Purple firefish help?

[petoonia]

I got a purple firefish, and added it to my recently cycled 75g tank. It was fine the first four days. Last night it pooped what looked like a white string, and today it is hiding, and resting on the bottom of the tank. It has been eating really well, but now its not looking so good. I know I should have quarantined, but I didnt. Any help would be appreciated!!!!

 

[petoonia]

After seeing the firefish come out tonight I noticed the area around its gills are pink. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!!!

 

[Hattie B]

Hi Petoonia,

white stringy poop is usually indicitive of internal parasites. You little firefish probably needs to be dewormed.

There are flake food out there, such as ones made by Jungle or Hikari PraziPro. You need to get some of that tye of food becuase it has a dewormer in it and follow the instructions on feeding.

After the parasites are killed there shoul dbe no more stringy poop.
Good luck
HB

 

[petoonia]

Thanks Hattie, unfortunately it has stopped eating. Tonight we are going to try and get it out of the display, and put it in a 10g. The only medication I have on hand is ParaGuard. So we are either going to try a dip, or just treat the 10g tank. Tomorrow I may be able to get some better meds.

 

[Hattie B]

You could try adding some garlic to it to see if that makes him more interested.

Depending on the severity of the load of parasites and what type in particulary, it could be that he is really infested.

Did you think they migrated to his gills?

 

[petoonia]

Im really not sure about the gills. The area around the gills is a darker pink than usual. I'll try some garlic, but at this point he's not even coming out when food is put into the tank.

Do you think paraguard will help?
http://www.seachem.com/products/product_pages/ParaGuard.html

Thank you so much for your help!!!!!!!

 

[Hattie B]

Hi,

It looks like that is more for external parasities like trying to kill ich. and all sorts of other maladies.

Its harder IMO to use a bath as when they are eating then you know they are getting the medications that they need. I would look into this web site. They make some pretty good foods for de worming.
http://www.junglelabs.com/pages/ourProducts.asp

Ideally you need a bath with medication for worms that if he injests wil help control them

 

[petoonia]

Thanks for everything Hattie, but my firefish just died. Im pretty sure it was worms. We will be setting up a QT tank tonight for any future purchases. I have learned my lesson!!!! Unfortunately for my firefish I had to learn the hard way!!

Thanks for your help!!!!!

 

[rustybucket145]

Tough break. Do you think there's a chance that it could have spread to other fish in the tank?

 

[petoonia]

There are no other fish in the tank. Just some hermits and snails. I actually posted a thread in the reef discussion forum. I was wondering if this could have infected the tank. I dont plan on adding anything for awhile, and a quarantine will be done on any new additions. I just wouldnt want to infect any new fish that are added in the future. Do you think this could be a problem?

 

[Hattie B]

awweee, Petoonia, sorry for your loss.

most wild caught fish have worms or have been exposed to them.

Fish can get worms by eating dead animals or items like that that have cysts in them. I would not worry about him infecting other fish but when you get a new one, just deworm him and all should be well.

Amber

 

[petoonia]

Thanks!!!!!!