Medication issue!

Hi,
I am trying to save my second batch of guppies. The full story is below, but the short version is after months of seeing the following symptoms,
(clamped fins, near the top or resting on the bottom, decreased appetite, bloated body, white or clear feces ... lack of food) and losing fish despite medication, I finally saw a fish flashing last night. Flashing definitely means parasites, right? After treating with metrodinazole/praziquantel and still losing fish, the vet said it could be resistant to those meds. I took a chance and went bacterial and am treating with erythromycin (final dose would be this afternoon). Now, it looks parasitic. So....

Do I stop the erythromycin, do a 25% water change, and start the metro/praziquantel again?
OR do I finish the erythromycin and then start the metro/prazi?

I've also ordered Fritz Expel-P which is a different parasitic med, but I'm not sure when it will be shipped.

I don't want to make the situation worse by over medicating, but I don't want to lose my last 3 fish either. HELP, please.

Here is the Emergency Template: THANK YOU!!

Tank

What is the water volume of the tank? 10 gallon
How long has the tank been running? 4 months
Does it have a filter? yes, HOB
Does it have a heater? yes
What is the water temperature? 78.8
What is the entire stocking of this tank? (Please list all fish and inverts.) 3 guppies, now 2 male, 1 female

Maintenance
How often do you change the water? weekly (or daily when using medication)
How much of the water do you change? 2 gallons (25%)
What do you use to treat your water? Seachem Prime, Aquarium Salt
Do you vacuum the substrate or just the water? Substrate and water, weekly

*Parameters - Very Important
Did you cycle your tank before adding fish? yes
What do you use to test the water? API Master Kit
What are your parameters? We need to know the exact numbers, not just “fine” or “safe”.

Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 5
pH: 7.6

Feeding
How often do you feed your fish? 2 times a day
How much do you feed your fish? 3-4 flakes per fish
What brand of food do you feed your fish? TetraMin tropical flakes, Tetra BloodWorms, API Tropical Greens
Do you feed frozen or freeze-dried foods? freeze dried blood worms

Illness & Symptoms
How long have you had this fish? 1 one them since mid-May, the other 2 since early July
How long ago did you first notice these symptoms? It seems to happen one fish at a time. I've lost 6 fish total since May.
In a few words, can you explain the symptoms?
- clamped fins
- swimming near the top or resting on the bottom
- decreased appetite
- bloated body
- white or clear feces ... lack of food
YESTERDAY, saw a fish flashing

Have you started any treatment for the illness? metrodinazole/praziquantel -- 2 10 day courses, 3 weeks apart. Currently, Erythromycin

Was your fish physically ill or injured upon purchase? not to my knowledge. Second set of fish was acquired from a clean tank of a family friend.

How has its behavior and appearance changed, if at all? Yes, they hide more, become more listless

Explain your emergency situation in detail. (Please give a clear explanation of what is going on, include details from the beginning of the illness leading up to now)

I set up a 10 gallon planted tank in April, cycled it, added all male guppies in mid-May, one of which was sick and died within 3 days. I am assuming that fish brought something into the tank with it and is the source (?) of all the issues since. I know now that I added too many fish at one time (5), but I stayed on top of the water quality and change 25% of the water regularly. Slowly, one by one each of the other fish became stressed and ill. There were no outward signs off specific diseases, such as Ick, Velvet, or worms. After losing 2 more fish, I reached out to a local fish vet and after multiple exchanges of pictures and information, he was not able to identify the illness either. He recommended trying quick cure (metrodinazole and praziquantel). I was able to save the last two fish, initially, with a 10 day treatment.

Fast forward 3 weeks... fish seem healthy, playful, although the bigger of the two is bullying the smaller one. I didn't want to add new fish until I ran another course of the meds to kill any eggs. Right as I'm about to start the second course, the smaller fish becomes ill with the same symptoms.
- clamped fins
- swimming near the top or resting on the bottom
- decreased appetite
- bloated body
- white or clear feces ... lack of food
And eventually dies.

Starting the meds again did not save the fish. I ran the second course and the one remaining fish survived, but was alone and seemed to be stressed by that. I get 4 (although I had asked for 2) young guppies from a family friend's tank, so I knew that they were healthy. Now, the process has started all over again... the fish were healthy for 8 days then the littlest showed the same signs. I have lost 2 of the fish. I reached out to the vet again and he said maybe the bacteria or parasite is resistant to the quick cure. Started API erythromycin 3 days ago. I added more aquarium salt (and ordered Wonder Shells) and that helped a little. Last night, I saw the female flashing.

I don't know how to proceed regarding medication. I don't want to overdose them, but I'm not currently treating for parasites.

 

If flashing it could be tetrahymena.

 

Well, there may still be parasites (I’m pretty sure there are and I’m still treating with metrodinazole and praziquantel), but two days later, she dropped 6 baby fish! I had thought she might be pregnant when I brought her home, but talked myself out of it with the ongoing tank issues. Newbie mistake! Turns out I was right. My boys and I were so excited to find the babies!! The flashing has stopped for one reason or another.

 

Well, there may still be parasites (I’m pretty sure there are and I’m still treating with metrodinazole and praziquantel), but two days later, she dropped 6 baby fish! I had thought she might be pregnant when I brought her home, but talked myself out of it with the ongoing tank issues. Newbie mistake! Turns out I was right. My boys and I were so excited to find the babies!! The flashing has stopped for one reason or another.

 

If flashing it could be tetrahymena.

Agree with Dave. I'd stop the mentioned treatments and switch to an anti protozoan med.

 

Ok.... can you be more specific about the anti protozoan med? Do you have a specific name or recommendation?
Thank you!!

Agree with Dave. I'd stop the mentioned treatments and switch to an anti protozoan med.

 

Chloroquine phosphate?

 

Not that familiar with the meds overthere but Seachem Metroplex is one to me.

 

Hi again,
I lost the mama fish - found her this morning. I feel despondent. I don’t want to lose any more fish. Now, her brother (affectionately named Pirate Bob by my 4 yr old) is acting normally and eating, but is not moving one of his side fins.

So saddened.

 

There may be a fish vet near you but it often takes some searching.

I've lived relatively close to veterinary schools for as long as I've kept fish and I just let them deal with the anything but the most basic issues. It costs money but the vets really are much better at it and it's a big relief knowing your fish is getting proper care.