The Puffer Forum

As i take the necessary steps to prepare my tank in the next week or so for the arrival of the puffers, i have been doing a lot of reading. My largest concern is the puffers coming home with internal parasites.

Would it be destructive if i administered a dose of say the jungle parasite medication say the day or so after i bring the puffers home? You know, nip a potential problem in the bud. It seems like it is very common to have at least one fish in 3 come home with parasites. Although we all try to pick the healthiest puffs, the numbers are against us puffer lovers.

The only thing is, i don't really like the idea of medicating a new tank(i started fish less cycling today and when it is done i will hopefully have the tank setup and ready for the puffs).

Good idea or one of those ideas you pretend that never existed?

I've heard it said that no matter what the fish need to actually EAT the anti-parasite medication, not just swim in it... though I thought someone said that the stuff like Prazi-Pro (also an add-to-water treatment) should work on SW fish as they constantly 'drink' water... I don't know! Dinsdale in http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/vie ... php?t=5193 said that he had success with the much-cheaper Jungle Labs medication, again by soaking the food in the medication.

As far as treating for IPs as a precaution- sounds good to me. I would treat for IPs as part of the QT procedure I guess.

-Pyratt

I always do as part of the quarentine procedure, but I generally give the fish a week to settle in first. They've already had a bunch of stress, they don't need to add on dumping a load of dead parasites on top of that.

good deal. yea, i suppose a week or so and then medicate. Besides the jungle clear fizzy buddies or w/e its called, does anyone make med that you can soak the food in?(i know jungle also makes a IP medicated food, but we all know puffers generally will die before they eat a pellet.

I make my own food using Levimasole (livestock wormer) and Metronidozole (over the counter fish antibiotic) and water. Generally I fast the fish for a day or two, then soak either thawed frozen food (bloodworms usually) or New Life Spectrum pellets in the mixture.

Usually they are hungry enough to ignore the medication's taste.

Myaj wrote:I make my own food using Levimasole (livestock wormer) and Metronidozole (over the counter fish antibiotic) and water. Generally I fast the fish for a day or two, then soak either thawed frozen food (bloodworms usually) or New Life Spectrum pellets in the mixture.

Usually they are hungry enough to ignore the medication's taste.

With new fish that don't eat or need meds I've done the same but uses a pipette to give them a spiked slurry of shrimp puree, vitamin B12 and meds. This way they are treated and their appetites are stimulated. I have had problems with fasting and new fish. B12 is a sure fire way to get them to eat. Think I've done this to everything BUT puffers. Depending on the fish, I've had lots of success. Envenomated only once by a scorpion fish and almost broke a finger with a large Pbass but he needed it badly. All lived. All this over 30 + years in the hobby.


EDIT. The liquid to place in the tank doesn't work IMO. Feed it to them by injecting it down their gullet if you have to. Again, I've not done it with puffers but if it helps, I'm glad.

can one buy Levimasole in the US of A?

I was going to go with the gel-tek gel and soak my food in that. It has a nice little list of active ingredients

"Praziquantel 0.0057%
Flubenol 0.03%
Metronidazole 0.30%"

I also was going to go with either the gel-tek item or something else with praziquantel because all the FAQ's and etc say levimasole is inactive/useless in water with a ph over 7.0.

Levimasole is available at most livestock supply stores in the US. I order mine from http://www.valleyvet.com because I already order horse supplies from them. Its listed under Swine Dewormers.

I've never heard of the pH issues. I know my pH is well over that (usually 8.2 or so) and after feeding metronidazole/levimasole soaked foods, I've seen fish purge worms, though usually there is simply a growth spurt and they look a lot more healthy than they did prior to the dosage.

If you don't mind me asking, what percentages/amounts do you mix when making up a batch? I am debating on which is the most cost effective and most affective (pre)treatment options. Also, how many feedings have you done/normally do?

Myself, I use the little measuring scoop that comes in the Metronidazole. One scoop of the Metronidazole, one scoop of the Levimasole, mix in a bit of tank water, put some food in there and let it sit to soak it up. The Levamisole comes in a huge bottle, there's enough to last years in that thing...

Generally I only feed this once when I get new fish, maybe once or twice a year if I have any suspicions of parasites (fish looking thin, frantic for food), though that only happens if I don't quarentine something *sigh*.

thats the point i was trying to get at. I work in a pharmacy as a tech, and i know for a fact that medication expires...it doesn't go bad after the experation date, it merely is not tested by the company to still be effective(loses potentcy over time). I am only planning on purchasing 2 maybe 3 dwarf puffers right now and probably wont buy anymore fish for a while(if these guys make it). The link to the levimasole is to a rather large bottle which i'l probably end up throwing out. Not to mention that, according to the FAQ, the prefered drug is Praziquantel since it is apparently quite effective and without the drawbacks of levimasole. I don't know how vaild that opinon is, but considering how professional and intelligent this forum and members are, i'd like to think it is somewhat vaild.

The plus is i do like that the link you provided was to a powder form of levamisole, which i was always under the impression always came in a tablet form mixed with other chemicals.

I'd really like to keep this as inexpensive and effective as possibe, and in my dream world i'd like to think one of the prepared products such as gel-tek or one of the jungle products to be as effective, but after reading the lack of success by so many members, that levamisole may be the best route.

Yep, the stuff does expire, but its not very expensive, especially if you can split a bottle with a few friends, goodness knows there's plenty.

I know everyone used to use Praziquantel, but its getting harder and harder to find.

isn't PraziPro a liquid form of that medication? I know there are no dosing instructions for medicating food, but i am sure if you cut down the amount for say a bucket of water(a gallon) or less than that and soak the puffers food in it, it would go a long way, probably be effective, and costs much less (initial investment for me).

I dunno though. I just poked around some other forums, Levamisole is often recommended. Maybe i should just not question the system.