# Is it time to Euthanize?



## KDartMedia (Feb 15, 2014)

Tank: Heavily planted 20gal Tall (running since Mar 14th)
Fish: 1 Marble Molly, 1 Male Guppy, 1 large Mystery/Apple snail, and 13 or so 3 week old "surprise" Molly fry (to be re homed hopefully).

So I haven't posted in a while but my tank has been wonderful with no problems. Unfortunately I had to leave town for almost 2 weeks as I needed to see my doctor for important testing. (I'm from Ohio but going to school in Florida for 3 years) I had to set up an automatic feeder and hope for the best. I came back and my tank was fine! Just a bit of plant debris and leftover food. Now home I did a water change and everything proceed as normal. Water tests fine with no Ammonia, Nitrates, or Nitrites to speak of. The next day I had to go to class.(8hrs) Left home and every one was happy, but when I came home my little male guppy had trailing white and brown stuff right in the middle of the bottom of his stomach that was falling off gradually. I researched and nothing came up. Being too late to head out for any medicines I decided to leave him to see what happens. Today I woke up and he seemed normal and it only looked like a small sore. After a couple hours he now seems to have what looks like poop coming out of the hole. He has been 100% normal with no change in behavior. He still swims, explores and eats fine. The other fish seem to be unaffected. 

Did his stomach blow out? Is all hope lost for him? 

Any ideas?


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## KDartMedia (Feb 15, 2014)

See he was completely normal again this morning! He is interacting with the other fish like normal and pooping from the stomach hole like it's normal. I'm at a complete loss here. 

Today I find out how soon I need to go back home (out of state) for more testing as it seems my health is declining. I do have someone to look after them. I will be gone for at least a month so I'm taking my tank to a friend who has had fish for years and I don't want to transport and leave her with a dying fish.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

I wouldn't worry about it. It sounds like he's fine.


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## KDartMedia (Feb 15, 2014)

Yeah, I don't want to do anything if he's fine.

Everything I read says, whenever "hole in stomach" is mentioned, there is nothing I can do and I should put him out of his misery. There is no misery to be seen! 

He is just completely fine with it so I will be too. I just worry about leaving him with someone else for a while.


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## KDartMedia (Feb 15, 2014)

So it turns out he was bursting with Camallanus worms. I lost all my fish last night. I only saw the worms appear after I saw how much pain they were in but noticed a worm on the guppy a day ago. I didn't have time to get the medicine to treat it. It came on super fast. I only found one other case of a guppy who went through this exact situation (documented online). Please if your fish's belly appears to "blow out" consider this as a possible cause so you can treat it in time.


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## Angelinawad (Mar 23, 2014)

Oh dear, I am so sorry


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## KDartMedia (Feb 15, 2014)

I guess it's a learning experience. I will have levamisole on hand from now on and I'm thinking about treating all new fish in it regardless.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

i am always amazed to see how many hobbyists are having problems with camallanus worms..in all of my more than 40 years in this hobby and with keeping hundreds of thousands of fish , i have never encountered them.in fact there are very few diseases or parasites that i have encountered..
i believe that this is because i have not purchased any fish from a pet store in more than 25 years....all of my fish have come from private breeders and aquabid.....which is primarily comprised of private breeders..there are 2 florida fish farms that i deal with where i am not worried about the health of their fish..they are both very high quality establishments..and both of them sell on aquabid...
i think folks should keep just a couple of versatile high quality meds on hand and keep a quarantine tank ready and to treat it before they bring home new fish..it only takes a few minutes to fill a tank and treat it before going out the door to buy new fish..


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