[UMphreak]

Hi, I have a 75 gallon that has been set up for a couple of years. About a 7 weeks ago I moved alot of my stock to my new 125 which is leaving my 75 for a growout tank. About 4 weeks ago I made a big online puchase and got a bunch of juvies to growout in the 75. I now around 20 haps ranging from 1 1/4" to 3". Also in the tank are multipuntactus and a couple of bristle nose plecos. Everything has been going great, all my little juvies have been eating like little pigs. Now it seems that a few are not doing so great. Three seem to have early signs of bloat. Labored breathing, white stringy poop. I have been feeding them NLS and flake 2X a day. I am also religious about my water changes 30 to 40% weekly. I have tested my water parameters and all is well I have clout on hand but I dont want to kill all my fish.

Here are my questions?

Should I start with medication now or should I do a water change and fast for a day?
Do I need to remove my catfish and plecos if I medicate?

Please give me some suggestions

 

[Robin]

Have any of the fish stopped eating? Spitting out food?

If these fish are still eating then try feeding all the fish metronidazole soaked food. You can either make it yourself or look for an antiparasite food that has met in it.

If the fish in question HAVE stopped eating then you might try treating them in a separate tank with the clout and treat the main tank with met-soaked food.
Another option would be to keep all the fish in the main tank and treat with Jungle Parasite Clear which is not as harsh as Clout.

Robin

Do an extra partial water change before you start any treatment and siphon the gravel, too