Internal Parasites?
- Thread starter MattyV55
- Start date
The Seachem ParaGuard seems like a good idea. Only issue is with a180 gallon tanks that’s a lot of of medicine
There are certain fish diseases (viruses like Lymphosystis), that don't have a treatment. Only water changes and lack of stress so the fishes own immune system can work it out
There are certain diseases (bacterial like columnaris) that are difficult to treat unless it has been diagnosed and a proper antibiotic is used, (columnaris needs a gram neg antibiotic)
Diseases like ick, are easy, a little salt, a little heat.
The problem with fish disease is many have such similar symptoms , it hard to discern.
I have never been successful at treating columnaris, so if it ends up in one of my tanks, I expect all fish in the tank to die, I then break down the tank, completly bleach it and any equipment used in it,before adding any new fish.
This is why a quarantine tank is so important to use before adding new fish.
I usually quarantine any new arrivals at least 4 months (a friend of mine quarantines 6 months), and never use aquatic live foods, unless I raise them myself.
The cost of meds for one disease, usually equals the cost of a Q tank
There are certain diseases (bacterial like columnaris) that are difficult to treat unless it has been diagnosed and a proper antibiotic is used, (columnaris needs a gram neg antibiotic)
Diseases like ick, are easy, a little salt, a little heat.
The problem with fish disease is many have such similar symptoms , it hard to discern.
I have never been successful at treating columnaris, so if it ends up in one of my tanks, I expect all fish in the tank to die, I then break down the tank, completly bleach it and any equipment used in it,before adding any new fish.
This is why a quarantine tank is so important to use before adding new fish.
I usually quarantine any new arrivals at least 4 months (a friend of mine quarantines 6 months), and never use aquatic live foods, unless I raise them myself.
The cost of meds for one disease, usually equals the cost of a Q tank
I am thinking of treating with Paraguard for 3 weeks and also feeding with metro flakes. Is that a good idea ?
The problem is if you keep up with random meds when you are unsure what the problem is you could be doing more harm than good.
Meds can weaken a fish and bacteria or parasite that is going untreated could thrive and overtake the host.
You need to really observe the fish and see if you can put together some symptoms that could point you in the right direction. I personally bought a microscope to help id an issue that my gt was having. I was able to properly id the parasite and treatment has begun with good progress so far.
Guessing can work but sometimes you need to be very specific with the meds as not all of them are broad enough to cover everything.
Meds can weaken a fish and bacteria or parasite that is going untreated could thrive and overtake the host.
You need to really observe the fish and see if you can put together some symptoms that could point you in the right direction. I personally bought a microscope to help id an issue that my gt was having. I was able to properly id the parasite and treatment has begun with good progress so far.
Guessing can work but sometimes you need to be very specific with the meds as not all of them are broad enough to cover everything.
Thanks, I see your point. To me, the white spot growing and sudden death of my chocolate doesn't really match up with my other fish' symptoms. His small wound turned white and got bigger and bigger and was dead the next day. A lot of my other fish scratch, flash, and twitch a lot. And forgot to mention a few weeks ago one of my fish lost a lot of his fins and tail out of nowhere.
