Hikari PraziPro does not work.

[cyang]

One of my discus definitely has a tapeworm. I saw a flat, uniformly segmented worm dangling from the fish's anus (around 1/2 inch in length). It was white, not clear. I tried to take a picture but by the time I found my camera the tapeworm "dangleberry" was gone and nowhere to be found in the aquarium. I assume it went back inside?

Anyways I have Hikari PraziPro on hand. Dose 4 teaspoons for my 75 gallon tank and put it in after a 50% WC.

8.2 pH
ammonia, nitrite 0
nitrate no more than 10ppm
120 ppm hardness
86 F (two heaters w/ temp controller)
No WC on Friday, cutting back on food

This is my experience thus far:

Thursday 9:00pm - Initial dose of 4 teaspoons (1 per 20 gallons) of Hikari PraziPro for my 75 gallon grow-out tank with 10 3.5 inch discus [one of which has tapeworm(s)].

Friday 8:00am - Check the tank before I left for work. Nothing. No dangleberries on discus.

Friday 3:00pm - Left work early. No flatworms/tapeworms in tank. No dangleberries.

I know there has been some discussion on the effectiveness of PraziPro (liquid form from Hikari). I will let everyone know how this works. So far, I am highly doubtful.

I am going to order some Jehmco prazi next week if the Hikari PraziPro does not work.

I'll update later tonight and tomorrow afternoon, when the 48 hr dosing period is up.

In the meantime, any words of advice from the experts? :D

[brewmaster15]

Chaz,
Not sure what you saw... but an alternative to buying a bunch of Prazi if this is one tank is to Pick up some jungle parasite Clear at a LFS....works well.


-al

[cyang]

Hi Al,

Thanks for the input. Does Jungle Clear hurt your bio filter? I was under the assumption that PraziPro is more gentle on fish.

Thanks,

[cyang]

Friday 5:00pm - Light feeding of tetra bits soaked in ultra cure px. No slick of the tapeworm in tank or host discus.

This makes me wonder if I really did see a tapeworm. But I'm sure I did b/c it fit all of the descriptions and fit the pictures I've seen on this forum. Maybe I should dose higher concentration next time?

To be honest I'm not a tually concerned about the particular fish that has the tapeworm. But. Just don't want it to spread in a closed environment. Any thoughts?

[CARY_GLdiscus]

PraziPro is ok its just a weak dose!

You will find that a double dose will be needed to do the job! However makesure your bioload is not high and a W/c before treatment.
hth
Cary
Gld!

[cyang]

Update


Friday 7:00pm - Nearly 24 hrs after treatment, the host discus began passing "something" I can't get a good pic of it. But it is not the tapeworm I saw before. It has just started passing...so I think it is shedding some intestinal lining along with the worm. There is however, more "substantial" stuff than just clear stomach lining. Parts of it is white and flat-ish. Hopefully I will see the worm start passing soon.

Cary,

Would you recommend that I dose more tonight? I have a 1oz bottle that doses a total of 120 gallons. I only used 4 teaspoons of it for 80 gallons. I have approx 2-3 teaspoons left. Should I just pour the rest of the bottle in there?

Thanks,

[CARY_GLdiscus]

Yep Yep yep!

[cyang]

Done. Thanks, Cary!

[cyang]

Saturday Noon - Last night the "host" fish continued to pass something out of him. It wasn't a tapeworm. Now I am unsure if it has tapeworms or not. I thought I saw a tapeworm on Thursday...now I don't know what to think. I took what was passed through out of the tank and examined it (not under a microscope mind you) and it looked soft, white, slimy...intestinal flagellates?

The sick fish is losing its appetite. I tempted just to throw him into the hospital with 2 other sick fish (discus). How contagious are intestinal flagellates? My other fish mostly seem healthy and hungry.

I hate this part of the hobby.

[kenhappen2u]

i am going through a lot of the same here with "something" the fish has , i also just bought some pazipro and getting ready to dose the tank after a good size water change , i went to 3 different LFS looking for metro ,or hex a mit and the only product i found in the 4th place was some pazipro for 18.00 for a 1 oz bottle .

Ken

[cyang]

i am going through a lot of the same here with "something" the fish has , i also just bought some pazipro and getting ready to dose the tank after a good size water change , i went to 3 different LFS looking for metro ,or hex a mit and the only product i found in the 4th place was some pazipro for 18.00 for a 1 oz bottle .

Ken

Ken,

Yeah, it is really frustrating. I don't have a microscope, but at first I was sure it was hex / intestinal flagellates. Then I thought it was tapeworms. Now I just don't know... Sooo frustrating.

What are the symptoms that your fish are showing?

Try bigalsonline.com or jehmco.com for meds...you can get 3x as much for price.

Good luck man. Keep us updated.

[kenhappen2u]

Ken,

Yeah, it is really frustrating. I don't have a microscope, but at first I was sure it was hex / intestinal flagellates. Then I thought it was tapeworms. Now I just don't know... Sooo frustrating.

What are the symptoms that your fish are showing?

Try bigalsonline.com or jehmco.com for meds...you can get 3x as much for price.

Good luck man. Keep us updated.

poster earlyer...by me
what does healthy discus fish poop look like ? i just noticed that one of the non eaters has a long whiteish poop hanging from him , its kinda transparent in color "if such a thing" it doesnt look like its alive worm but could it be somethign else? all 7 of the fish came from the same breeder and from same tank. only difference is half of them were bought 1 week apart from one another .

update....looks like more then one of my discus are showing same signs . long whiteish/transparent poop.

Ken

[cyang]

Ken

If it is NOT segmented and flat like a ribbon, then it might be intestinal flagellates. Metro would be the drug to use. Search for metro or white poop etc. I'm new at this too so keep me updated. I'll do the same as we might have the same problem with our fish. I was sure I had tapeworms but I think I was wrong. I've QTed my two fish with white poop and am gonna treat with metro next week. I bought the hikari metro plus brand.

Hope this helps, buddy! I'll keep you updated.

[April]

ken. do a big wc and crank the heat up first. do daily big wcs. sound stressed alright.sometimes clean water and heat will get them going. alot of the time stress is due to needing more wcs and less biolaod.
if not..eating after a couple days go find metronidazole. seachem has it.
dose 400 to 500 mg per 10 gallons and high heat. daily 50 percent wcs and redose. if its a big tank..and you can..lower your water level to save on meds or use a smaller quarantine or hospital tank.

[kenhappen2u]

ken. do a big wc and crank the heat up first. do daily big wcs. sound stressed alright.sometimes clean water and heat will get them going. alot of the time stress is due to needing more wcs and less biolaod.
if not..eating after a couple days go find metronidazole. seachem has it.
dose 400 to 500 mg per 10 gallons and high heat. daily 50 percent wcs and redose. if its a big tank..and you can..lower your water level to save on meds or use a smaller quarantine or hospital tank.


i found some metro so how many times do i dose ?

[cyang]

Is it Hikari Metro+ brand or generic metro power?

[kenhappen2u]

Is it Hikari Metro+ brand or generic metro power?

got them from my vet , 250 mg tabs . i have 10 tabs , is that enough? i was told 400- 500 mg per 10 gal .i have a 55 gal tank and figure i have enough tabs for two doses. but how many time will i need to dose for a full treatment ?

thanks ...ken

[kenhappen2u]

bump....anyone?

[doc3toes]

treat for at leat a week or until eating. make sure to redose after your water changes. you'll need more.