prairielilly

Currently, I have a 20g containing one dwarf gourami, four cherry barbs (3f/1m) and two panda cories; a 3g containing one male VT betta; an empty 5g I'm using to cycle 2 box filters, one for it and one for the 3g; and a 10g containing one lonely female cherry barb that I've had for five weeks and have been medicating for an unknown ailment.

About a week ago I discovered the DG had camallanus worms. As they are hyper contagious it is now in all my tanks. I found someone in Texas who is willing to mail me a drug that will cure it - for $49 USD (around $65 CAD?) A local vet here tells me this drug is only partly effective, and she may be able to help me obtain something that will be effective that's not for certain as she can't prescribe for a patient she hasn't seen and she doesn't see fish. I've yet to find a vet that does. Did I mention that camallanus is immune to anything sold at any LFS, kills its victims slowly and painfully and you don't even know you have it until you've had your fish for months, they likely came that way right from the lfs?

About a week ago I lost one of the cherry barbs I'd been QT-ing since mid-Feb. He didn't respond to any treatment, never ate, the poor thing wasted away before my eyes. The other one got better briefly and then succumbed to the same ailment. Another course of antibiotics had zero effect on her. She was dead this morning.

Also about a week ago I lost a panda cory for who knows what reason. He got really pale and developed a red spot on one side all of a sudden. Then he was dead. I did a pwc on my 20g this morning, and afterwards noticed that another panda cory is sitting motionless in the middle of the tank, extremely pale with a red spot on one side. He's still alive as I type this but breatheing really shallowly.

The dwarf gourami is now pooping bright red and spending most of his time hiding in the plants. The worms protrude from him about a half centimetre. I don't see worms on any of the other fish but the female cherry barbs all have swollen inflamed vents and this morning I noticed the male cherry barb flicking himself off the driftwood, and more than once. Whether that's due to irritation from the worms or he now has yet another parasite I don't know and don't even want to think about actually.

My betta had a fuzzy white spot on one pectoral fin a few days ago. I bought some fungus clear for him but that same day it fell off (? it's gone) so I decided not to medicate him (less stress). His fins are a little curled up, not sure what that's about, but otherwise he's still my happy little Ivan.

In the 20g when I did the pwc today I took the filter apart for the millionth time I'm sure and checked everything - no worn impeller, magnet ok, all parts ok, nothing stuck, no grit in moving parts. Rinsed out media as the biowheel had started to slow again. Put it all back together and it was like turning on a lawnmower - ok not that loud but persistant vibration BZZZZZ. Jiggled a few things again, no go. Gave up. The light is buzzing too so it's just merry loud around that tank. Want to very soon buy a new filter (possibly a canister) but don't want to fill it full of camallanus worms...

I guess the main reason I'm typing all this out is this is the third time I've tried to get the 20g up to 'healthy tank' status in the last 6 months and the third time I'm getting shot down. This time bc of Fishlore member's input I know I didn't do anything wrong. However my 'nice relaxing hobby' is not only costing me hundreds I don't really have, it's a constant source of stress and atm is making me cry.

Seriously considering packing it all in (up).

Alessa

Im so sorry Marsha.

It can be a frustrating hobby, that is for sure. But it can also be a very rewarding one at times. I understand it is very difficult what you are going through right now, and I can see that the strees sometimes is absolutely unbearable.


There are different options for you, none of which are easy in this case. Whatever you decide, your buddies here at FL will be here to support you.

Alessa

articwolf

I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.
-Thomas A. Edison


I can imagine how discouraged you are feeling, but I hope you don't give up. I think you've also learned much more in your short time in the hobby, then some people do after years in it.

Take a deep breath, and don't give up

Hugs,
Lori

CHoffman

How awful!!..So sorry your going through all this. It's sounds like you've done all you can. Just keep trucking along. You'll get there.

Lucy

I'm really sorry Marsha
What a headache and heartache.
Sorry about your male barb.....he never did get healthy for you, kinda surprised about the female as she seemed to bounce back.

I wish I could help, all I can offer is support and know you're not alone, we're thinking of you and your fish and hoping for the best.

prairielilly

You guys really are great I hope you all know. Thank you, really needed that.

If other folks learn from all this, I'm happy at least for that.

Bad news and good news: the panda had his nose in the gravel and was positioned tail up. Never seen that before. I was sure he was dead. Then he moved a little and went back to sitting normally.

Just called my cat's veterinarian. The other vet I spoke to yesterday told me fenbendazole is the most effective anthelmintic (worm killer) as it also kills the larvae, while levamisole hcl does not kill the larvae and as there's all stages of the life cycle in the tank at one time that means many repetitive treatments would be necessary. She wanted me to bring in a fecal sample to analyze to establish a doctor-patient relationship after which she would 'consider' prescribing fenbendazole. I spoke with a tech at my own vet clinic hoping to obtain levamisole hcl as a next-best (somewhat cheaper) option as I already bring pets there. She told me the other tech I spoke with was misinformed, they DO carry fenbendazole and would be happy to dispense it to me !!! She knows a dosage !!! Cost to me...

THREE DOLLARS.

I'm on my way there now....you notice how a little good news is so much sweeter when everything else (it seems) is sour ?

Red1313

<hugs>
We're all here if you need us for anything.
<hugs>

Red1313

WOW that's awsome!!!
I love it when there is miscommunication in a clinic

Dozey

My thoughts and prayers are with you Marsha.

Lucy

Oh!! I'm so excited! I really hope this is THE med that you and your fish need.

hkirchen

Wouldn't that be great news for everyone that has to go through this trauma! To know that something will work, and it is CHEAP!

I really hope this works for you! Keep us posted, and my fingers are crossed!

prairielilly

Thank you friends. It means a lot seriously. It's really hard to watch a living creature suffer and I really don't think I could do this any more without other people who understand exactly how tough that is. I've got some hope again and the support of you fine people and you know what? that's all I needed. I had my cry, I got good news, forward we go

I got the stuff from the vet clinic, read about it here (post 31).

Current plan:

Watch all tanks for the next 2-3 days and see what happens. Then do big wc's and gravel vacs and dose again 2wks from today, then again 2 wks after that.

Buy 3 more pails, 3 more gravel vacs, 3 more algae sponges and some more towels. Each tank will then have its own dedicated equipment and I won't be worrying about transfering microscopic parasites between tanks. Also maintain each tank on a different day of the week so I don't wonder whether I'm transferring anything on my own hands no matter how much I wash (more time on Saturday too won't be all bad).

Sterilize the 10g with ammonia for 3-4 days, allow to drop off. Transfer the DG to the 5g, the cherry barbs and cories to the 10g. SHUT OFF ALL THE NOISY EQUIPMENT ON THE 20g.

Figure out what kind of filter I want/can afford on the 20g and obtain it. Set it up on the empty tank and cycle it. May or may not bleach the tank before this (it contains driftwood. Will the med kill worms in driftwood? how could anyone know that?)

Move fish back to 20g once its new filter is ready. FINALLY finish stocking 20g (deworm all new fish first - I can buy more of this stuff!) Move Ivan the betta to the 5g, put a female betta in the 3g and figure out what to do with the 10g.

ENJOY MY FISH LIKE IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE.

wavedragon

I'm so sorry about your bad luck, but glad you found something that might work. I've not had to deal with c worms but evrything I've read about them says they're nast little buggers. I hope the meds work, definately let us know. my friend's fiance is a vet tech so I could get some easy if I need it (hopefully I never will). But either way, maybe some dancing bannanas will cheer you up

agabr123

i'm sorry you're having to deal with all this, marsha!!! i hope you can finally get to enjoy your finbabies after all your hard work

Ricardo_NY1

It's great news to know you got your hands on a medication that can work........there is nothing worse than not being able to actively do something. Best of luck to you and the fish in these next few days. Keep the thread updated!

MizRamzi

Marsha

Ya got me both happy and sad fer ya. We all know how you feel. It kills me when one fish dies let alone several. Out of 8 German Blue Rams I've only got 1 left.
I do have a little info on your noisey filter issue. I have a mag350 and it was making this awful noise. I took it apart, cleaned it and still it rattled. So I took it apart again and discovered that the spinning wheel had come dislodged. At first glance it does'nt look like it but if you push up on it a little towards the magnet you'll hear a little click. Taaaa Daaaaa it fixed my problem. Try it.