metronidazole dosage HELP!!!!!!!!!

[foldem]

Hi All,

I picked up some Metronidazole tablets so that i can treat my 10inch RTG arowana for suspected internal parasites. There is some swelling visible in it's belly even when it hasn't had any food for 1-2 days.
My aro has suddenly become very scared and is very jumpy and swims around in one corner, sometimes with it's head tilt slightly downwards. I've done some research and it looks a lot like internal parasites.

Does anyone know what the correct dosage is if i want to soak market prawns with the tablet before feeding? The packet says each tablet contains 400mg of metro. How long should i soak the prawn with the metro for and how long should i continue treating with the metro?

thanks in advance for you help

 

[Oddball]

I've not heard of loading the metro into food. However, the tank dosage is 250mg of metronidazole per 20 gallons of total system volume. Be sure to remove carbon, charcoal, and/or zeolite prior to treating.

If bloat is suspect (pics would help), here's a treatment regimen that I've had success with:

To treat Bloat, the plan of attack is:
Metronidazole and water changes, water changes, water changes!!

1. Remove carbon/resins from filter.
2. Perform a 30-50% water change (reduces free-floating bacteria population)
3. Add salt (teaspoon to a tablespoon per gallon) to aid the fish's osmotic regulation processes.
4. Treat with 250mg/20gallons of Metronidazole (Flagyl)
5. Leave for 3 days and do not feed.
6. After 3 days, perform another large water change.
7. Replace the salt.
8. Add full dosage of Metronidazole.
9. Wait another 3 days. During this phase, the bloat should be decreasing in appearance. In large fish, the water may take on an ammonia odor from the high volume of urea the fish should now be producing due to reducing the bloat and recovering renal activity.
10. 3rd day, another water change. Also, replace the salt and redose the metronidazole (full dose). If the fish looks to be well on the road to recovery you can offer a small feeding each day.
11. Another water change. No meds but, I'd recommend the salt. You should be clear now.

This is the treatment I use on my africans, puffers, and my lungfishes/polypteridae. Knock on wood that it's worked every single time

Hope this helps.

 

[foldem]

I appreciate your input Oddball.

From your recommendation I've calculated 2250mg for a 180gallon tank.
400mg in each tablet so that would make around 5 & 1/2 tablets.

I want to avoid treating the whole tank as the other fish seem perfectly healthy and I currently do not have a hospital tank so that's why i wanted to soak market prawns with the metro before feeding, i've read somewhere that people have done it this way but mainly for rays.
Not sure if anyone has tried it for arowanas.

 

[Oddball]

The problem with internal parasites in a community is that they become part of the whole community. IMO, treat the entire tank.

 

[Volood]

hey there i know this post is old but i.ve got an Oscar with Hole in the head disease and i want to start metronedazol for him.

should i smash the tablets and mix it with water then add it to the aquarium or just add the powerder to the tank

 

[RD.]

Dr. Edward J Noga suggests:

1. Bath

a. Add 19mg/gallon and treat for 3 hours. Repeat every other day for 3 treatments.

2. Prolonged Immersion

a. Add 25mg/gallon and treat once daily for a total of 3 times.
b. Add 95mg/gallon and treat every other day for three days.

3. via feed

25 mg/Kg of body weight/day for 5 to 10 days, or 100 mg/kg of body weight for 3 days. Retreat once if required.


Dr. Edward J. Noga, MS, DVM, is a highly respected professor of aquatic medicine and immunology, that has been published approx. 150 times in related papers/journals. His lab at NC State University specializes in the study of infectious diseases of finfish and shellfish. His book, Fish Disease: Diagnosis and Treatment is the go to "health" book for every serious fish keeper and aquatic DVM.


Good Luck