P.Maccus treatment???

[Bigpig]

Hiya,
Two days ago I picked up 3 x P.Maccus.
One of them looks in good shape, one was a little hollow bellyed, and one is a bit of a greyish colour.
I know that I should not buy fish that look in bad shape...but I had just sold the shop a load of Ancistrus so felt that I could afford to risk a rescue attempt with these fish.
I have them in quantine, and they seem to be feeding. (The shop said that they had them in for a while, but they had not put any wood in the tank with them, which might account for the hollow belly???).
The one that is a greyish colour is my main worry. I thought it was just stress colour, but today it is the same dull grey colour.
I am thinking of dosing with Melafix, but thought I would ask for any advice first.
I will try to get some photos up tomorrow.
Thanks in advance for any help.

[racoll]

Provide warm (28C), well oxygenated water and some wood. Feed them algae wafers and vegetables and they should be sorted in no time.

I wouldn't add a treatment unless you can see a specific illness.

[apistomaster]

I would differ from racoll's suggestions a little. In addition, I would feed some live worms and proceed with a course of flubendazole and Praziquantel as long as they are already quarantined. Used properly, these meds are low impact drugs and the reduction and/or elimination of flukes and parasitic nematodes will aid the absorption of nutrients from food only hastening recovery. I assume that all wild fish come infected with parasites and act out of that presumption.
I do withhold the more toxic medications unless there are clear indications of the need to use them.