and there was no change, so I'm fairly certain it's not constipation. He is starting to show small signs of improvement with the baths. His belly is still big, but it's not quite as pronounced. Today was the first day I added Metro to his bath. I kept forgetting.
He's got to be pushing 3 years old, so hopefully he can fight this off.
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Post by Carl on May 7, 2009 16:57:36 GMT -5
I am glad there are signs of improvement, as this can be difficult problem to treat since generally we as aquarists are treating symptoms, not necessarily the actual problem. Age can also be a hindrance, but hopefully not in this case. Sorry you cannot find the Breeder Nets, I started selling them a while back (although with shipping you are generally better off at a LFS with these) as I have had feedback that many can not find them of late: Lees Aquarium Net BreederCarl
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Post by murdock6701 on May 7, 2009 20:43:50 GMT -5
Steph, from all my years of keeping platys, they do get fat after about 3 years - that's pushing their life span as well - their digestive systems seem to stop working as hard or just plain get worn out - you know what pigs they can be! good luck!
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Post by babygeige on May 8, 2009 11:09:30 GMT -5
I did a little searching online for tetra life expectancy and the average answer seems to be 3-5 years. My Mr. Tetra is still active and eating, so hopefully he will manage to beat this with the help of the baths.
I saw the net breeder at the lfs last time I was there, I'm thinking they just sold out of them. I think I've seen them at Petsmart as well, but I haven't made it there yet.
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Post by murdock6701 on May 8, 2009 14:33:47 GMT -5
I'm soory Steph, what I related to you earlier was more platy specific.....
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Post by Carl on May 8, 2009 15:30:29 GMT -5
I'm soory Steph, what I related to you earlier was more platy specific..... Do not feel bad John, I thought this too until I reread the thread Carl
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Post by babygeige on May 9, 2009 11:45:45 GMT -5
I'm sorry I wasn't clear in my original post guys! Maybe tetras get fat too when they get old. If I had not just lost my boy platy to a similar looking problem just a few weeks ago I would probably just dismiss it as old age. But the platy was probably only about a year old. I miss him...he was so pretty.
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Post by babygeige on May 11, 2009 14:28:24 GMT -5
What a difference 20 years makes. I just got my new net breeder (thanks for the super quickness and everything else, Carl!). The design hasn't changed, but the net itself is so much nicer than the old one I threw out. I'll put poor Mr. Tetra in it after his bath today. I'm definitely tired of chasing him around with the net. It's really tricky now that I've got those new plants in there. I can't swoosh around them with the net since they haven't taken root yet.
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Post by Carl on May 11, 2009 16:07:11 GMT -5
What a difference 20 years makes. I just got my new net breeder (thanks for the super quickness and everything else, Carl!). The design hasn't changed, but the net itself is so much nicer than the old one I threw out. I'll put poor Mr. Tetra in it after his bath today. I'm definitely tired of chasing him around with the net. It's really tricky now that I've got those new plants in there. I can't swoosh around them with the net since they haven't taken root yet. That was unusually fast, I just shipped on Sat. morning! I hope this helps take care of him. Carl
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Post by babygeige on May 13, 2009 12:16:49 GMT -5
I took a picture of him on Monday. This is the best I have, so please ignore Polly the platy/molly thing who is hogging a lot of the frame. We're looking at the Tetra here. I think he looks pretty good. He no longer looks so chubby and wide from above and you can hardly tell looking at him from the side. I was doing the baths everyday until Sunday and then I just kept running out of time. Today I did one and now that I have the net box to put him in, I'll do them for a few more days. Maybe he'll be safe by this weekend...
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