Need Advice for Tapeworm and Ich Treatment

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*

I have the following inhabitants/conditions.* All fish have been with me for a month or more and are eating well.

-** Kole Tang "“ Pooped a bunch of worms a few weeks ago, may have had an ich spot a month ago after introduction.* Otherwise no issues.

-****Potter's Angel "“ no issues

-****Lineatus Wrasse "“ Pooped a bunch of worms a couple weeks ago. Otherwise no issues.

-*****Lubbuck Wrasse "“ no issues

-*****Yellow Coris Wrasse "“ no issues

-*****Filamented Flasher Wrasse "“ very skinny, possible ich spot here and there on occasion.* Eats well, but doesn't put on weight.* Mucous coating a bit more noticeable than the rest.


Given that the Kole and Lineatus had worms and the flasher wrasse isn't doing well.* I've been thinking about putting all of the fish in a hospital tank for 8 weeks and doing the following.

-***Two doses of prazipro during the first two weeks

-***One week break from treatment at full salinity

-***Four weeks hyposalinity (11-12ppt)

-***One week break at full salinity before reintroduction.

*

-*Hospital tank would be

o** 33g long (48x12x13) with dry rock and a bowl of dry sand seeded and cycled from main tank

o** Tunze 3163 filter with padding, carbon (when appropriate) and seeded dry rock rubble.

o** *Sponge filter for added oxygen and bacterial filtration

o** tunze 6015 for flow

o** Heater

o** Ammonia alert badge

o** ATO borrowed from main tank and top off water (buffered to ph 8.4)

o** Apex ph probe borrowed from main tank


Alternatively I could just try to treat the kole, lineatus, and flasher, but it would be nice to rule out ich completely.

What are your thoughts?* Is it worth treating them?* In the past I've just let things run their course and eventually the worms and ich never showed up again (visually any).

I'm a bit nervous to treat expensive and delicate fish like the potter's and lineatus.

 

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I apologize for the weird formatting. ..not sure where the stars came from

 

[Deinonych]

You can treat the DT with Prazipro - it's the only med I would feel comfortable using in the DT. Just turn off the skimmer and carbon before dosing. Dosing the DT would prevent additional stress to the fish from capture and removal. Once the worms are eliminated, then you can move them to a HT for treatment for cryptocaryon. I'm not a fan of hypo, personally, as it has very little margin for error and is difficult to pull off. You might consider treating with a more reliable method like Cupramine.

 

[arc eye]

Thanks for the advise. I'm leary of diding the tank because of all the little tube worms, etc. That have built up.

Also is metro dosed food better than prazipro for internal worms? I can't seem to find a definitive answer.

 

[Deinonych]

I have never used metro to treat worms, although others on this forum recommend it. It's primarily an antibiotic that also targets some flagellated protozoans. Prazi is what I use for all helminths.

 

[arc eye]

Thanks, I'm going to hospitalize the flasher for sure. He is starting to look pretty skinny. I'm still debating on what to do with the rest of the fish. I haven't seen any worms in couple weeks and they all look so good and healthy.

I'm also not positive if ich is present, so I'd hate to pull and treat all the fish for no reason.

 

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bump

 

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Any other opinions?

 

[Newsmyrna80]

For internal worms I treat with metro in food. If you are going to dose with Prazi be sure not to overdose with wrasses. They do not tolerate it well IME.

 

[arc eye]

I'm going to start with just the flasher

HT equipment is on the way. For meds I got seachem metro, focus, paraguard, and cupramine (along with an ammonia alert badge and seachem copper test).

I'm planning to do a paraguard dip. Wait a few days, do metro dosed food if necessary, wait a few days and do copper, paraguard or ich depending on what presents.

Does3s this sound like a good plan?

 

[Newsmyrna80]

It's not the way I would go. I would feed with metro and focus to treat the intestinal worms all the while verifying if it does have ich. But I'm not one to expose fish needlessly to drugs.

 

[arc eye]

I have only seen worms from the kole amd lineatus.

The flasher is just getting really skinny and seems to be more labored than the rest. It also appears to have a bit of excess mucous compared to the others with an occasional ich looking spot here or there. Could just be sand stuck to the excess mucous.. hard to say

 

[arc eye]

I have been reading thread after thread on treatments and disease and I have to say its one of the most confusing aspects of the hobby. Lots of varying methods, experiences and opinions.

I am really spinning my wheels on what to do.

Here are the facts
- kole had worms three weeks ago...fine now
- Lineatus had worms two weeks ago...fine now
- flasher not doing well. Skinny, slightly mucousy, a tad labored.

- Lubbuck - fine
- potter's - fine
- yellow coris -fine

What would you do? I fish there was a fish whisperer I could invite over! Pizza and beer on me lol!

 

[Deinonych]

It's not the way I would go. I would feed with metro and focus to treat the intestinal worms all the while verifying if it does have ich. But I'm not one to expose fish needlessly to drugs.

+1

IME, it is best to treat for the known ailment first - in this case, the worm infestation. Once that treatment is complete, you can evaluate the fish and determine the next course of action. If you think they have crypto, then treat for that. Unfortunately, this is more art than science in many cases.

 

[Newsmyrna80]

Has the flasher had labored breathing and excess mucus the entire month you've had him?

 

[arc eye]

Has the flasher had labored breathing and excess mucus the entire month you've had him?

I would say so. His breathing isnt too labored. He was the most iffy fish of the bunch from day one.

Also, the potters just pooped about two inches of white twisty looking worms.

Can the fish rid the worms themselves? Is treatment mandatory.

 

[arc eye]

Chris and Newsmyrna80. Just want to say I really appreciate your help. Its hard to get a lot of attention in the disease forum and it sound like you guys know your stuff.

Im mostly hesitant to do treatemnt from fear of ammonia in a tank with no live rock or live sand

 

[Newsmyrna80]

You are welcome We have a tendency to lurk around this forum Fish can not rid worms on their own.
Do you have an established bio filter in the QT? Metro will not affect it. I'm currently treating a Blenny with worms in an established QT. If you worried about ammonia get something like Prime and keep up with water changes.

 

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Thanks. I think I am going to get a 55g. Start the biofilter with some pads already in my sump. Let it get up and going for a week. Then add all the fish and treat with metro food while running carbon. And then take things from there......copper or fluke treatment as need be.

For filtration I am going to use the tunze 3162 and a large sponge filter. Should I put bioballs in the tunzes? My understanding is that you dont want a calcerous material because it may interfere with copper treatment. I've got cupramine. Is this true of all copper meds?

 

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Update

Good news
- 55g HT is being filled so I can begin treatment
- Flasher still skinny, but active and eating
- no worms in the past few days from any fish

Now the bad new
- lineatus really starting to show swim bladder issues.
- Swimming vertically, sometimes upside down, bumping into things