2014-12-29 added toltrazuril today

From Dr. Sam Young
Toltrazuril 50mg/ml addedd 6.5ml at 4:30pm.  Instructions to bathe 1 hour then 50%water change.  Repeat every 48 hrs for 3 total doses.

The fish do not appear bothered by the med and there is litttle evidence of side effects from reading on the internet.  Other studies have done baths for up to 4 hours at a time.  I have not decided what to do yet.  It is now 7:30.  I guess I will do the water change.

2012-11-12 got path results today

Uncommon Creatures

Mobile Veterinary Services

Drs. Jess and Sam Young                                                                                                   (704) 603-7520

Winston Salem NC 27103                                                                        drsam@uncommoncreatures.com

                                                                                                                         www.UncommonCreatures.com

 

Patient: Unamed  Species: Discus (Symphysodon discus)  DOB: Unknown  Sex: Unknown  Breed/Color: Orange

Owner: Carey Cottle, MD 

600 Green Valley Road, Ste. 204

Greensboro, NC 27408

(336) 453-8639

Upcoming Reminders:

None currently

Date: 10-15-2014

S/O: Client has been dealing with a few patients that continue to lose weight and are not eating.  Client first noted affected individuals were passing long mucoid fecal casts that would remain attached at the patient’s vent and under microscopy contained numerous protozoal parasites.  This was first observed 4-5 months ago.  Based on images the client captured under microscope, the tank was treated with several courses of medications including praziquantel, levamisole, metronidazole, and a fluroquinolone.  Mild and brief improvement was noted. Repeat fecals revealed some similar and some new parasitic species, but no real improvement in clinical signs. 

The poorest doing of the affected fish was selected for euthanasia and histopathology.

Assessment/Procedures: Patient extremely emaciated.  Does show mild interest in food, but regurgitates immediately.  Patient was isolated from tank mates in 1 gallon bucket and 500mg/L buffered MS-222 added.  Patient was non-responsive and floating upside down within 3 minutes.  Patient was retrieved and placed in 10% formalin.

Pathology Results: See attached report for full interpretation.  Major finding: Severe necrotizing subacute to chronic bacterial enteritis.           

Discussion: So seems we were fighting the wrong pathogen all along.  There is some mention of mild parasitic branchitis (inflammation of the gills), but this is most likely secondary to his debilitated state.  There was also some inflammation noted of gallbladder and hepatopancreas, but this is more than likely the result of parasitic migration from the gi tract.  We were not able to discern the specific species of bacteria affecting this individual however it does appear to be a gram negative species that we can focus our future treatments towards.  Acid fast stains were negative so we do know we are not dealing with Mycobacteria, which is always a good thing. Likely those individuals that may have already developed granulomas may be too far gone.  Let’s plan a visit soon to discuss the current condition of all individuals and decide on a course of antibiotic treatment.

-Sam Young, DVM

GH 140ppm
KH 70ppm
NO3 10ppm
PO4 0.5ppm

2014-11-3 cleaned filter last week

Removed old Rowaphos last week. PO4 today was 0.5ppm with goal below 2.  Algae still looks good. Using Excel and EI as directed.

One of large discus looks darker than he should and is only eating mysis shrimp....not good.

Awaiting necropsy results.

2014-10-13 Letter to vet

ADDENDUM:  THESE IMAGES ARE THE CARCASS OF BLOOD WORMS FROM FISH FOOD!

Sam,

I hope you were able to get a look at the worm in the pictures.  This worm did not come from the sick fish in QT.  It came from one in the main tank which had not eaten and then restarted eating.

I cannot find an image of a GI parasite  like this on the internet, but I understand there are thousands of species of these things.  Is there anyone we could consult now that I have the best image yet of the head of this parasite?  Let me know if I can do anything.  I treated the fish for a week with Flubendazole as Charles suggested but it did not do anything for the sickest one that you tube fed.  He acted like he might eat yesterday but didn’t.

I had one dosage of Levimasole left for the 10 gallon tank.  I gave it to the fish yesterday. It is normal for the fish to react with lethargy from this for 36 hours or so.  I am dosing both tanks with Prazi pro twice weekly and plan to do so for a month.

I have had 2 fish stop eating and restart eating in the last couple of days.  One was in the QT tank with the sickest fish and one was in the main tank and is the one from which the pics were taken.  Therefore I think maybe Prazipro helps if they are not severely infected.

Unless you think we should sacrifice this fish for pathology or have another idea, maybe as I said earlier I may not have dosed the levimasole frequently enough given the shorter worm life cycle at the higher discus tank temps.  The fish could’ve been reinfected by hatched worms.  What do you think?

Carey

2014-10-2

New stool sample shows same worm noted before.   This was from yellow discuis.

Added Metro and Prazi and DeLos to both hosp and main tank.  Have corral discus and yellow discus in QT tank.  Dr. Young tube fed metro to corral discus last night.

2014-9-21 Meds added

Still not solved the parasite problem despite rounds of levamisole plus metronidazole and between dosing of prazipro.
One of the coral discus is infected now and not eating for over a week.  Will dose Metronidazole 10gm plus prazipro.
Thinking of getting Dr. Young back and force feeding meds to the fish who won't eat.

2014-8-21

Phos 1.0 (much better with RowaPhos)
But algae is not markedly better.
NO3 10-12ppm. Added 1 tsp KNO3 this am.

Doing large water change to remove Levimasole. 75%

2014-8-19

3rd Levimasole dosage today.
2 large discus eating a little better but not normally for the snakeskin.

2014-8-13 meds added

2 largest blue discus still eating poorly. One is dark with clamped fins.  Some increased mucus.
Added Prazipro and Metronidazole 8.35gm again.

Also added Rowa Phos to help keep down phosphates and hopefully algae.  Hopefully it will not remove the meds.

2014-8-12

GH 5.0
KH 3.0
Phosphates  5.0
(tap phosphates 0.25)
Nitrates 40.
Elite water change today.

2014-8-10 Levimasole added #2 treatment

Repeat treatment next Sunday. Added 3.4 gm per Dr. Sam Young.
Added Metronidazole 8.5 gm yesterday for 3rd treatment.

Phosphates still real high.  Most be coming from food bc I'm not adding any otherwise and tap water amounts are low 0.5 ppm.
Will look for phosphate adsorber: Rowa phos.  Hope it doesn't remove meds.

2014-8-6

Did about 75% water change. No added ferts in a couple of days to try to cut down on algae.  Phosphate adsorber resin added to filter 2 days ago.  Still have high phosphates 5ppm.

Nitrates 0.

Also raised pH, i.e., cut down CO2.

Glosso not growing as well.  Will add ferts now except P.

2014-8-5 Dr. Young visited fish today

Dr. Young believes it's likely that there's both ciliate infection as well as parasitic Monogenean infection based on microscopy.

Therefore dose Levimasole weekly 3.5g/90 gallons and Metronidazole at 25mg/Liter.  90 gallons=341 liters.  Therefore, 8.525 gm/90 gallons.

2014-7-18 microscopy of stringy white stool

One of classic leopards hasn't eaten much in bout 2 weeks.  Have used levimasole and lately Prazipro & Epsom's salt.  Here's some microscopy & photos of the poop.  One of the micrograph's is of a single long wom-like parasite with hooks on the end.  The other videos are of pieces of the stringy-poop with numerous other smaller organisms that have a two-pronged caudal region and a head that is difficult for me to identify.

2014-7-27

90 gal = 342 liters

Battling algae still.  It's wiped out my background plants except the Carolina Bacopa.  Also have had problems with cyanobacteria.  One of my problems is that I was overdosing EI and I haven't for the last couple of weeks.  i need to monitor nitrates and phosphates more closely.

Need to get video, jpg's to home computer of the stool.

One of the large classic leopards has had the stringy white poop.  Have used levimasole in the large and QT tank.  The leopard has not responded thus far.  Hasn't eaten much in 10-14 days.  Added Epsom's salt to help clean him out and the Prazipro today in hopes of improvement.  He still looks okay.

2014-6-25

Brandon from Elite Aquarium came yesterday.
Measured PAR with current config of 4 T5HO and 1 Kessil 6500K LED.
At plant bed PAR ranged from 200 at surface to 72 on side without the LED to 140 at bed under LED.

NO3 was high at 80.
KH50
GH 20
Phosphates 5 (0.5 in tapwater)

Will plan to drop the ferts back but the Java fern grows better with high nitrates and postassium.

Crypts doing well regardless.  Glosso and dwarf hair grass not too great for unkiown reasons and there is too much algae growth.  Background Bacopa does well but the other stem plants are doing more poorly than I've ever seen.  No idea why, unless I cut the time down too much on the background plants.

2014-6-8

Have doubled EI rec dosing plus adding Excel to suppress algae.  Did so to try to beat algae.  Also Java fern show holes in leaves that suggest deficiency in nutrient though I can't rule out too much light.  Fish are doing well.

GH 200ppm
KH 60ppm

2014 – 3 – 7 Replaced all bulbs

Replaced all four bulbs today. The two middle bulbs are coral life 6700 K. The back bulb is an Aqua medic plant grow bulb, pink in color.

New pattern.

Old pattern.

The old bulbs are about one year old. The new bulbs are much brighter. This might've been the reason I've had trouble with foreground plant growth.

 No signs of Chilodonella after treatment with Rid-Ich Plus.

 I am using solid fertilizers from Greenleaf aquarium and so far it am satisfied .

2014-3-5

Chilodonella cleared with Rid-Ich plus from 2 fish.

Need to replace light bulbs.

2014-2-3

Cleaned filter.

2014-1/26

DELOS added 1/25.  Flubendazole added last week on Tuesday.  This is 2nd round aimed at eradicating Capillaria from the tank.  Previous efforts have failed to eliminate it.  It recurs after a few months to infect another fish.  This time my smallest blue leopard snakeskin.

Fish are sluggish today as they often are after treatment with these antiparasitic meds.
My experience has been that with the dosing I've used levamasole causes more distress in the fish than does flubendazole.

 

 

Have one of albino coral discus that is blind in right eye in QT tank.  Trying to fatten him up.  He is eating well.  Have treated QT with same antiparasitics as in main tank.

2014-1-8 added delos today

2014-1-20

Follow up 2nd tx Flubendazole yesterday.
Fish not eating well but otherwise seem well.
Mg added today at 1 1/4 cup Epsom salt.

Need fu with Delos like before after first treatment.