internal parasite help please
- Thread starter labiatus55
- Start date
I've soaked pellets, but I also got lazy and purchased metronidazole flake food for some wild caught juvenile cichlids that would spit out the pellets.
seamus;1134544; said:
Yep, soak anything that's in their normal diet including frozen food, pellets, flakes, etc. If they absolutely won't take the metronidazole-soaked food and are starting to lose weight, then it's more important just to get them to eat, soaked or not.
Jungle and a few other brands have foods that are already enhanced with Metronidazole. They smell like crap, in my opinion, but they are worth a shot if none of the soaked food is working.
Another thing is you can bump up the temperature in your tank to 85 degrees. This will boost your fishes' immune system and expedite their ability to fight off the parasites. Just make sure you change the temp slowly and that all of your fish are tropical enough to handle it.
P.S. Seamus, it might seem like your GT is eating less, but as long as he's eating at all that is a GOOD sign.
Yes, you can soak any food. Absorbant foods work better though.
If you fed something like large shrimp I bet it would be possible even to inject it into the flesh before feeding.
If you fed something like large shrimp I bet it would be possible even to inject it into the flesh before feeding.
For internal parasites I have always used Maracyn Two and have always had very good luck with it. Bump the temp up a little. Recently I had a dempsey with an internal bacteria infection, would not eat, not even come up to the top, he would simply just lay on his side, with a week of this medication, he was up and about, he didn't eat until about a few days after the meds, once I changed the water at least.
Thanks for the help, guys. I soak some food and everyone eat.
I soaked the food in some jungle labs anti-parasite tabs. I only need a little for the soaking and I used about a liter of water desolve the tab. Will whats left over keep for subsequent feeding?
I soaked the food in some jungle labs anti-parasite tabs. I only need a little for the soaking and I used about a liter of water desolve the tab. Will whats left over keep for subsequent feeding?
I don't know what the half-life of the medication is, but I'm assuming it would be fine to keep it for a few days to a week.
I would say you need to soak food with a new tab every two days. This is just my guess, because the tank treatment also requires new tabs every two days. Classically, most medications are redosed right at the first half-life. So that would mean half of the drug has become inactive after 48 hours.
Also, to extend the use of the tablets, you could dissolve like 1/4 tablet in a quarter cup of water to make the meds more concentrated. It sounds like you're on the right track-- keep us updated!
Also, to extend the use of the tablets, you could dissolve like 1/4 tablet in a quarter cup of water to make the meds more concentrated. It sounds like you're on the right track-- keep us updated!
