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To start if this is in the wrong section I apologize. It really all boils down to medication so I thought it would be appropriate but if it needs to be moved please do so.

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone had any information on weather rainbow sharks were scale less. I remember reading something about them on here about them being sensitive to medication and copper and what not because there scale less or have the flat scale thing (like they have scales but dont)?

My shark as my tiger barbs have been flick/flashing a little to much for comfort. It went from and itch her or there to what seems to be something I call "itch fits" where they repeatedly hit object over and over. Its something I though was nothing but the more I read on gill flukes the more I think its something.

I was considering treating with the product ParziPro or ParaGaurd, does anyone think there will be any type of problem with my sharks, scales and medication?

Thanks

Tigermom

Hi Tigermom,
Yes, Rainbow Sharks are scaleless. They have skin, not scales, and so are sensitive to medicines with copper, salts, or dyes (malachite green, methylene blue, gentian violet, etc). The Prazipro would be fine to use, Prazinquental is a very mild medicine. It seems to work fairly well. I would not use the Paraguard, as it contains Malachite Green, and the shark may not tolerate it well at all.

Also, are you sure the fish has parasites? Have you ruled out a water quality condition? Have you tested the tank for ammonia, nitrItes and nitrAtes? If so, what are your levels? Tanks with high levels of any of these can lead to this "itching" behaviour you are explaining.

How long has the tank been set up, what size is it, and what fish do you have in the tank?
Post this info and the test results I mentioned above.
Also, do you use dechlorinator when you change water?
How often do you change the water, how much, and do you do a gravel vaccuum?


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Hi Sneaky,

Water Stats-as of 1/10/07
Tank-
Ammonia-0
Nitrite-0
Nitrate-20

Tap
Ammonia-.50 (hence the use of prime)
Nitrite-0
Nitrate-5

Tank- 45 gallons
set up since July/August with seed bacteria.

Inhabitants-
12 tiger barbs (6 green/6 albino)
1 rainbow shark

Maintenance-
I use Prime water conditioner
I change the water anywhere from 1-3 times a week, 10%-20%. If nitrates get to far bast 20 then I do a water change. I also do one if a feeding of peas or lettuce get to messy. I have ammonia present in my water(tap) which more often than not has me doing smaller water change of 10%-15% most times. When I gravel vacuum I divide the tank in three sections. Left, right, middle and just change each time.

Filters-
Aqua Clear 70
Whisper 40

Both are clean twice a month on different days during water changes in old tank water.


The reason I think its parasites is because honesty its the only thing I'm left to believe. My water always has good readings except for the few times Nitrate reach 40 but then I do a water change.
The fish are scratching to much for comfort. I also have one green tiger barbs who seems be having difficulty breathing and woke up pale this morning. Just checked on him now and his color has returned but he is hiding under some wood (completely not tiger barb behavior)

Do you think I may be ever reacting?

Any and all advice is welcome, and thank you on the information on the rainbow sharks.

Tigermom

Hi Tigermom,
sounds like your water conditions are very good.
Its good to be able to rule that out.
You could definitely go ahead and try a run of the Prazi pro, at the very least it would allow you to rule out the possibility of parasites.
I find every once in awhile fish do get itchy and it passes, but with repeated itchyness like youre describing, its definitely worth a try to treat, it sounds abnormal.

My only other thought is perhaps a problem in the tap water with some kind of bacteria or chemical that is undetectable by your tests. It might also be worth it to contact your local water board and see if anything has come up in recent water tests, or if they have added anything to the water recently.


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Actually, like most cyprinid fish, Rainbow Sharks do have well-developed scales (visible in this picture). I have not noticed any particular sensitivity to medications in any of the "shark-like" cyprinid fish.

Regardless, a wide range of conditions can cause flicking, so it would be best to rule out things like water quality or excess particulate matter in the water column before putting any medications in the tank (using medications is stressful on all fish, scaleless or not).

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I'm not your neighbor, you Bakersfield trash.

Natalie, this is the first I have ever heard
of these sharks not being considered "Scaleless".
I was always told to avoid the same meds/salts that affected scaleless fish with these fish, and after losing one to the use of malachite green+formalin, I wont take the chance again.


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Most Cyprinids are sensitive to salt, but I believe that mainly has to do with them being members of the superorder Ostariophysi (primary freshwater fish) than them being scaleless or not. I've used dye-based and other medications on them for years, both in stores and at home, and I've never noticed any increased mortality in them when compared to other groups of fish. It does greatly depend on the type of fish involved, however - a scaled fish like a Microrasbora is going to be a lot more sensitive to medications than a small loach, despite the latter being considered scaleless (they actually do have scales as well, albeit small).

In general, I'm skeptical of whole "scaleless vs. scaled" debate when it comes to medications. I don't even see how scales could come into the issue - a fishes' scales are embedded in the dermis and do not provide a barrier between the skin and substances in the water. If the reverse were true, heavily-armored catfish would be quite indestructible when it came to use of medications, but of course we know that many of them are very sensitive to substances in the water. It has to do with them just being catfish (Ostariophysians) and not what's on, or in this case in, their skin.

---

I'm not your neighbor, you Bakersfield trash.

Wow,

Thank you to the both of you for the very informative posts. I've been observing my fish really closely since my last post and have come to the conclusion there needs to be some type of medication. The fish are scratching more and more frequently and another fish has gone into hiding. Ill still stick with the ParziPro though, just in case.

Thank you both

Tigermom:^

How are the fish going now? If they are still flicking I would suggest checking your pH. If it is low/high it can cause this problem in my experience.

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