precautionary worming

[pm9ljr]

Good Morning,

I am in the early stages of planning a tank which will contains discus. In one of the books I am reading the author mentions a once a month treatment for worms/parasites as a precaution.

I wonder if that is the norm? Or just this one persons regimen.

Thank you

[Second Hand Pat]

Good Morning,

I am in the early stages of planning a tank which will contains discus. In one of the books I am reading the author mentions a once a month treatment for worms/parasites as a precaution.

I wonder if that is the norm? Or just this one persons regimen.

Thank you

Hi Lloyd, I know that Al suggests worming any new fish once only when they are in QT and you should never have to worm again. However know that fish that have not been wormed, plants, snail and live foods can be vectors for reinfection.

Here is how Al handles new fish and worming is part of that procedure. You can find it in this thread http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?21044-Quarantine-*questions.


Hi all,
Just saw this and thought I would update. I do much of what I always have done.. though I do tailor it a bit different depending on the condition the fish come in...

For those interested..I had done several Discus Disease and Health Presentations over the years... The following are from a few pages of that presentation. HTH, al

Suggested Quarantine Procedures...
Receive fish: Place into a clean tank with aged (well aerated/pH stable warm water (85-87F). Use a well cycled bio filter.
Week One: Many Frequent water changes, observe fish behavior, and treat for anything specifically noted******. Be sure all fish are eating well and passing normal feces.
Week Two: Prophylactic deworming with Praziquantel for tape worms, several days latter deworm with general dewormer (levamisole) added to water as 24 hour bath
Week Three: Repeat Levamisole as 24 hour bath
Week Four: Let rest, nothing but water changes.
Week Five: Re-dose with Levamisole as 24 hour bath
Week Six: Quarantine is over if the fish are looking healthy and eating well and are not to be mixed with existing stock. If these are to be mixed with existing stock..add least favorite of existing stock (aka Test fish) to new fishes stock.
Week Six-Week Eight: Observe new stock and test fish. If all is well, most likely safe to mix all fish.
**** important note

Quarantine Common Sense:
Maintain complete separation of new stock from existing livestock.
Use separate nets, hoses, buckets, and siphons for each quarantine tank.
Separate rooms are much safer than in room quarantines.
Perform all maintenance on new stock’s quarantine tank after you are done with all existing tanks.
Wash hands and arms thoroughly after working in tanks.
Maintain optimum water quality, less stress means healthier fish
Tank should have a fully cycled bio-filter. Quarantining a group of fish is not the time to be cycling a tank!!!
Be vigilant… catching and treating a problem early on is better than latter when it may be harder or impossible to treat.

Brews Top 11 Discus Health Issues
1. Chemical Poisoning: Chlorine, Chloramine, ammonia, nitrite, heavy metals (ex. copper and iron), Medications. Suggested treatment…clean water and lots of it!
2. Dissolved gases: Low dissolved oxygen or high dissolved C02/nitrogen etc. Suggested treatment ...age and aerate water.
3. Improper Shipping and Handling Techniques: Suggested treatment…prophylactic screening of suppliers and buying only from reputable ones.
4. Improper care of Discus at Vendor’s Shop: Suggested treatment…prophylactic screening of suppliers and buying from reputable ones.
5. Well meaning but inappropriate or inaccurate advice. Suggested course of action…Check references…information abounds in the internet and pet shops, both good and bad info.
Improper care of Discus on the part of the hobbyist. To keep any fish, a basic knowledge of species requirements and needs exists…Discus require a bit more than basic knowledge. Suggested treatment…Learn as much as you can!!
7. Poor Tank Hygiene Syndrome: Suggested treatment….Be less stingy with the water changes and maintenance.
8. “Charlie Brown Christmas Tree Syndrome” A fish that is sickly or poor quality when you buy it isn’t going to miraculously turn into a beautiful specimen. Suggestion..start with obviously healthy stock, not obviously sickly or low grade stock.
9. Hobbyist Mediated Pandemic: Occurs when a hobbyist recklessly acquires many specimens in a short period of time from multiple sources…mixing these together with existing stock then leads to Immune Overload..aka..sick fish. Suggested treatment….Learn patience and adhere to a sound Quarantine plan!!
10. Nutritional deficiencies…Largely unknown how this affects Discus specifically.. But what we do know is that every animal needs an adequate diet.. Suggestion…feed a varied diet to your discus of quality foods.

And finally…… Number 11!!!!


11. Gill flukes, external and internal protozoans, nematodes, bacterial infections, viruses, “plagues”etc…..

Why is this one listed last in a talk about Discus Diseases and health you may ask?…

Because! If you pay attention to the first 10 conditions mentioned you may not even need to worry about number 11! A healthy fish that has all its needs taken care of and is not stressed has an innate advantage when dealing with diseases and illness..

Pat

[Adam S]

Once a month sounds really unnecessary. I treat all new fish with prazi and flubendazole for internal parasites plus another med for chilodonella as I raise mostly catfish. I'm positive some parasites survive the treatment, but the idea is to reduce their numbers as the fish acclimates to the new environment. Healthy fish have healthy immune systems, so re-treatment shouldn't be necessary unless there is an obvious problem that needs addressing.

[Hart24601]

I worm every fresh and salt fish I get in, but just twice during QT. Prazi and levamisole. I can't imagine doing it once a month.

[Hidan]

Which of the meds can be use for Discus safely and which of them can be added to the food and at what doses. Also would those meds be safe for the tetras, bottom feeders, plecos and otos?

Would be really helpful to know the answers as I would like to carry out a deworming for the entire main tank if possible.
I did QT the fish before the discus were introduced, but never hurts to deworm against anything that can be done safely.

[pm9ljr]

Thanks everyone - I appreciate the responses - glad its not really a monthly chore - the less medications added the better