Camallanus Apistogramma Treating Tank

[simon_the_plant_nerd]

To continue my problems with Apistogramma, it appears one of my gold rams now has a worms infection. The jury is out! The vent (or maybe anus) is red and swollen. This appears to have happened sometime since Friday afternoon. I was been working late yesterday so didn’t see the fish in the light.

I suspect it’s worms but not sure how late it is for treatment. I can set up a qt and dose whatever I can get at Maidenhead Aquatics this afternoon but my concern is that the whole tank is now vulnerable. I have invertebrates, a bristlenose plec and many small tetras. I also have a large plant mass.

Can I treat the entire tank for worms or am I going to end up with more problems?

EDIT: No. I can’t. My snails and shrimps will die.

Next step then is extract the infected fish. Should I also remove the other ram and treat at the same time?

I don’t stand a chance of removing the tetras to treat. Might get the plec. Is it worth trying to treat these other species at the same time?

And lastly, am I panicking and over reacting? 😩

 

[Bradders]

If it is Camallanus, and you have shrimp and snails, that could be a challenge as Fenbendazole and Levamisole-based medications which treat Camallanus will harm them. The hospital tank is your only choice.

Dave and Aquarium Science has a good article on this, which I followed for suspected Camallanus (created some medicated food), but I don't have snails or shrimp, so it was a bit easier for me.

 

[hypnogogia]

EDIT: No. I can’t. My snails and shrimps will die.

You can use Esha ndx. Works against round worms and is shrimp safe.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

You can use Esha ndx. Works against round worms and is shrimp safe.

I've used Levamisole HCl successfully.

I bought it as <"Harka Verm">, and sold for cage birds.

Cheers Darrel

 

[simon_the_plant_nerd]

Hi @Bradders @hypnogogia and @dw1305.

As I am prone to a little bit of panicking, I caught the fish and took it to @X3NiTH to have a look at. So, he doesn’t think it’s worms and is more likely a prolapse of either the digestive or reproductive tract. His colleague agreed.

With that in mind, here’s a few more pictures to see what the forum thinks?

 

[X3NiTH]

The Epsom salt suggestion I made when I spoke to you is apparently the go to remedy for prolapse now that I’ve had time to look.

Here’s hoping the fish can heal🤞

 

[simon_the_plant_nerd]

The Epsom salt suggestion I made when I spoke to you is apparently the go to remedy for prolapse now that I’ve had time to look.

Here’s hoping the fish can heal🤞

Thank you.

Epsom salt baths will be starting after work today. I had to put her back into my main tank for the night as I wasn’t set up for a hospital tank and felt it would be less stressful being at home.

Wondering if I should take her mate and put him in the hospital tank with her (for company) or should I separate them? I won’t be dosing meds directly to the hospital tank, it’s just an easier way to observe and catch the fish for treatment.

 

[simon_the_plant_nerd]

Any help/suggestions? Fish is eating and seems generally okay. The stringy think hanging out is not moving on its own.

 

[simon_the_plant_nerd]

Magnesium Sulphate baths appear to be working. Redness and inflammation have both gone down. I am also doing Epsom salts to the tank which may be helping.

 

[Bradders]

Looking much better at this point. Very hopeful indeed!