Stubborn DP IPs!

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Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.

1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.

2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.

3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)

4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.

5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.

We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.

While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.

Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
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kcartwright856
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Stubborn DP IPs!

Post by kcartwright856 »

All is going well with my Pimafix/Melafix treatment after I lost one of my DPs so suddenly, but I have another concern.

The rest of my girlies have developed these gorgeous round tummies in the nearly two weeks since I've had them and treated for IPs, but the nasties inside of one of my girls just won't surrender! Her belly isn't very pinched. It's only slight, but it never gets full. Her feces appears intermittently normal. One bowel movement will be skinny, but a healthy brown, but then the next will be the white, wispy and clumpy IP feces.

I've been feeding her both bloodworms and blackworms soaked overnight in one cup of tank water, one teaspoon of crushed garlic (and the garlic juice that it is packed in), and 1/4 of a Jungle parasite fizz tablet per "batch". I don't think it's a matter of the medicine not getting into her. She acts normally. She's curious and she hunts the worms down that I offer to her in the feeding tongs. I can't say that I've ever seen her eat an entire one, but she picks at them and does seem to get a bit of the meat in her. She'll often leave most of the bloodworm casing, but I know that's not out of the ordinary.

Should I try using more of the tablet per cup of water to perhaps make the worms more concentrated? I want to see her kick these IPs to the curb and have a cute, healthy tummy like her sisters.

Any thoughts appreciated.
-KC

My DP tank journal: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=29746
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Re: Stubborn DP IPs!

Post by Pufferpunk »

Are you sure the others aren't just getting all the food before her?
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

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Re: Stubborn DP IPs!

Post by bertie 83 »

+1 I always found it difficult to feed multiple dps without the aggressors getting most the food. I used to put one in a breeder box to be fed separately.
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
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Re: Stubborn DP IPs!

Post by kcartwright856 »

Yes, I'm certain. I have her in a breeder box so that I can feed her separately and make sure that her feces is contained.

I should have specified that! I separated her... 5 days ago, I believe. My tank log is downstairs but I'm pretty sure that's correct. I'll check tomorrow. 5 days of individual treatment surely should have least gotten rid of the pinch if not round her belly a bit, not? Should I be worried?

As I said, she doesn't behave abnormally (side from not being a pig), but I'm certain that she is indeed still infected. I want her to get the nutrition she needs.

What should be my next step?
Last edited by kcartwright856 on Fri Apr 27, 2012 4:27 am, edited 1 time in total.
-KC

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Re: Stubborn DP IPs!

Post by bertie 83 »

Keep feeding medicated food if you believe ip's are still present, make sure they all get medicated food tho
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
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Re: Stubborn DP IPs!

Post by kcartwright856 »

100% medicated food, yes. I wonder if there is a way to get her to eat more. Maybe I could try other frozen foods that I've been meaning to get as treats to mix up the fish menu every now and again. Or, since my girls really love snails (duh), I was wondering about crushing a few to marinate in the medicine and see if she'd be more interested in that.

Any thoughts about 1/4 tab per cup of water? Can/should it be more concentrated to half of a tab, since she eats so peckishly? I'm just so worried about getting enough medicine in her tummy.

I'm a paranoid mother. God help me.
-KC

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Re: Stubborn DP IPs!

Post by bertie 83 »

Multiple daily feedings, as often as she will eat, I think 1/2 tab per cup would be fine, but please wait for someone more in the know to confirm.
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
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Re: Stubborn DP IPs!

Post by kcartwright856 »

Aye, aye! I'll prepare tomorrow's batch with 1/4 tab until the jury is in.

Thanks, Bert.
-KC

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Re: Stubborn DP IPs!

Post by bertie 83 »

No worries. Pp should be about within the next hour or two if you can hold for a little while
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
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Re: Stubborn DP IPs!

Post by kcartwright856 »

I might be leaving shortly to go visit my folks for the weekend, but I'll magnet a baggie with the other 1/4 tablet to the fridge so that the husband can drop it in the marinade if it's a go.

I have handy written instructions in the drawer of the tank stand, should I perish or fall into a coma and be unable to care for the fish. I told you I'm paranoid.

I also gave live demonstrations to my entire extended family.

I remember once, I was in the hospital, and all I was worried about was someone going to make sure that my rats got their veggies.
-KC

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Re: Stubborn DP IPs!

Post by kcartwright856 »

My husband is in charge of the tank this weekend and is doing wonderfully with the directions I left him with!

Still wondering if anyone else has thoughts on the 1/2 tab per cup of water dosage, up from 1/4 tab. She doesn't seem to be eating a whole lot, so I'd love to get more medicine in her if it would help.
-KC

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Re: Stubborn DP IPs!

Post by puffykid »

I could be mistaken but I don't believe adding in the extra 1/4 will help speed up the ip removal because your adding in quantity and not increasing the concentration. Once the food soaks in a certain amount of medicine it won't absorb anymore, you can try and add garlic guard to try and get the individual to eat more, or try starving for a few days.

ps could be wrong.
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Re: Stubborn DP IPs!

Post by bertie 83 »

I think you are right but wrong at the same time if that makes sense lol. The food will only hold so much water, however the concentration of meds in the water would obviously differ.
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
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Re: Stubborn DP IPs!y

Post by kcartwright856 »

My husband just called to check in and said that she isn't eating anything. I asked if he was sure, and he said that she hasn't even been touching the worms. I'm headed back home in the next hour or so and see for myself. Hopefully she hasn't gotten any skinnier or been acting odd.

I wonder if I need to use more garlic to cover the medication taste, or if finding a yummier food would help. I'll make a few calls to see if any shops on my way home have some treats.
-KC

My DP tank journal: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=29746
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bertie 83
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Harlequins, CAE's, Yoyo
Loaches, Clown loaches ,Eels, various shrimp, tangs,wrasses, damsels, chromis
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Location: brighton , england

Re: Stubborn DP IPs!

Post by bertie 83 »

More garlic will help. Fresh garlic is best
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
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