my fish is sick!!!

Question
QUESTION: I have a Jack Dempsey that is about 4 years old. Four weeks ago, he began loitering around the bottom of the tank and refusing to eat. In the last two weeks, he has began to eat again, but he still stays at the bottom of the tank. He has a spot on his chest that is raw from the gravel. I've noticed some white whispy stuff hanging from his gills....I guess it kinda looks like tiny worms....but it's white. My husband told me today that the fish has something that looks like worms coming from his anus. He seems to have to struggle to swim and his breathing is heavy. I don't know what to do...I really don't want to loose him. What's wrong with him and how do I treat it????!!!

ANSWER: Those are parasites! Treat them! Treat them now! Get parasite medicine now before it's too late!

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Treat it with what? I got some stuff yesterday called CLOUT that supposedly treats several parasites. I still have the sick fish in the same big tank as the rest of my fish, so I didnt put in a full dosage. Do you think I need to? I didnt want to drug the others and make them sick.

Answer
You need to do a full dose. You're fish are terribly sick and the others are probably already infected. Your sick ones still may die because the anal worms are Nematoda (no known cure). Something with Paragon, Trifon , or Anti-Fluke treatment should treat it. If not, I have several aggressive treatments.