have adopted very sick discus

[judy]

oh, I do, after an hour or so. the water changes are happening daily plus testing to ensure parameters remain stable.

[Altum Nut]

Unfortunately, as I suspected over the weekend, you cannot purchase methylene blue in Canada. I seemed to recall hunting for it some years ago, and it had been banned here. The two LFSs in town who know everything confirmed that for me today. So little guy will have to manage with a ten-inch airstone to aerate the tank. Not hugely effective or efficient, but it'll contribute a little extra dissolved oxygen. And there is a large potted, fast growing plant in there, too, so that won't hurt. Meanwhile, the color continues to improve, though he is still about two-thirds greyish-- no longer black. Does not seem to be breathing quite as hard, either. (That may be wishful thinking on my part). Is eating, though not ravenously. Being offered very small quantities of bloodworm and very high quality Spectrum pellets (the family that had him was feeding those cheap bulk yummy for all fish pellets). Takes his time browsing through the food, but does manage to get most of it eaten before the next feeding is due. Am seeing a few blotchy grey patches on his skin, but that may just be where mucus has shed. Will keep an eye on them and hope it's not velvet, fungus, or an external bacterial infection.
Anything else I should be doing at this stage, or just stay the course, keep the water stable, clean and warm, and let him work on recovery on his own? (I will re-dose the Prazi after six days.)
Too bad the government of Canada in its wisdom banned methylene blue as a suspected cancer-causing agent. Like any Canadian would go bathing in it...

Hey Judy,

Not sure who told you that it was banned in Canada...
http://www.aquariumsupplies.ca/methy...18ltch928t98b6

...Ralph

[judy]

three LFSs in the city told me that... and you can't get it at any of the LFSs in the city.... they must be misinformed or confused. Or they don't bother carrying it because it is so cheap and effective and they'd rather sell much pricier meds...

[judy]

Quick update: with another day of meth blue baths to go, Dexter's color continues to improve, though he is still about half-greyish. He is orange with blue markings similar to those of a red turquoise -- at least that part of him that is showing color. He might be a red panda. I found a batch of Fluke Tabs in the back of my meds box, and the active ingredient is potassium permanganate-- they are really old, though. They have remained in the dark, dry and sealed-- can I get away with using them once all the other meds are cleared from the system and the fish? How long does it take for well-stored PP to break down-- or does it even break down?

[Eddie]

Is there a reason for using them? You used Prazi on the fish, which you mentioned the fish improved and then moved to Meth Blue dips. Now you want to use another medication on the fish? Generally this is not a safe practice, as the fish is exposed to too many chemicals in a short period of time. Does more harm then good in most cases. Using the right treatment for the right ailment from the start is always the better move.

Fluke Tabs, active ingredient is Potassium Permanganate? It must be different in Canada. In the US, Fluke Tabs active ingredient is Trichlorfon.

[judy]

No, I don't think so-- just wondering if I should, since it was suggested earlier in the thread that I should have used PP, and someone felt Prazi is ineffective against flukes-- though it seems to have worked for me in the past, in both fresh and saltwater application... I suspect the ingredient is different because these meds are very old, have been in my meds box for years....

[jpdevol]

If it is PP and has been kept at low humidity, I suspect it is still effective. If you want to test it, it should turn water purple. If it does not it may be trichlrfon as Eddie suggested. I would finish last day of MB first. MB is not particularly effective on flukes. Flubendazole is effective against flukes if you have it on the way and they are still displaying symptoms.

[judy]

i just peeled the "warning this causes cancer" sticker off the ingredients list on the Fluke Tabs box. I don't know how I got the idea the Fluke Tabs contained PP-- Eddie's right, of course. Today's the last day of MB, and tomorrow's the day for the recommended second doze of Prazi, which will be in the tank for a week. It will take at least that long and likely another week after that for the Flubendazole to arrive (I bought it from the British supplier as I liked that the formulation they have doesn't affect the Ph or Kh.). So Dexter will have at least a week-long rest from meds, and meanwhile I hope the prazi will have been effective. Or, should I try the Fluke Tabs after a few days' rest?
Color still improving daily, but his appetite is off yesterday and today. Unless he's eating when I'm not looking. He seems to connect The Looming Presence with being caught in the net now, not as Coming With Yummy Food. Soak pellets in crushed garlic maybe?

[ericatdallas]

LOL, it sounds like with as much money as you're spending you could have bough a whole new quality discus and with all the effort, raised it to quite a nice size

I know I'm one of the people that encouraged you to keep going though :P

[judy]

Oh, the meth blue cost about four bucks and the Flubendazole about ten bucks, and I always keep Prazi on hand... its no big expense. Anyway, I never buy discus any more. I just hatch my own. Well, the pairs do. Nice little sideline.

[seanyuki]

Hi Judy......MB contact April Ross.....she has tons of it............imo treat internal first then external.


Fyi Big Al Canada sells Methlyene Blue and Pets and Ponds both Canadian sites sells them.

http://www.bigalsonline.ca/Fish_Heal...2.html?tc=fish

http://www.petsandponds.com/en/aquar...p16891184.html

hth.

[seanyuki]

Hi Judy....perhaps Kordon Quick Cure ........active ingredients formalin & MG for external......April also got that stuffs for sell.

• Gasping for Air
• Flicking against Rocks
• Protozoan Parasites
• Mild Fluke outbreaks
Aquarium Products Quick Cure, Ich treatment, 3/4 ounce • Costia
• Chilodonella
• Trichodina

INGREDIENTS:
Malachite Green, Formalin

hth

[judy]

Acutally, I have Quick Cure on hand-- always keep some in the meds box... I am a bit worried that he's not eating now...

[Eddie]

It's not uncommon for fish to go off food during treatment with prazi.


Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

[judy]

That's a relief... sort of. I wonder if I should skip the second treatment of Prazi, which I would have done tomorrow, just do the nice big water change, and keep him warm and stable for a couple weeks, which is as long as it will likely take for the flubendazole to arrive. Then I can assess him at that point and decide whether do do a course of that med, or,m if he is doing well, eating, gaining weight, and looking good, just let him be in the hopsital tank for a few more weeks before playing "ring-around-the rosie" with the various discus tanks to break up territorial attitudes when I introduce him to the main tank.Assuming he makes it, of course.