Should I get some API General Cure?

[JBurgo]

I recently bought some malnourished Wilds. All but the smallest one are healthy now. The smallest one isn't doing overly poorly, but he isn't stacking on the weight or eating much (he stays away and eats little bits that fall to the side), obviously lowest in pecking order. What worries me more is that he hides a bit and is prone to startling and swimming full blast a full lap of the tank and smashing into walls for no apparent reason, full panic attacks.

I treated with Wormer Plus (Flubendazole) when I first got them, it's a one off, I treated a second time after a week gap. Mainly because they were thin and had white stringy poop. It's worked very well.

Should I also buy and treat with API General Cure (Metronidazole and Praziquantel) as a precaution for this fish? Also.. Is it a one off treatment, or do I have to do daily water changes for 7 days, reapplying each day? The reason is to make sure the little one, and all of them for that matter, are cleansed of as many remaining parasites as possible.

I'm also considering getting some more sickly wilds and quarantining them in a hospital tank. Should I dose with both medications consecutively for this situation, or would Wormer Plus be good enough?

[Clawhammer]

I wouldn't advise treating your current fish any further if they are eating and putting on weight. It is common for the low man on the totem poll to be relegated to eating scraps. The best medicine now that they are eating and growing is clean water and quality food.

Regarding the new group, define sickly. Are they just malnourished or do they have other issues?

A picture speaks a thousand words...

[JBurgo]

Haven't got them yet to take a photo. Thin /malnourished, white /clear poop evident, one's really dark, some losing slime (spider web type), the darkest one mostly, but another is too, they're all living in the same tank. They are probably suffering PH problems where they are because PH is chemically altered and tanks overstocked. From the same place mine are from.

The little one in my tank was eating well /much better this morning, poor thing has a split in the front of his head from hitting the walls, it's not too bad and will heal if he doesn't keep doing it. Aren't you supposed to treat all stock you get as a precaution, or if it ain't broken don't fix it?

[woopaul5]

Do you have a video of the fish you have that is darting? Does it do it often and does it spin in circles at all? Also does it seem to be rubbing its body against anything?

On the potential future stock... I'd leave them be. Treating sick fish isn't exactly a fun task and can be costly and you don't know if all or some of the fish are too far gone to a point they can't be saved. Also you can be running into future problems. I assume yif you do get the sick fish you plan on introducing to your current stock? This could be a recipe for disaster.

[JBurgo]

I don't have a video of it darting, it doesn't do it regularly enough to predict. It doesn't circle and always has full buoyancy and isn't rubbing, it's just like a panic attack from zero to full blast. A normal startle goes for about 2-3 feet, this goes for 8 to 16 feet with smashing into the ends of the tank twice. Last week it was happening once or twice a day, it started happening less and I haven't seen it for a few days now. The only other thing it does (and is still doing) is go dark and hide and eat sparingly, I removed all the structures because of this (because sometimes I've found these fish to be very emotionally driven if they get depressed).

My concern is that the totality of this behaviour might indicate an underlying parasite that hasn't been affected by the Flubendazole (this is where the experience of people on this forum would help). Otherwise it might just be water quality issues, he might not like the 6.8 PH etc. remembering he's the smallest fish. I'm changing to PFS in 2 weeks (because that's my holidays where I'll have the extra time) and I've bought some Pothos plants.

The split on the front of it's head is starting to heal and is partially visible in the photos. It's not that bad, I've seen worse, just concerned it will keep opening it up. It's difficult to take good photos in the morning with the sun coming directly from the window opposite the tank making glare. This morning he's happy as ever and eating something so I hope it's passing.

I've definitely learned a lot from this forum, I never would have done more than a weekly water change, now it's twice a week and I never would have fed more than once a day, now it's 3 times a day and the range of foods is greater, they love the FDBWs, with a view to PFS in my tanks, my fishkeeping is definitely improving, so a big thanks to everyone here too.

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