Internal parasite?!?!?!

[Karebear13]

So Rufio hasn't eaten in like 5 days and everything seems about right. He looks good appearance wise. But im beginning to think he might have something wrong internally. He wont eat and he just floats in a corner. Occasionally he will swim around all jittery and he will whip everything with his fin. He hits the thermometer plants and decorations. I don't know what to do.

I would rather not medicate him because I just finished medicating him with KORDON RIDICH a few days ago because he had ich a week ago

[Myates]

He may still have ich..
I am assuming you removed all the medication from the tank, that you treated the whole tank, done lots of siphoning of the gravel to remove the eggs and free floaters, etc..

If in a couple of days he is still flashing then I would do the AQ salt treatment on him-

Raise the temp to 85*F, as the ich parasites are sensitive to warm temps and this will help speed up the process of removal- then at first you will want to do 1 tsp per gallon of Aquarium Salt 3 times, 12 hours apart so that you end up with 3 times the normal concentration. Perform daily 100% water changes to remove fallen parasites before they can reproduce. Replace the water with the right amount of salt. Do not continue this treatment for more than 14 days. Make sure to dissolve the salt prior to adding it in with him to avoid burning him.

This is safer for him if he still has ich..

[Karebear13]

Yes I removed the gravel to make it easier to monitor. Then began the Kordon ICH medication. Im going to buy a heater today. Should I wait a few days before I try the aquarium Salt medication?

[Karebear13]

He ate this morning! thank God! So i guess I will just buy the heater today and monitor his health for awhile before I use aq salt. Does that sound good?

[Myates]

That sounds good to me.. if the heater is adjustable, set it to 84-85*F for the next few days just in case..

The adult parasite burrows into the skin of its victim, feeding on blood and dead epithelial cells. The irritation caused by the burrowing parasite causes the skin of the fish to swell and produce white cysts seen as a small spots.

The fish feels as if it's been bitten by a mosquito. It's not unusual to see infected fish scratching against rocks and gravel in an effort to get relief.
After several days of feasting, the engorged parasite develops into a trophozoite, burrows out of the fish and sinks bottom of the tank. Secreting a soft jellylike substance, it forms a protective membrane inside of which it divides into hundreds of baby parasites, known as tomites. The hungry tomites soon leave their home in search of a fresh fish to dine upon.
It is during the free-swimming stage, which lasts a mere three days, that the parasite is vulnerable to medication. Once it has burrowed into a new host fish it is safely protected from chemicals in the water.

So keep an eye on him in case you didn't get it all- which happens.
Good luck on everything! Glad to hear he ate for you!

[Karebear13]

So this morning it appears that there is one little white speck. it is most likely the ich again. I wanted to try the salt treatment probably tomorrow because I dont want to stress him too soon with that treatment since i just finished the other treatment not too long ago. You said to add 1 tsp of aquarium salt per gallon every 12 hours. does that mean every 12 hours I have to perform a 100% water change... or can I just do a 100% water change once add the salt, then the next 12 hours change about .5 gallon water with the new salt. Or can I do it ever 24 hours since it is not a bad case of ICh there is only one speck

[Karebear13]

I have included a picture as best as I can. It is one little speck, but he has been pretty lethargic today. He ate this morning but no movement. The temperature is at 82 the next temp on the heater is 86 and I dont know if this will stress him out or if I should leave it at 86 overnight either. WHat is your opinion on temperature I should leave him on overnight

[Karebear13]

Hey Myates. I looked at Rufio awhile ago and it appears he has some white funky goo like stuff all over his fins and it looks like he has something stringy in his eye too it appears as a white line across the eye that looks like a scratch. He doesnt look so good he keeps rubbing against the tank too. Does this sound like ICH symptoms or is something else going on... what should I do

[Myates]

Sorry I have been away.. the 1 tsp every 12 hrs- don't do a water change, you want it to end up being 3 tsp after the 36 hrs, then 24 hrs after your last tsp you will do a 100% water change and add in 2-3 tsp per gallon after each change for 10-14 days.

I would up the temp to 85 while on treatment. Won't stress him out, won't harm him- they can live in temps up into the 90s.

White funky goo sounds as if he is sloughing off his slime coating- the AQ salt and water changes will clear that up. It's his body's way of fighting off toxins or even bacterial infections.

So I would start treatment as soon as you can to clear it all up- you are seeing only one spot, but I bet there are lots more parasites then just the one, the others are a little slower at burrowing out.

[Karebear13]

Okay but if Im just adding it to the tank every 12 hours do I remove him from the tank and dissolve them in the tank them add him back in... because I know you said to dissolve the salt otherwise it would burn him