# Female Danio swimming funnily after suspected worm infestation. Help!



## satu55555 (Apr 6, 2011)

Hi,


My female Zebra Danio is having health issues. Here are the details:



1. Tank size: 140 L

2. Water parameters and brand of test kit used:
These are the params for the hospital tank.
Ammonium 0.25
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5
pH 7.4
We use the API Master Testkit.

3. Is your aquarium set up freshwater or brackish water?
Freshwater

4. How long the aquarium has been set up?
The aquarium has been set up for a bit over 1.5 years

5. What fish do you have? How many are in your tank? How big are they? How long have you had them?
4 Danios (one male about 2 months, about 3cm (= 1.2 inches) + tail; and 3 females about 2 months, about 3cm (= 1.2") + tail; 4 corydoras (two females almost 1.5 years and about 3.5 cm (= 1.4") + tail and 2 females about 1 month about 3.5 cm (= 1.4") + tail) and two Oto Cincluses (male and female about 10 months, male is about 2.5 cm (= 1") and female 3.5 cm (= 1.4")) - Those times are how long we've had them.

6. Were the fish placed under quarantine period (minus the first batch from the point wherein the tank is ready to accommodate the inhabitants)?
No. We put new fish straight in the main tank.

7. What temperature is the tank water currently?
24 Celsius (= 73.4 F)

8. Are there live plants in the aquarium?
There are two live plants that have been there over a year and one that was put there about a month ago.

9. What filter are you using? State brand, maintenance routine and power capacity.
We have an Eheim Aquaball 2210 filter. We clean the pads in tank water during water change once a week. 550 L per hour (=145 US Gallons per hour).

10. Any other equipment used (aside from heater and filter which are two very important components of the tank)?
No other equipment

11. Does your aquarium receive natural sunlight at any given part of the day? What is your lighting schedule (assuming you do not rely on sunlight for our viewing pleasure)?
The tank rarely gets natural sunlight, but if we get some sunlight, it's in the morning. Usually we keep the curtain so that the tank doesn't get sunlight. Automated lighting in the tank is on from 11.30am to 9.30pm.

12. When did you perform your last water change and how much water was changed? How often do you change your water? Do you vacuum the substrate?
Last 25% water change was this morning and the one before that two days ago was 25% as well. Another water change the day before that to remove medication was about 40-50%.
Our normal water change is about 30% once a week with a gravel hoover at the same time. The filter is cleaned in the tank water every time.

13. What foods do you provide your fish? What is the feeding schedule?
Our fish get meals at 9am and 9pm. They get flakes, granule foods and dried worm and other bugs mix and we have three different types of pellets for the bottom feeders. Every two days in the morning they get frozen blood worm instead of dry food. We also put a slice of zucchini or cucumber for the otos once a day. 

14. What unusual signs have you observed in your fish?

A week ago on Monday I noticed that this female Zebra Danio was looking unwell. She was swimming funnily like shaking her head and looking like she didn't want to use her tail much at all. She had white, thin, stringy poop and she was sitting on the bottom of the tank quite a bit of the time. Her appetite got worse. A few days before I caught her sitting and breathing heavily after her boyfriend had been chasing her a lot so I got a little worried, but didn't know if she was just so out of breath or sick. A moment later she seemed fine again.


I moved her into a hospital tank and put medication in both tanks. About meds lower down.

15. Have you treated your fish ahead of diagnosis? If so, what treatments did you use? State your reasons for planning ahead of proper diagnosis.
Because of having had suspected problems with internal worms before and the presence of stringy poop, I put internal worm medication in both tanks: main and hospital. The medicine was Sera Med Nematol with active ingredient 320 mg emamectin benzoate/100 ml. This medication was for 2 days after which I did a water change. Fish didn't show improvement.
After this treatment I wanted to give her metronidazole with food, but couldn't really get her eating it so I went to bacteria medication in case the worms had caused such a thing. This was JBL Furanol 2 for internal bacteria infections with 20mg Natrium Nifurstyrenat 20mg per tablet per one liter of water. She got a bath in this for 30 minutes (2 tablets for 2 liters of water) as in directions. She seemed a little better later that evening. She was swimming a little more instead of just sitting on the bottom of the tank. The bath was repeated in the same water and medication 2 days later. I kept the water and med in a closed container. After the 2nd bath she seemed very tired and started sitting on the bottom again. 2 days later (today) I gave her one more bath in new water and medication and she's still sitting mostly. She does get up and swim a little when you go to look at her. Her swimming is still shaking from side to side and when she's still, she puts the bottom part of the tail on the bottom of the tank. Swimming seems more effort than it should and turning seems funny. It's like she cannot turn normally, but she has to really twist the body.


All this time her appetite has been worse than normal. She refuses dry food almost completely, but she eats all the frozen blood worm I give her. I've kept the tank without a light to avoid stress. I only put it on while feeding or doing a water change. Her hospital is located right next to the main tank so she can see her friends through the glass. And they have looked at each other.


Could you please advise how I should proceed with treatments as she still doesn't seem recovered enough. I have Jungle's Anti-Parasite Medicated Fish Food with 1% Metronidazole, 0.5% Praziquantel and 0.4% Levamisole in it. Alternatively I can try to continue the same bacteria medication with more baths every two days. Alternatively I have Sera Baktopur Direct with the active ingredient 27.6mg Nifurpirinol per tablet for internal bacteria as well, but I have not used this one. When suggesting medications, please not that I have no access to Kanamycin in Finland. It's illegal here for fish use.

So at the moment she most of the time again sits on the bottom, poops normally, eats only worms, swims funnily and seems a little worse than after the first bath medication.

Any advise would be much appreciated. Thank you!


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## satu55555 (Apr 6, 2011)

Here's a photo of her. I forgot to mention that when she's just staying still, it seems as if she's curved just a little bit more to the right. Having said that this photo shows one of her turns to the left and how she very much needs to twist the body.


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## satu55555 (Apr 6, 2011)

And here are a few videos which hopefully can show a little bit how she moves. They're not actually perfect videos and they even make her look slightly better than it looks like live. Please, ignore me and my husband talking on the videos. It sounds a bit funny. I didn't have time to take the sound away. Thank you again so much!


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## satu55555 (Apr 6, 2011)

I just remembered another thing the fish does. She breathes a bit funnily. Her gills moved first twice in a row quite fast and then she has a second's break. Then she repeats it again. I have also seen her do some sort of chewing type of a thing as if there might be something not quite right with the jaws or gills.


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## bettababy (Oct 12, 2006)

Satu,
Sorry it took me so long to get here but I wanted to ask my husband to consult on this before I gave you a positive answer. He agrees with me that the problem your fish is having is neurological, which may be caused by a protozoan or may be due to physiological damage. Its impossible for us to say for sure. Because physiological neurological damage is untreatable, the only option left is to attempt treatment for the possibility of a protozoan induced problem. 
The treatment for this is going to be metronidazole laced food, as we want the medication to get into the fish, not just in the water. As long as the fish is still eating the frozen blood worms this should be quite easy for you. 
In a small, disposable cup (nothing wax coated) thaw 1 meal portion and then add a small amount of metronidazole, enough to coat the food. Swirl this around in the cup until the medication completely dissolves and then let sit for 10 - 15 minutes so the medication is absorbed into the food, then feed her as normal with this food. It is ok if the small amount of liquid with medication gets into the water, but I would be sure to have carbon in the filter to help remove it. The small amount of ammonia reading you reported tells me you don't want to have medication in the water itself because this can cause an adverse reaction with the medication. 

Continue this treatment once/day for 10 days. At the end of the 10 days I would like you to come back to this thread and give me an update on her condition, which will tell me if she needs to stay on the treatment longer or if the treatment has been completely ineffective, in which case that would indicate a physiological problem... and continuing medication would be pointless. 

Because a protozoan infection can be contagious to the other fish I'm also going to suggest you watch all of the others in the tank for similar symptoms. That will not only alert you to other fish needing treatment, but also help to indicate if this is indeed protozoan or if its physiological in nature. 

I wish you the best of luck. If you need further help or explanation of treatment please feel free to pm me and ask me to check in on the thread. The pm's alert me in email which brings me here faster, since I'm not able to get to the forum on a regular basis these days due to time restrictions. 
During the next 10 days take note of any and all changes you may see in her condition and list them here in the thread for me. I will do my best to keep up with you and reply as soon as possible.

Dawn


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## satu55555 (Apr 6, 2011)

Thank you so much Dawn for getting back to me.

I think I must have been already sleeping when you replied me. The time difference. It's afternoon here when you have the morning.

I was wondering that the funny swimming moves could be physical injury, but also because she is sitting still quite a bit of the time, I thought maybe there's still more of some type of protozoa problem. I hope that the meds will make her better. She's been a very good and strong girl.

I will immediately give her the first portion of medication in food. I have added carbon in the tank to make sure that the small amount of medication getting in the water shouldn't pollute. I will keep at the water changes too. There was no medication in the water from before.

So I'll give her the medication with her breakfast and dinner without meds. Unless you suggest to feed only once a day. I meant to say that the metronidazole I have is in tablet form, but I'll crush it and then get it on the worms.

I had one of the corydora girls do quite a bit of flashing and trying to scratch last week, but after the internal worm medication I haven't seen it.

As mentioned I have some of that Junge's anti-parasite food, which I could give the others for a little while if you think it'd be good.

I will keep a record of Lorna's changes here.

Thank you so much! 
Satu


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## bettababy (Oct 12, 2006)

Satu,
Feeding twice/day is fine if that's what she is used to, as long as the medication is only given once/day.

I also want to clarify that worms and protozoan are 2 different things, as are the medications that treat them.

I wouldn't medicate the other fish unless you are sure there is a problem. Not knowing for sure what has caused this, if its a physical injury that occurred, would mean giving meds to the others that are healthy, which always brings with it some level of risk. 

Using the metronidazole in tablet form is slightly different than in powder form. This should be crushed up and then added to the food while the food is still wet with a drop or 2 of water in the cup so the tablet is able to dissolve completely. We want the medication to get into the fish but we also don't want too much at once, either... as that could cause an overdose. I would suggest 1/4 of a tablet or slightly less to treat each meal's worth of food, not an entire tablet each time.

Thank you for clarifying the time zone difference. I will do my best to get here as often as I can to check in on you.

Dawn


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## satu55555 (Apr 6, 2011)

Hi Dawn,

Thank you for your message and thank you for clearing the difference between worms and protozoan. I looked it up again. I had of course before, but still I thought they were somewhat similar cases.

I have been giving the blood worms with metronidazole tablet as instructed by you since yesterday and she seems a little better. She swims around more and sits a lot less. I put a little bit more water in the tank for her now that she seems to take even little swimming spurts. She seems to also turn a little easier. Turning to left was the more difficult one and even that has got a little bit more controllable and turning to right is closer to normal. I have kept the light off in her tank until today, but since she was swimming more I turned the light on for her so she can better communicate with other fish through the glass.

I'll keep updating here at least every couple of days.

Thank you!
Satu


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## satu55555 (Apr 6, 2011)

Also meant to say that her wobble swim has got almost non-existent. So no head shaking anymore.

Satu


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

satu55555 said:


> Also meant to say that her wobble swim has got almost non-existent. So no head shaking anymore.
> 
> Satu


I hope your fish continues to recover. Good luck!


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## bettababy (Oct 12, 2006)

Satu, that's great news, I'm so happy to hear she is improving. If she recovers completely with this treatment then I am going to suggest you also feed the medicated food once/day to the other fish in the main tank, as a precaution and to avoid reinfecting this fish when she returns to the main tank. If the other fish are not infected this won't hurt them, so no worries there. 
Keep her in the quarantine tank alone for at least a week beyond full recovery, to give her a chance to gain full strength before mixing back in with the others and to make sure the problem is fully resolved in the main tank first. The other fish can use the same 10 day feeding treatment you are doing with her now.

Keep me posted and let me know how things proceed.  I'm very happy for you.


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## Jbrofish8 (Jul 7, 2011)

Good luck with your little girl! Definitely keep us posted.. I hope she recovers fully!


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## satu55555 (Apr 6, 2011)

Dawn, thank you for your message. And thank you everyone else for the positive, nice messages. I am absolutely thrilled that she seems to be making it.

Lorna (patient) seems better again. No huge difference today but definately better. Her turning moves have again got easier for her to do. She also moves her tail again. Hence the very close to normal looking swimming. She goes really fast when she gets in that mood. Something I forgot to mention yesterday, I got her to eat flakes last night and tonight so she's back to normal food. However, I will give the medication with the worms.

Dawn, the one week you're suggesting to keep the fish in her hospital after full recovery. Does that start from like the day she seems totally normal or the day the medication finishes? Also can I feed the other fish with Jungle's Anti-Parasite Medicated Fish Food with 1% Metronidazole, 0.5% Praziquantel and 0.4% Levamisole in it? I prefer that if possible as metronidazole is only on prescription and I had a problem getting this one.

I will take a video of Lorna within a day or two and show how well she is. I'm very proud of her. She's a strong and brave girl. (Ok, it sounds a bit funny, but fish are animals just like any other animals no matter how small they are.)

Satu


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## bettababy (Oct 12, 2006)

Satu,
I'm happy to hear of the continued improvement. While I understand the difficulty in attaining meds in your location, I don't feel the medicated food you mentioned would be beneficial for the problem you are dealing with. The reason for this is not enough of the proper medication and too much of unnecessary medications in its ingredient list. I would suggest consulting with a vet in your area and find out if you can get a prescription for more of the metronidazole to treat the other fish.
The week in quarantine for recovery should begin after she shows you signs of perfect health and should not be limited to starting on the date medicating ends.
IF at the end of the suggested treatment length you see she is still not showing signs of being completely healthy, then you will need to extend the treatment time for another 3 - 4 days. This is to ensure that the problem has been conquered and is completely gone when you stop treatment, otherwise there is a risk of relapse and starting over again from the beginning. To not medicate for a long enough period of time also leaves the risk that the protozoan you are battling can build up a resistance to the medication, leaving a new course of treatment ineffective with very limited options for a different medication to use. 

Please keep me updated on her progress and feel free to ask if there are any questions or you need further clarification on the treatment plan. 
Best of luck to you!


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## bettababy (Oct 12, 2006)

I also forgot to mention, if a vet in your area wishes to consult with me before being willing to offer you a prescription for the metronidazole this is something we can try to arrange. I am more than happy to do that for you and the vet too. There is also a vet not far from me that I can also try to put your local vet in contact with if he/she wishes to consult another licensed vet. The one I am thinking of is a licensed AQUATIC vet that my husband and I both know, and I am more than happy to stay within the loop to help with the situation if that is needed. I can't see this one being unwilling to consult with another vet just to help approve of a needed medication/prescription for you. Let me know if this becomes an option or is something your vet needs to help you.


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## satu55555 (Apr 6, 2011)

Thank you Dawn,

I probably have just enough of Metronidazole for all the treatment this time, but will need to get more for storage in case I need it. It sounds that you really care about fish and you're so amazingly helpful even offering to help get a prescription. Unfortunately I have before contacted 5 or 6 vets in the town here and even called a special animals vet far away, but no one wants to treat fish at all. I acquired the Metronidazole via my mum from a normal doctor. So the prescription was made for my mum, but the doctor knows my mum and knew it was for fish. I now know this doctor better myself so I'm planning to ask her myself for a second prescription. Thank you so much for offering to help with that!

It's now the 5th day of medicating and Lorna's pretty much back to normal now so I'm pretty sure that 10 days will be enough. I started the medication today on all other fish as well. The only question I have there is that we have two dwarf otocincluses (girl and boy) and I'm not sure how to get the medicine for them as well. I put a slice of cucumber or zucchini every day for them to crunch on. They don't eat pellets and other stuff often, except algae. Should I put medicine in a bowl with water and put the slice of vegetable there for a while? They only come to eat some of the time. They used to come to eat pellets as well, but I think they've come to the conclusion that there's always food available in the tank so they don't worry about it anymore.

I have also uploaded a new video on youtube showing how well Lorna is doing.

Thank you again for being incredible!
Satu & Lorna


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## satu55555 (Apr 6, 2011)

Here's the video to show Lorna's cool swim moves. 




Satu


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## bettababy (Oct 12, 2006)

Satu, thank you for posting this last video. I believe you are right, the 10 days looks like it should be enough, she really looks good. 

I am not overly worried about the meds getting into the ottos. IF they show symptoms at some point then I would suggest moving them to quarantine by themselves and treating the water. Ottos are not as easy to feed meds to, but I would advise against trying to medicate vegetables for them on a dish in the tank. Going that route you are likely only going to waste precious meds that won't get into them anyways. Once in the water the medication will break down too quickly to wait for them to come around to eat. My primary concern was for the other danios, fish of the same species, which is where this is going to be most highly communicable and where it could be passed back and forth between Lorna and the other danios. 
If you should notice something changes with the ottos let me know and we will discuss it as a separate issue and work forward that way, but I am not expecting that.

You are right, I do truly care about the fish/animals. The fish are my life, this is what I do for a living. I started this career about 20+ yrs ago and can't imagine my life without it. Its not always the easiest or most pleasant job in the world, but it has its moments like this, where I get to see first hand the difference I can make where an innocent animal would otherwise have died... and that's all the reward I need to keep me going. I would imagine a people dr goes through the same kinds of ups and downs I do on a regular basis. Ask any dr how they do it and they will give you a similar answer... even though we can't save them all, its the ones we can save that in turn save us. Personally, I just can't imagine doing anything else with my life, nothing would compare.

I am glad to hear that your mother has a dr who is sympathetic to your situation and is willing to help you with the meds. It's really sad that so many vets simply refuse rather than investing themselves in saving lives when they are able. I guess that makes me glad I live where I do... resources such as this are much more available here. The down side is that too many people in the states abuse the medications we do have freely available for our fish. Too few ask for appropriate help by someone who's trained and educated to do so, and in turn many end up killing more fish than helping them in the end. Every coin has its flip side. 

There are many times when I wish that fish meds were not so easy to obtain by the general public because the manufacturers don't offer the kind of instructions and help that people need before using this stuff. It is not yet common knowledge that all meds are not safe for all fish. There are specific meds that treat specific problems in specific species... and to not know this information means taking some huge risks by simply guessing. It has taken me many yrs of training, education, and experience to know the things I do, and that's not to mention the endless hours of studying and research that are continual to keep up with new forms of illness/disease, new medications on the market, etc. A lot of people don't understand what goes into a job such as mine, nor do they understand why I am so devoted to it. All I have to do is look at your video clips of your fish to know why... or to go gaze into one of my many tanks here at home. Its all about the animals who don't have a voice of their own that people understand or are willing to listen to in most cases, and about innocent lives that have just as much right to life as any other. When I see a fish I don't see an unintelligent creature that is disposable. I see beauty, intelligence, and feelings just like I do with my dog, my bird, and even people. To give up on that would mean giving up on all life, and I just don't know how to do that.

Keep me posted and let me know if there's anything else I can do to help you.


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## satu55555 (Apr 6, 2011)

Dawn, thank you for your reply.

Thank you also clarifying about the meds and ottos.

It was lovely and very interesting to read about your work and thoughts about fish. I agree with all of that! To me my fish are family members and I find out information that I need to look after them. I have bought some books to study more about fish and their health and illnesses. I had to order them from the US. I try to offer my fish the best I possibly can. In any case, I love the thoughts you have there. You sound so beautiful.

Anyway, here are Lorna's updates. She hasn't changed towards anything different, not so that I could see, for a few days. She still has some funny moves when she turns to the left, but it's still controlled. I wonder if this is permanent damage to the nerves on the left side. She also sometimes does a little bit of chewing, but the breathing has got normal. If you have some thoughts about that, I'd appreciate. Other than that I think the care is getting towards the end soon and I'm considering to move her back in the main tank on Saturday or Sunday. She will still get medicated food a couple of extra days there with the others.

Thank you again.
Satu


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## satu55555 (Apr 6, 2011)

Oh, one more thing. Is there something else that can be used instead of Kanamycin for the same purposes. The human doctor I mentioned has promised to prescribe metronidazole for future use, but kanamycin is not sold in Finland even on prescription. She would otherwise prescribe it so if there's something else I can ask for instead, that would be great.

Thank you.
Satu


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## bettababy (Oct 12, 2006)

Satu,
There is a chance there has been some permanent damage to her nervous system. Unfortunately there is nothing that can be done for that. When you integrate her back into the main population be sure to watch for the others picking on her because she isn't quite as strong as the rest. This doesn't always happen but there is always a chance. She is now "disabled" and while it may not be enough to keep her from the other fish, it will require a bit more supervision on your part. 

In regards to the medications and replacing the kanamycin with another, that's a difficult thing to suggest at this stage. First of all, I see no need for an antibiotic to be used with your fish at this time, which is what kanamycin is... a broad spectrum antibiotic. The reason that one particular medication is something I suggest in some situations is because it is absorbed through the skin, whereas others are not. This ability at rapid absorption can be beneficial when there is a severe infection that needs to be treated quickly to save the fish.

There is a lot to choose from in antibiotics, however, not all fish can tolerate all medications. That means I only prescribe meds on a specific as needed basis. Different infections call for different types of treatments, also. Some antibiotics are a bit more harsh than others, some are more mild than others, and thus fish respond differently according to the problem, their species, etc. There is also the added problem that some antibiotics treat for gram negative bacterial infections, some treat for gram positive, and then of course, the broad spectrum that treat for both. Medicating fish properly can be challenging, especially via internet because there is no ability for me to do the needed lab work to identify a specific bacteria strain, etc. 

Its great that you have ordered books to help you, I will always encourage that, however, to rely on a few books is a dangerous thing. There is a lot that goes into learning about fish medicine and books can only teach a small range of that. My experience goes way beyond books (both college text and independent authors) to include hands on, necropsy/autopsy study, experimentation, and lab work and research. There are a great many illnesses in the fish world that over the years have become immune to medications that used to treat them successfully. One of these is a common bacteria/fungus combination found in bettas. 

A lot of people are not aware that water chemistry also plays a part in medicating any fish. Water chemistry, things such as pH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, etc. can greatly affect not only the effectiveness and effects of a medication but also how the fish react to it. Without experience with the many types of medications out there, it gets to be a guessing game. This is why I always encourage people to ask for help from someone with experience in fish medicine before dosing any fish/tank with anything. It is very easy to use a wrong medication which can have adverse effects on the fish and at the same time allow the actual problem to get so out of control that the proper meds no longer have the desired effect. More fish die from mismedicating than from the actual illnesses themselves. This is where having experience in diagnosis plays a huge role in success/failure. 

Your situation is a good one to use for an example. When you first asked for help you were convinced there was a parasite/worm problem with your fish. Had you treated for such, you would not only have seen your fish get sicker, but by the time you figured out that your suspicions were wrong, your fish may have been too far gone to save her. 

It can be difficult to find a qualified person to help with these things, which is why I try to make myself available as much as possible for anyone who asks for help. Since I do this for a living offline, with my husband as a consultant when needed (along with a number of vets and other specialists), I stay "in the loop" when it comes to the medical field. My training and experience are always an on going process, along with my research. I can't force people to ask for help.. but I will continue to always encourage it.

So, knowing all of this, the best thing I can tell you now is that if you have a problem in the future, feel free to ask me for help. I will do all I can every time, and if medication is needed I will prescribe it as I see the need for it. The reason Finland and other countries regulate certain medications so strictly is due to the dangers in allowing people to use them too freely... so as long as you have a dr who is willing to help you I think you are in a good position. Keeping some of these meds, especially antibiotics on hand for free use at a later date is just a bad idea. Not only because of not knowing for sure what and when to use them, but also because they have a shelf life and once expired, are less effective (sometimes completely ineffective) which is a waste of money and medicine that could have gone to help someone else.


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## bettababy (Oct 12, 2006)

I want to apologize for my lengthy posts, but I try to always be thorough in my replies to everyone. When it comes to illness and medication problems, generalizations and shortened quick responses can mean the difference between life and death. Then, too, there is the problem of time... when you are working on a time limit to save a life, the on going back and forth short messages can mean losing a fish before the proper info is exchanged. 

As always, I am here to help whenever, however I can. When I'm not active on the forum its because life and work here have bogged down my time, but a quick pm to ask me to look at a thread is all that is needed to bring me back in a hurry. I wish you luck with the continued progress with your fish. If you have any further questions, about anything, please let me know, I am always eager to help educate others because I know how many lives it can save. If it had not been for a few unique opportunities over the years I would not be in the position I am now to help others. I was blessed in that way and I find it as my way of giving back. 

Have a great Thanksgiving holiday! I will be on call during the holidays, so if you need me, please don't hesitate.


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## satu55555 (Apr 6, 2011)

Hi Dawn,

Thank you for your thorough reply.

Don't worry I wasn't going to medicate any further. I was purely thinking of what to put in the fish's first aid cupboard. But we'll see about the meds when needed in the future.

I wanted to thank you for all your wonderful help. THANK YOU!!! You have been so helpful.

Happy Thanksgiving holiday to you and your husband!
Satu


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## satu55555 (Apr 6, 2011)

Hi Dawn again,

I got some problems putting Lorna back in the main tank. I put her there on Saturday. We have 4 danios including Lorna. 2 leopard danios and 2 zebras. Leopards are both females and the other zebra is a male. The male keeps chasing Lorna constantly. She gets out of breath and is resting on a plant or bottom many times a day. The she keeps hiding at the back of the tank or under ornaments to avoid him. She gets along with the other girls just fine. He was into her before she got sick too, but I don't know what is going on with him. It's like he suddenly got so excited about chasing girls and seeing if there's a chance to fertilize eggs. He's chasing someone all the time and Lorna the very most. Should I take a couple of more zebra danio females to give him more to chase or what is the best way to deal with this? I'm worried for Lorna and don't want her to get sick again because of stress.

I have moved Lorna back in her own tank to safety and she seems so much more relaxed. But I cannot keep her there forever alone. She was already lonely before. Any suggestions?

Satu


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## satu55555 (Apr 6, 2011)

Hi,

I wanted to put an update here.

Lorna is doing very well and she's back in the main tank. We adopted a new female fish and now our male danio has shared his attention to all the 4 girls and he now allows Lorna to have her normal life so she's happy. They're getting a new ornament from Santa for Christmas too.

I'm very happy with how this has turned out. Thank you again.
Satu


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