Happy new year everyone.
I founded a previous thread on here from 2010 about worming treatments, I'm just wondering if anyone here regularly worms their BN's? The reason why I'm asking is that my female Common Brown looks a bit round but sort of pinched in the snout/nose area, ive looked for the colour of her poo to see if its clear but i've not seen any, she seems more shy than usual. I'm really hoping its not bloat, I've not come across this before all other fish seem fine.

Happy 2012 Everybody! I think that is a fascinating question! I remember reading something about that and I personally do not deworm any of my fish but I was wondering if anyone thinks it is a good practise to do regularly or not?

I treat my tanks once a month with Big L

sounds like bloat to me though

fill this out and it will help us see whats going on with your fishy


Tank size and setup:

Substrate:

filtration (Internal, external, flow rate, last cleaned and what it was cleaned in):

Airstone/sponge filter etc:

Inhabitance:

Fish affected by issue (all/bottom dwellers, all bristlenose or a single fish etc):

Feeding system (what, how much, how often):

current water change system (before illness appeared):

water changes made since illness appeared:

As many levels as you know (pH, Ammonia, nitrate, nitirite, KH, GH, TDS, aanything you can find out, your local fish shop should be able to help with this):

any chemicals used (including carbon/chemical fitration inside the filter):

water source and treatment:

Major changes in the last 3 weeks (new fish, new plants, new anything or changes):

Symptoms (gasping, not moving, bloated, spots, wounds, stressed colours etc):

Pictures:

Thank you Doug, I should have used this before

Tank size and setup: 240 litres has been set up for 5 weeks

Substrate: corse sand

filtration (Internal, external, flow rate, last cleaned and what it was cleaned in): internal Eheim Biopower 160, and external Eheim 2217 with a diffuser on the end, I also have a Hydor Evolution 2800 circulation pump. Internal filter cleaned in tank water every 4/5 days, external not yet been cleaned.

Airstone/sponge filter etc: I took air stone out as diffuser and internal filter produce a lot of bubbles/oxygen

Inhabitance: 1 female common BN, 2 male common BN, 3x LFBN babies, 3x Jari Blue BN babies, 1 albino LF, several small rainbow fish, threadfins and dwarf neons and 2 dwarf gourami's.

Fish affected by issue (all/bottom dwellers, all bristlenose or a single fish etc): my female common BN, all other fish seem fine.

Feeding system (what, how much, how often): in the morning I put in 5/6 mini Hikari wafers and some flake food for Rainbows then every other day I put in some veggies, 1 whole steamed courgette cut in half mainly as that's their favourite, I put in some 5/6 deshelled peas when I first saw the problem. I also give the DG and rainbow fish some live banana worms or white worms which they go crazy for and they don't seem to get to the bottom.

current water change system (before illness appeared): I change about 20% every 5days to 1 week

water changes made since illness appeared:1water change so far, noong realised there was a problem.

As many levels as you know (pH, Ammonia, nitrate, nitirite, KH, GH, TDS, aanything you can find out, your local fish shop should be able to help with this): I haven't had my water tested at LF'S but on my home kit (nitration) ammonia 0, nitrite 0.

any chemicals used (including carbon/chemical fitration inside the filter): None

water source and treatment: I use tap water with Prime mixed with RO water as water is hard here.

Major changes in the last 3 weeks (new fish, new plants, new anything or changes): 6 new rainbow fish, dwarf neons and the 3 baby Jari Blue BN.

Symptoms (gasping, not moving, bloated, spots, wounds, stressed colours etc): looks bloated, not moving much, more shy than usual, dorsal fin down, a little pinch patch on tummy I've just noticed. Breathing looks normal and still eating but scares off easily when I'm near.

Pictures: computer is broken and I can't seem to get photos from my phone onto here.

Hope someone can help.

Hi,do you see her eating? Is she getting food or being bullied at all? Has she got the same hideout as she had in the other tank?

what about her pectoral fins? Are they out or are they clamped to her sides?

I moved all the old hideouts to the new tank but she's hiding behing the internal filter most of the time.
Her pectoral fins are out and not clamped, gills are moving steadily too not rapidly and dorsal fin seems less clamped now too.
Thank you

Sounds like she will pull through.

When the pectoral fins clamp to their side your really need to start emergency treatment

I'll keep fingers crossed for your BN to pull through.
Keep us informed, please.

Oh brilliant . That's avoid tip to look out for, thank you.
Id just like to revisit the worming. I can't seem to find Big L in this country but have bought Wormer Plus which was recommended on here. So just to confirm, regular worming is a good thing to do, I guess the regularity is down to what type it is or would you say once a month is the way to go anyway?

I worm more as a safe guard. I sell a lot of fish and it is one of the promises i make when i sell them that they are healthy and parasite free. I take a lot of pride in that and thing the aquarium trade would be better off if more breeders/aquarium stores did the same.

If you are just keeping fish as a hobby then I would do it more as a needs basis.

Hi there, I've been watching little lady like a hawk all day and she does seem a little better, she's eating, still shy but I've seen her at the front of the tank so fingers crossed she'll be fine, phew! My LFS did a water test and the Nitrates were a bit high so I've done a water change. So hopefully all will be well.
I plan only to keep my fish as a hobby, for the time being anyway, so will as you said, worm on a needs only basis but if I ever do sell I will remember what you've said, it makes a lot of sense, thank you.