Help with Internal Parasites

[mitchrapp]

I started 2 clowns and a bicolor angel with TTM immediately after getting them. I matched the salinity of the LFS (1.024) and set the bags in the water to raise the temp (79). All seemed to be doing well on Day 1. Fed them pellets, but don't know if they ate them or not. On day 2 the little clown had a white stringy poop thing and was not looking good. He looked like he was flashing, then began to lay on his side at the bottom of the tank/under the PVC. Dosed prime at the end of Day 2. On Day 3 am, the bicolor swam erratically around the tank, came up to the surface a few times, then died shortly after. Little clown would swim around during feeding time, but other than that, just stayed on the tank bottom. Day 4 am, I did a tank transfer and had Prazipro dosed in the tank. Little clown died in the evening. Larger clown looked good. Day 5 I see white dandruff looking things along the tank bottom. Dosed prime in the pm. Day 6, larger clown has white stringy poop, but otherwise looks ok. Day 7 am, did the tank transfer. Today is Day 8 and the white stringy poop is really long. I'm attaching pictures. She's not swimming around as much and is hanging out at the bottom of the tank. I plan on redosing with prazipro with the next tank transfer in 2 days. is there anything else I can do? I have paraguard, and can do a 1 hour dip between the next tank transfer, but I don't know if that will do anything. Please help as I don't want to lose this clown too.

 

[FishN00b83]

Help with Internal Parasites

I usually give the fish a week before TT. I make sure they're eating and some what healthy. TT can be stressful for some fish so I try to make it as easy as possible for them.

as far as what to do now, I have found Metronidazole much more effective on internal parasites if the fish is eating. you put it on the food and let them eat. you only have to do it for a week for 90% of the parasites. prazi works for some parasites and some flukes, but I find metro to be much more effective.

also prazi depletes the O2 in the water do you need to make sure you have good aeration

 

[ThRoewer]

Why would you start TTM if the fish have no signs of ich before even give them time to settle in and recover?
With clownfish I would be more concerned about brook, velvet or uronema.
The symptoms you describe and how quick the fish died fit the first two and TTM does nothing to cure it but will only kill the fish faster due to the additional stress and handling.
Internal parasites usually don't kill fish within days or even hours but rather cause them to slowly waste away.

 

[mitchrapp]

I'm not sure the other clown had brook or velvet as he did not have any visible symptoms on his body (no film, no white dots, etc.) other than the long white stringy poop.

I was prophylatically treating for ich as recommended in the long 35 page thread. I don't think TTM contributed to either death as the bicolor angel died before the 2nd transfer and the small clown already had the long white stringy poop and was laying on its side well before the 2nd transfer.

 

[ThRoewer]

Velvet and brook will initially infect the gills and don't need to show on the skin to kill a fish though usually you should see something.

I would do TTM on new fish only after the fish have acclimated and are stable or if they show clear signs of an ich infection. Doing it right away on new fish without urgent need is recipe for disaster.

White stringy poop can come from many things, not only intestinal parasites. As a rule of thumb I would advise against buying any fish having it.

Where did you get these fish from?

 

[mitchrapp]

That Fish Place retail store. The clown didn't have the long white poop until day 2 in the tank. I may try some metro.

 

[FishN00b83]

if you go the metro route, make sure to follow the instructions. you can OD a fish quick, but in the end it knocks out the parasites quick. I also don't use it unless I know it's parasites.

 

[snorvich]

Velvet and brook will initially infect the gills and don't need to show on the skin to kill a fish though usually you should see something.

virtually always you will see external symptoms both physically and/or behaviorally

I would do TTM on new fish only after the fish have acclimated and are stable or if they show clear signs of an ich infection.

probably preferred


Doing it right away on new fish without urgent need is recipe for disaster.

However I do not agree with this.

 

[mitchrapp]

Thanks especially to FishN00b83 for the metro suggestion. After the first dose, all the white stringy poop fell off as as did other white dandruff looking flakes. I also did a paraguard bath for 30 min before the tank transfer. She's now into the 2nd 48 hour dose and is active, swimming around, and eating well.

 

[FishN00b83]

np...hopefully the little guy pulls through

 

[mitchrapp]

Well she made it through the 12 days of TTM and was transferred into the larger QT. Did fine in the QT, ate well (flakes, pellets, mysis), was very active, no signs of any parasites or anything. Then boom, today she died (day 5 in the QT). Fed her in the am, was swimming around fine, then I came back to check a few hours later and she's dead.

Water params - 0 ammonia, 0.1 nitrite, 10 nitrate, ph 8-ish, 1.024 sg, 79 degrees.

I'm really at a loss as to what else I can do. All my fish seem to be dying and I don't know what I am doing wrong.

 

[Mishri]

Fish don't like changes. I'm not a fan of TTM... I'd use it only if I was sure they had ich.

Could be something in the tanks is poisoning them. Here is a fun one that sometimes confuses people... sponges you get from the store(not labeled for aquarium cleaning), don't use them to clean your aquariums... There are so many things people mess up.. not rinsing things with clean water. over doing things.

And sometimes it's just a weak fish.. but clownfish we get are usually tank raised and very hardy..