intestinal parasites

[derrick206]

i purchased a brand called gel tek ultra pure px. if i dose it on the fish food (mysis shrimp frozen), then how many drops should i put and is their such thing as overdosing the fish with the medicine 5 drops per fish twice a day for 3 days but thats directly into the water. i have feather dusters so its not something i can just add to the water. so i was told to soak the food

 

[steve-s]

What is doesn't say in the directions is the medication actually forms into a glob/droplet when it enters the water much like tapioca pearls. It does not dissolve and disperse into the water column. The fish will/should consume the droplets as food. It's why it's recommended to starve the fish a day ahead to ensure they aggressive consume what you're offering. You do not do it 2x daily for three days, just once a day for 3 days. More commonly the treatment is affective after the first dose in regards top worms.

Since this is in the main tank and your concerned with the dusters, adding to the food directly is wise. The dose however does not change. You do need to ensure the food used is as dry/drained as possible before hand though. It needs to soak up/bind as much of the Gel Tek as possible. Praziquantel can be overdosed when added to foods so do follow the directions

Active Ingredients:
Praziquantel 0.0057%
Flubenol 0.03%
Metronidazole 0.30%

Directions for Use: Hold back all feeding for 1 day before using. Then use Ultra Cure PX as the only product offered to the fish when fed. Add to the aquarium with the dropper tip on the bottle. Hold bottle 2 inches above water surface and squeeze. Offer at least 5 drops per fish twice a day. Repeat every 24 hours for 3 days. For nocturnal fish, add drops when light is off at night.

 

[derrick206]

the problem is that this has been a direct additive into the water so i was wondering how much medicine i should put into the food that is soaking. thanks steve

 

[steve-s]

I think you're misunderstanding what I'm saying. The Gel Tek line is not a water additive, it's like a food all by itself. The fish are supposed to consume the gel bound globs as they enter the water. The med does not disperse as a liquid, it remains "whole" if you will. When adding to foods, the dosage/fish still remains the same 5 drops each.

Let's try this from a different angle. How many fish do you have, what species, how large is the tank?

 

[derrick206]

meds

5 fish blue purple yellow tang cinnamon clown, engineer goby 125 gal tank 6' long all glass so when i dip the seaweed or other food add 25 drops to it

 

[steve-s]

The only problem fish in there for this to go easily is the goby, the rest should take the gel food as it enters the water. You can add the liquid onto the Nori if you wish but I think it's a lot of fuss for little gain. The Gel Tek product is specifically designed for the purpose of not adding to foods. The goby is a completely different challenge. Your going to have to find a way to get the food down to it. The only suggestion I have there is sinking pellets but I would feed the other fish first so they show less interest when you do.

Take a sample glass of your tank water out and add a few drops of the Gel Tek to the water. You'll see what I'm trying to explain. For peace of mind, make sure you run carbon if your not already but be sure it is not a passive placement. Turning off high velocity water apparatus will also improve feeding accuracy.