Good medication for internal infection or parasites

[ReefHog]

First a little run down. For the last month I have been batteling a parasite problem with my Clown Trigger. The parasites are/were isopod or crustcian parasites. I purchaced a cleaner wrasse and lowered the SG to 1.018 per Robert Finner's site. This has helped emensly. My problem now is the trigger is having problems gaining weight. I feed him heavily every day and by the next day his stomache is pinched again. I'm thinking he may have some sort of internal problem. Weather it be internal parasites or a related or non related infection, something is definatly wrong. I have had this fish for over three years and would like to get him back to his old self. Any experienced recomendations would be appreciated.

Thanks
Art

[FISH]

Try PEPSO food by the co called Jungle.
It clears intestinal fish parasites.
I have used this several years ago when my regal tangs were a new addition and had problems. They got hlle at the time but now they are getting blue color back to the damaged areas.
The fish love this stuff and it is really full of minerals and vitamins.
It is totally safe to use.
You can see my fish on my web page :

http://community.webtv.net/MarkPelsk...LTWATERAQUARIA

Good luck !!!!!

[DJREEF]

Tetra also makes a pelleted anti-parisite, uses Metronidazole food that may be easier to feed a trigger. I've used it in the past with pretty good luck. How long have you had the fish?

DJ

[sculpin]

I'm not aware of a good worm killer on the market for fish (metronidazole will kill anaerobes and protozoa). If your fish really does have worms (which is pretty hard to prove, other than by empiric treatment, followed by recovery), you need something like praziquantel, ivermectin, mebendazole, or pyrantel. I don't have Stoskopf with me at the moment to tell you which is best, but your vet might be able to help.

[Terry B]

There are a number of medications that can be added to the food that can be used with internal parasites. Which one that you should use depends upon correctly identifying the pathogen. The only way you can do this is to take samples from the fish or in some cases examine thier poop under a microscope. Metronidazole is for treating hexamitosis or spironucleosis so it would not be my first choice. Piperazine works on nonencysted nematodes and Praziquantel works on a wider range of internal parasites.
Before you use drugs I would try feeding the fish some garlic for a few days. I think garlic may be more effective for some types of internal worms than it is for ich. A friend of mine feeds garlic to their fish once a week and she found lots of dead worms in the fish poop. I have only used it once so far for internal worms and the fish looked much better in a few days and now is acting normally again. This fish had gotten skinny and now it is gaining weight. Using garlic for this purpose is not exactly well known yet, but I think it is worth a try and I seriously doubt it would hurt.
Terry B

[Edited by Terry B on 12-26-2000 at 01:05 AM]

[ReefHog]

Thanks guys.

I've had the fish for over three years. I will try the garlic first and look into the medicated foods also. As for the garlic, Terry, how does your friend feed it? Is it just the cloves or does she soak the normal food in the extract? I'm not a cook so where would I get the extract? Thanks again all.

[Terry B]

Art,
My friend uses garlic gel caps. You can get garlic at the grocery store or health food store. I use Kyolic brand liquid garlic extract and I bought it at a health food store. Put it on their food for a few days.
Terry B