Why is my fish skinny?

I got this juvenile Bolivian Ram almost a month ago and it is still skinny. I have treated with praziquantel and am almost done with a 10 day metroplex treatment and haven’t seen improvement. I never saw stringy white poop though so I’m thinking it might be bacterial. What else besides TB/parasites could cause a sunken belly? He acts and looks normal otherwise. He is eating fine. I want to move him out of QT eventually but I want to find out what is wrong and treat for it first. I’m thinking of trying one of the following meds after metro is done: Kanaplex, Sulfaplex, or Maracyn-Two. Thoughts?

 

I have a few questions - apologies.
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What size tank? What else lives in there with him/her? What do you feed it? (Don’t say fish food - I mean flakes, granules, live food, etc) When you feed it does it eat? My German blues chew and spit out and eat again, some other fish try to snatch it after the initial spit out.
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Once I know a bit more, I will try to help

 

I have a few questions - apologies.
-
What size tank? What else lives in there with him/her? What do you feed it? (Don’t say fish food - I mean flakes, granules, live food, etc) When you feed it does it eat? My German blues chew and spit out and eat again, some other fish try to snatch it after the initial spit out.
-
Once I know a bit more, I will try to help

10 gallon(just for quarantine), he is alone used to have a partner but she died, i feed mostly pellets/wafers(he doesn’t like most frozen food), he always eats if i feed dry foods(he will spit out frozen food).

 

I would recommend blood worms and high protein flake food. They struggle eating and then get use to it eventually. I would recommend using the tweezers to feed.

 

I would recommend blood worms and high protein flake food. They struggle eating and then get use to it eventually. I would recommend using the tweezers to feed.

He has been eating though, which is why I feel like it’s not malnutrition causing the skinny belly. I’ll try feeding bloodworms again once i’m done with the metro since mini wafers is the food I combined with the meds.

 

Anyone else?

 

Well...if there are worms in your fish then whatever you feed will just go to the worms. Garlic.....green peas.... are the natural laxatives but not sure if your fish will eat them.

 

Try soaking the frozen food in garlic juice and see if he likes it more.

 

Try soaking the frozen food in garlic juice and see if he likes it more.

I did

 

I would say feed him as much of the food he likes then. See if he fattens up. It sounds like he should have no parasites or worms with all of the meds.

 

It really does look like a internal parasite problem. Could be nematodes which aren't affected by praziquantel or metronidazole, you would need levamisole, fenbendazole, or flubendazole.

However, he does seem to be colored up well and doesn't look stressed, but I also don't know what signs indicate stress in rams.

 

update: He took a turn for the worse and now cannot stay upright. I expect him to pass soon because this is exactly what happened to his partner. I still don’t know what’s wrong. I stopped metro and started kanaplex when I saw him going down hill but looks like it’s too late. I’m going to be pretty sad if he dies.

 

update: He took a turn for the worse and now cannot stay upright. I expect him to pass soon because this is exactly what happened to his partner. I still don’t know what’s wrong. I stopped metro and started kanaplex when I saw him going down hill but looks like it’s too late. I’m going to be pretty sad if he dies.

What are ur water parameters ?