# Sword tail platy problems



## vreugy (May 1, 2013)

I have two female and one male swordtail playtys still in isolation. Almost put them in the tank last week, but decided to wait another week. Will be 6 weeks tomorrow.

Yesterday, I noticed one of the females had the "shimmey".She sets in one place close to the bottom and "waggles" back and forth. Male has thin white poop. 

Is this columairis. I know that is spelled wrong. I changed 4 of the 5 gallons and added aquarium salt. Raised the temp to 85. High as heater will go. Oh, she also sports one spot of ick. Any thoughts on what to do??


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## Arthur7 (Feb 22, 2013)

I waited. Reply to others. Have any experience. Meanwhile, I have found something:

Vorbeugung und Behandlung - aquamax

Tranlating:

Clamped fins and apathetic behavior, lying motionless on the floor - signs of infection with F. Columnaris. Fish from such tanks should not be bought.

Prevention is better than cure - this rather hackneyed saying is completely true in fish diseases, in particular F. Columnaris.

Prevention should start with our buying behavior. Especially with the so popular livebearers, it is advisable to look exactly. Are only two or three animals in the sale Aquarium striking, no animal should be purchased from this pool. It is striking, if one or more animals secrete and show "clamped fins". Are already visible infested individual fish (white mouth, "affected by fungi" fin edges, frayed fins, white gray coating on the skin or even cloudy muscle), one should appeal to the dealer it and acquire animals from this stock under any circumstances. In the initial stage F. Columnaris is relatively easy even without medication manageable, but without spending restraint will simply never change the terrible conditions somewhat.

Unfortunately, it is also necessary to take care of water quality in pools dealers. It is more or less tried uncontrollably with severe to very severe saline additions to inhibit the bacteria in its propagation. This works reasonably well, because it is precisely F. Columnaris is not one of the halophilic bacteria. However, they are often replaced by other things being equal by others, similarly destructive acting bacteria, where the addition of salt can not touch. If such amounts of salt added that a noticeable stunting occurs, the electrical conductivity and thus the osmotic pressure u. U. increases dramatically. As already mentioned, most livebearers (Guppy, Platy, Molly Black, heavy carrier) tolerate both the salting, and reverting back to normal tap water without added salt surprisingly well, but it's still an unnecessary burden on the animals. Not to mention species that normally occur in nature only in a particular type of water body, where such adaptability is therefore non-existent. One should therefore simply ask and possibly check with a conductivity measurement, whether saline addition has been made in the sale aquarium, or not. If it is not to brackish water fish, you should not buy salt addition also. The usual slow reaction of about 30 minutes to an hour is sufficient in any case to even reasonably appropriate to adapt the fish from one extreme to normal salinity.

Not everything goes but at this infectious disease and its prevention at the expense of the specialized trade. Should the aquarium always more colorful, larger, yet cheap fish, the trading will of course respond. Mass production for little money always and everywhere in the world is only at the expense of quality and is connected with merciless cruelty. Who can sit for a reasonable amount for the small traders around the corner healthy, but slightly smaller and not as fully colored animals and prefer to buy cheap, great, screaming colorful fish from breaking full retail facilities, is not only guilty themselves, but ensures that never change this unacceptable situation.
Prevention succinctly

No fish from excessively occupied commercial equipment purchase.
No fish from aquariums buy, where animals can be seen with typical symptoms clamped fins, white mouth "fin rot" and muscle cloudy.
In no case fish should be bought from pools, where are already dead animals to see.
Be sure to ask if the addition of salt was carried out in the dealer's pool. If so, you should also refrain from buying.
If fish are already treated with medication, you should not buy also. Reputable dealers make on its own initiative such aquariums indicated and do not sell during a treatment.
For dealers who do not give willingly on the water conditions in the sale facility information, you should not buy.

Although it hardly likely to be some traders basin without these pathogens, so an introduction by F. Columnaris into the home aquarium is almost certainly inevitable, one can be completely reassured; it will not come in compliance with the above rules of conduct in ornamental fish buying the outbreak of a disease in the aquarium. If you are not sure, the recommendation as the Ichthyo, a quarantine tank and / or a UV-C lamp is also here to use as Ichthyo.

It looks so. I'm sorry.


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## big b (Jun 28, 2014)

Aww I hope you fishy makes it, it always saddens me when a fish is sick


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## vreugy (May 1, 2013)

Arthur, unfortunately, I don't think the female is going to make it. She looks bad. I may just put her down today. Will try the salt method and see if it works. If I can get to town in the next day or two, I may get some erythermyacin from the co-op. It sometimes helps. 

Just goes to show, isolation for up to 6 weeks is a good idea.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Put the fish down and hope the others make it. I would just change the water, everyday if necessary. Salt may help but may not. No, doesn't sound like columnaris. This is why you isolated them, right?


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## vreugy (May 1, 2013)

Yes. this is why we isolate. I learned the hard way. Lost almost a whole tank to ick before I knew they were sick. Funny part is, I had almost put them in the main tank, but decided to wait one more week. I did put the one down. She clearly wasn't going to make it. The male isn't doing all that good, but maybe salt will clear it up. I am not sure what this is, had it years ago and didn't save a one. We called it Shimmy.I will inform my LFS about it. She is very good about watching what she buys and from whom. 

Thanks again Ben. You are invaluable to us.


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