Golden Panchax - Constipated?!

[insanedoh]

Hi, my loverly golden panchax seems to have a problem :( I'm not sure if he's constipated or something else but there's a build up of some kind around his "behind"..

just wondering if anyone has any idea on what it could be or how to fix it! :(

sorry the pic isn't very good, hard to photograph the top swimming guys :(

http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k138/insanedoh/gold_2.jpg
http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k138/insanedoh/gold_1copy.jpg

Thanks muchly,

[revkev]

Could be worms

[ILLUSN]

try an epson salt bath first.
2 table spoons in a 4L icecream container for about 1/2 an hour or untill she shows distress (float it in your tank)
it will make her empty her guts if you see her passing worms you'll have your answer.

[insanedoh]

Thanks, yer i'm a bit worried about worms :(

Will try the epson salt bath and go from there, hopefully it's not worms! (although still not good if it's not i guess! but something non-contagious would be "better")..

Can I use "aquarium salt" or only epson salt? (i'll have to go buy some haven't got any epson, but I do have some aquarium salt)

Thanks :)

[ILLUSN]

epson salts id magnesium sulphate, aquarium salt id sodium chloride, the MgSO4 is a laxitive and will make the fish empty its guts.

[Th0mas]

Judging by the photo - the fish does have a serious inflammation at the rectum. This is generally caused by camallanus and can spread to others. Levamisole is the recommended choice, there are several thread in this section (stuck to the top) that describes the dosage and treatment.

Good luck.

[insanedoh]

Thanks! , well i've got some epsom salts, i'll give him a bath when I get home tonight, sounds like fun stuf.. hehe ;)

I'm doing a bit of a search to see where I can get levamisole (Big.L - pig and poultry wormer) from, if I get it today anyways and then after the bath If I "don't" think it's worms, does it hurt to put it in the tank anyways?

Also, any harm to my other fish or plants? Got plecos/BN/apisto/discus/ghost knife/tetra/cory/hoplo/upside down fish/bolivian butterfly.. can't think of any others, possibly more though ;)

Dose wise:
1 ml per 7 litres of tank water
so i have a 4ftx1.5ftx2ft tank = ~200L
so ~28ml

any other medications/water conditioners etc that I shouldn't mix it with? (aside from other worm treatments)

[ILLUSN]

your dosage is correct, BIG L should be fine with all of your fish with the possible exception of the Ghost knife.

It wont hurt your plants, dont forget the 30% water change and gravel vac 24 hours after treatment.

[insanedoh]

Thanks, gravel vac ain't going to be easy with all the plants, but i'll give it a shot!

Might be able to move the ghost knife into the other tank for a bit, but not sure how it will go with the large cichlids.. (chocolate cichlid/firemouth/acara/angels etc.. ) Also the ph is a bit higher in there.. ~7 (mine is ~6)

could "try" moving him into my "hospital" tank, but it's a fresh setup (well a month or more now) but there hasn't been any fish in it, so don't think it's cycled.. and apparenlty a tin shed is not a good place for a fish tank on hot days (temp in the tank goes up to ~34)

[ILLUSN]

you'll just have to move him for 24 hours, bucket, heater and air stone works well.

[insanedoh]

that sounds much easier!!

Ah, another question! I really need to steralise my nets and buckets and things, should i put them in some worming solution as well or should i use the net steraliser product from aquarium shop? (or both?)

I guess i Should worm the tank next to it as well? (cichlids/BN/pleco/gourami/angels etc) I read that it can be transmitted through splashing & water change buckets and everything? .. i think i should seperate my "in water" and "out water" buckets.. that would fix that ;/

Thanks! :)

[insanedoh]

Anyone got any idea where I could get some Big L in Melbourne? Won't have time to drive anywhere till Thursday and still then I can't drive far because i'm working @ home. (today/tomorrow work in CBD and drive home to Mount Waverley) I emailed an online supplier and they said it could be 5-7 days for delivery. Rang a pet store and they don't sell it :( Not sure of any "farm product" stores in melbourne.. (and any open after 5pm so i have time to leave work and get there!)

[ILLUSN]

I've got seperate buckets for in water and out water, a good product to sterilize nets with is sterizin by waterlife, it doesn't stain them like myaxin does.

it never hurts to worm the tank every 6-12 months.

[insanedoh]

well, i bathed in the epsom salts, but I don't see any worms! I had to use a 2L ice cream container coz i didn't have a 4L one (i halfed dose of epsom) that ok? was in for a little over half hour (jumped out once, so i put more glass on top to fullly cover - was mostly covered first)

[ILLUSN]

Ok, Usually the loose worms are expelled when the fish drops it guts.

try the levimenisole anyway, it wont hurt, did the bloated apperance subside?

[insanedoh]

*nods* Well all seems good at the moment! Fish is looking back to normal again and no sign of any more inflammation (disapeared over last few days). Will keep monitoring, but so far so good! (no bloating either)

Will keep an eye out & get levimensole and try that out as well as precaution,

Thanks again for your help, much appreciated!!