The Puffer Forum

I'm treating my smaller (1.25") GSP with Jungle Labs Parasite Guard (metronidazole and praziquantel). Yesterday was his second treatment. I noticed yesterday a while after the treatment that the lower half of his belly had turned grey, along with his sides, and he's got "bags" under his eyes. He's still that way this morning, and really not looking too good and I'm afraid because I don't want to lose him. The treatments say every 48 hours for a max of 3 treatments, with a water change of 25% before each treatment. What should I do? Change 50% of the water and not treat again? Or do nothing and keep my fingers crossed?

I just checked my water parameters and I could use to do a change because, with all the overfeeding the past few days in my attempts to get him to eat, nitrates are about 30 and nitrites are 3; pH is 8.0, don't have an ammonia reading, specific gravity 1.004...normally I would do a water change immediately with these readings, but dosing the tank has complicated things. No other fish in the tank, no recent changes other than the IP medicine. Tank has been up and running for 3 weeks, cycled using water and substrate from previous tank. Normally water changes are 50% per week, feeding is every day. Help!

Do not stop the treatment. It can cause the IP's to become immune. Do the water change and finish the IP treatment. I have read Nick has done up to 75% WC's during treatments for IP's. Here is the post he helped on concerning IP's: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=13646&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

Hope this helps.

I read that, thanks, and some other deworming threads.

I did a 60% water change and all the water parameters are more than acceptable now. To avoid diluting the dose of medicine that was already in the tank and letting the parasites get immune, I added the prescribed amount of Parasite Guard to the new water. It's been a couple of hours, and he is still gray on his sides and the lower half of his belly, and his face is still dark too. He is not listless, however, he's swimming around like normal.

Sounds good. He might be grumpy from the meds but the fact he is active is a good sign.

You really need to be treating his food with the IP meds. If he won't eat it, try also soaking in garlic.

Pufferpunk, I tried that, using garlic like you said, but he rejects everything I try to give him.

Something is making him uncomfortable enough not to eat. Check the parameters again, then do a 50% WC. Bring some water to your LFS to check too.

OK, will do. Thanks for your help, both you and StormySkiez!

aww, I didn't know he wasn't eating at all . I hope he feels better soon!

I went to the LFS and got the water tested: ammonia was .3 if I remember right, nitrates were 10 and nitrites were .5, pH 8. I did the 50% water change like Pufferpunk suggested. It doesn't look good - he's lying on the bottom and not moving, and he's very dark. The way he looks, I'll be surprised if he lasts out the day.

Any ammonia or nitrite is toxic to the fish. Was the water tested after the water change? Hopefully not. You may have to do larger daily WC's to get the parameters correct until the tank cycles. Are they in a 10g? Hopefully you have plans for the correct size tank soon.

Good news: he's up and swimming around, and his belly and sides have very little gray on them now, and his top color is good. He even stalked a ghost shrimp for a few minutes! The water changes did it, I'm sure, but it was scary going there for a few hours.

StormySkiez, those values were before the 50% water change, now they're all negligible after the change. I think all the pollutants came from giving him too much food when he first lost his appetite, trying to get him to eat, but I vacuumed the tank good yesterday so that'll hopefully help. And the tank should've been pretty well cycled, it's been up and running for a few weeks and I used all the substrate from his previous 10 gallon, along with all its water, when I first set it up. I don't know, maybe that wasn't enough.

This little fish is in a 20 long, all by himself. My larger GSP is in a 55, all by herself. When the little one reaches 2" or so, I'll buy him a 55 too, and I guess we'll just go from there.

Thanks for all your help!

If a water change perked him up, then he is feeling poorly due to water quality issues. Do another WC & do one daily for the next 3 days. I bet that'll help. Always clean up any uneaten food.

Will do, thanks!

marksrush wrote:Good news: he's up and swimming around, and his belly and sides have very little gray on them now, and his top color is good. He even stalked a ghost shrimp for a few minutes! The water changes did it, I'm sure, but it was scary going there for a few hours.....

.....This little fish is in a 20 long, all by himself. My larger GSP is in a 55, all by herself. When the little one reaches 2" or so, I'll buy him a 55 too, and I guess we'll just go from there.

Thanks for all your help!

Good to hear! I'm glad he is feeling better .