What medication do I use?

[vitara1]

I need some helpful advice regarding what course of action I should take next with a couple of sick fish.

I have two Discus in a display tank that have gone dark and haven't eaten for about a week. One of them I have observed passing a stringy white poo.

All the other fish in the tank appear fine, are eating and one pair has even spawned 3 times in the past 3-4 weeks.

I treated the fish with Kusuri Wormer 7 days ago.

The 2 sick fish appear the same before and after treating with Kusuri.

It musn't be gill flukes or worms.

Not sure what to do next?

I've read on here about Big L and Metro etc. I don't just want to throw more chemicals in the tank.

Any advice would be appreciated.

[Mr Wild]

I need some helpful advice regarding what course of action I should take next with a couple of sick fish.

I have two Discus in a display tank that have gone dark and haven't eaten for about a week. One of them I have observed passing a stringy white poo. All the other fish in the tank appear fine, are eating and one pair has even spawned 3 times in the past 3-4 weeks. I treated the fish with Kusuri Wormer 7 days ago.
The 2 sick fish appear the same before and after treating with Kusuri.
It musn't be gill flukes or worms.
Not sure what to do next?
I've read on here about Big L and Metro etc. I don't just want to throw more chemicals in the tank.
Any advice would be appreciated.

Kusuri is a wormer so no need to use Big L.

I have two Discus in a display tank that have gone dark and haven't eaten for about a week. One of them I have observed passing a stringy white poo.



QT these 2 and treat with metro you need to get them eating again and pooping again.

research here on dosages if you are unsure.

[vitara1]

Thanks for the info.

I have a slight problem as I don't have a QT tank at the moment. I suppose it's not a good idea to treat the whole tank?

Where do you get metro from?

[Mr Wild]

Need to see a vet. What else do you have in the tank?

Or use a large food safe container with air and heater as you will be changing 50% water daily anyway.

[vitara1]

I've got some Tetras and peppermint bn's.

I think I might be able to get a 2 foot off my brother tomorrow. I'll just need to get a filter and heater.

I'll go through all the threads on here about Metro and come back to you if unsure.

Thanks alot for the advice.

[vitara1]

I have read some of the threads on here. Merrilyn has a 30% water change every 48 hours. You say 50% every day.

Do you mind posting your method on here or sending me a PM. Can you please include if any feeding during treatment.

Thanks again.

[Mr Wild]

Good, better to isolate and it also helps you as you as you can use less meds.

Most BN's are very sensitive so another good reason to QT and treat.

Metro dosage:

I dose at 10mg/litre once a day and I do not raise the temp at all, then before the next dose I change 30-50% of the water and redose and I do this for 10 days straight. You can try and feed them just a little I usually try before the water change so if they don't eat or poop the wc takes care of that before the new dose goes in.
Good aeration throughout the treatment and they should pull through fine.

HTH

Kath

[rex82]

What you are treating sounds like hex. We all have different ways of treating it but they all work along the same line. I raise temp to around 33-34 and feed blackworms soaked in metro and it clears it up easy. If the fish dont eat then you either need to force feed them or treat the water column. I find it easier to force feed them as it is quicker and uses alot less meds.

[vitara1]

Thanks guys.

So in order to get the vet to give me this medication, do I need to tell them my fish have Hex?

[Mr Wild]

HITH will do and perhaps print this out to see where you have got the advice from. Unless they are a fish vet they will have to double check but should sell it to you.

Treating food is excellent but you mentioned they were not eating so that makes treating the water column the way to go.

[Merrilyn]

The instructions I have put on the forum for treating Hole in the head have been checked by three vets, one of whom is a fish specialist. Please don't vary the treatment in any way.


"
This is the latest treatment for hole in the head, confirmed by two vets.

Once the fish has been treated with Metro, it's important to add green vegetable matter and vitamins to the diet to aid in the healing of the holes.

It can be transmitted to your other fish, possibly thru contaminated droppings, although little scientific work has been done in this area. It is believed that the pathogen responsible for Hole in the Head (also known by a variety of other names such as Hex, head and lateral line erosion and wasting disease) is Spironucleus Vortens.

An infected fish may show one or several of the following symptoms:-

Skin lesions around the head area.
Turning dark.
Refusing to eat.
White jelly like droppings.
Muscle wasting and pinched appearance above the eyes.

The best drug to use is Metronidazole (Flagyl) which you will need to get from your local vet. Ring first to see if he will prescribe it after seeing a photo of the fish, or if he insists on seeing the fish himself.

1. Move the fish to a clean hospital tank with some of the existing tank water. You'll need a heater and mature sponge filter.

2. Set the temperature to 30 degrees, no higher.


3. Add 250 mg Metro per 10 Litres of water. Crush tablets to fine powder and mix with water to form a paste before adding to the tank.

4. After 48 hours, do a 30% water change and repeat the dose. This should be done for a total of 3 treatments.

5. During treatment the tank lights should be left off. Metro is affected by light. And turn off your UV unit.

6. A variety of good quality, high protein food with added vitamins and minerals should be fed several times daily. Include prepared dry food, beef heart, brine shrimp, green vegetable matter and blood worms in the diet. Remove any uneaten food and keep the water very clean.

DO NOT USE LIQUID METRO. IT CONTAINS SUGAR WHICH WILL CAUSE A BACTERIAL BLOOM IN YOUR TANK AND SUFFOCATE YOUR FISH. ONLY USE METRO IN TABLET FORM. "

[BigDaddyAdo]

Does soaking Blackworms in meds actually work?

[lpiasente]

I have just gone through the same thing myself. If you read on the packet it says may need another treatment after 7 days. I did the 2 treatments and still the fish in question was passing the white poo. It didn't eat until last night either. Is it right to be dropping one treatment before it is complete and starting another???? Especially if you really are not sure what it is.
Wise words from a wise man on here :wink: .

[vitara1]

Ok I got the Metro in 200mg tablet strength.

Just to be sure with dosage. If it is 250mg per 10 litres, if I treat in a 40 litre tank do I use 5 tablets?

If so, when I do 30% wc after 48 hrs do I put in another five tablets or only 30% of 5 tablets?

[ILLUSN]

correct 5 tablets treat 40L.

after 48hrs do a 30% change and add 5 more tablets, 48 hrs later do another chnage and add another 5 tablets you need 15 tabs in total

[vitara1]

Thanks for the super quick reply.

Merrilyn says to feed several times daily but they have refused to eat for close to two weeks. How long into tratment should I try to feed?

Secondly I have got the tank, heater but have just purchased a new sponge filter. Is it a big problem if it isn't mature?

[ILLUSN]

huge problem, if it isnt mature the ammonia produced by the fish could kill them.

if you can fill the sponge filter pipe with mature media from another filter and use a rubberband and an old stocking to cover the hole.

off er feeds the morning before your water change that way any uneaten food will be removed with the water change and wont foul the water.

[vitara1]

I can take some of the noodles out of my eheim to put into the pipe.

Hopefully that works.

[vitara1]

What is an ideal size hospital tank to treat 2 or 3 medium size fish. Is a standard 2 foot enough?

[ILLUSN]

little small but should be ok

[vitara1]

I set up a hospital tank and dosed as recommended on Sunday night.

I did a 30% water change last night and re-dosed. I put a little food in yesterday afternoon. Still not eating.

When can I expect they might start eating?

[ILLUSN]

metro makes the water taste bad so i wouldnt be suprised if they didn't start eating till after you finish treatment.

[vitara1]

I have done as instructed on here.

I did the third dose of metro on Thursday evening. What now? Do I do another 30% water change tonight?

Do I rinse the sponge filter sponge now?

I'm not sure if the medication has worked. The fish haven't eaten. One fish has been staying near the surface since the last dose. The only thing that has changed is they are not as dark as they were before the treatment.

[vitara1]

Unfortunately the Metro didn't appear to work for me. One fish now dead.

The remaining fish is not dark in colour anymore however I haven't seen it eat.

After doing complete dose of metro over 6 days I have continued to do a water change of 30% every two days. Not sure what to do next?

[Merrilyn]

Sorry to hear that vitara, sometimes they don't make it, no matter how hard we try :cry:

I hope your other fish begins to eat soon. Just keep offering good food (live if you can manage it) and keep up with the water changes.