Worms/parasite questions

[McBeck]

I was reading the de-worming information and have a few questions. I hope you can help me better understand the process. If I use prazi-pro to create a bath in my QT tank, the label indicates I should do this for 3-5 days. The De-worming information in the sticky said to de-worm, wait 6 days, and then repeat treatment. Does that mean I should keep the bath for 5 days, then do a 100% water change, wait 6 days, and then do another 5 day bath? I want to make sure I cure the fish, but I don't want to overmedicate.

Also, if I can get the fish to eat newly hatched brine gutloaded w/ Gel-Tek or powdered Jungle food, will this be preferable to the bath or in addition to? How many days of treatment are recommended? Gel-Tek's label indicates it contains both praziquantel and metronidazole, and should be administered for 3 days. The Anti-Parasite food from Jungle indicated feeding exclusively for 3 consecutive days per week for 4 weeks.

Lastly, what is the life cycle of most intestinal parasites? If an infected fish is in the display and removed to QT, will the parasites lurk in the display waiting for a new host?

 

[leebca]

Hmmm. It seems that my post wasn't clear.

The de-worming with Praziquantel is done by adding the drug to the fish food in the proper quantity, depending upon the mass/weight of the fish being treated. A bath is not recommended unless the fish is not eating AND the problem has been diagnosed as being internal parasites.

Prazipro is one of those medications to use if the fish isn't eating. If you use Prazipro, then you'd follow the directions that come with the medication. If I recall, it is one treatment to the water, leaving the fish in it for up to 7 days? which may be repeated in 3-5 days. It isn't a bath, it is added to the QT water.

The best attack on intestinal/internal parasites is by adding the medication to the food. Either of the other, used as recommended by the manufacturer/provider would be a better choice than adding a chemical to the water IF the fish is eating.

Intestinal parasites is a very large group of pathogens. Most have their own cycle. Some come out of the fish and stay in the substrate up to a few days before multiplying and/or infecting fish. The 6 days recommendation for repeating the medicine (and the 7 days of treatment for Prazipro) was based upon this time frame. There are, a very few outlying pathogens.