Proteus
Thu Aug 12, 2004, 10:02 PM
courtesy of Allan Clarke and the Australian Discus Association & Robin and Ron Futtrell
(as seen in the DISCUSsions June/July Newsletter)
You will be using a total of 1/8 tsp. of Panacur (Fenbendazole) per 3oz
(84g) total food (beefheart works best) in a 4-dose treatment. Mixing it
with food is the most effective way to use this drug, as it does not dissolve
well in water.
• Begin by starving fish for 12 hours before feeding so they’ll be good
and hungry and won’t turn their noses up at the treated food.
• Take 1/8 tsp. Panacur granules and grind into a fine powder – we
use a pharmacist’s mortar.
• Divide the ground powder into four doses and put ½ (two doses)
back for later use.
• Take ¼ of the 3oz beefheart (21g), flatten out and sprinkle one dose
of Panacur over the top (imagine you’re heavily salting food), fold
the beefheart over, then soak the mixture in the fridge for about an
hour before feeding it to the fish.
• Do this again 8-12hrs later. Wait 6-8 days (depending on the life cycle
of the worm you are treating for) and repeat this procedure. Feed
your fish normally during this “wait period” and do not pre-mix
the treated food, as the drug will lose its potency (as most all
drugs do).
We find it best to not feed the fish their night-time meal, mix one dose
early in the morning, feed it to them, then don’t feed them again until
their second dose is due (8-12hrs later). We usually wait until the 8th
day to give them their third and fourth doses.
Bloodworms can be used instead of beefheart by soaking frozen worms
inside a small bowl of tank water for approximately 1hr. Soak in same
dosage as with beefheart. Live worms are only recommended for use if
your fish will not eat anything else. At same dosage, soak worms until
first few begin to slow down and die. Feed immediately. If your fish
aren’t eating, please request specific instructions for use in water.
If the fish have any kind of lump in the stomach, they’ve not been passing
their feces at a normal rate. If they’ve had worms in excess of 3
months or if you suspect the fish are infested with worms, we suggest
you clean them out before treatment, 24-48hrs after the second treatment,
then again 48hrs after the fourth treatment. Be sure to keep a
check on how well they pass the worms, dead or otherwise. They may
require a fourth cleaning out if they’re having a hard time passing their
feces or if they’re passing it at a rate YOU don’t fell like is normal for
them. You’re the only one who can make that decision since you’re the
only one who sees them on a daily basis. Clean them out using Epsom
salt inside their food as we’ve found it’s most effective when put directly
inside their gut (remember, that’s where the worms are so it only makes
sense that it would be most effective when used this way). Normal dosage
for cleaning out a fish is 1/8 tsp. Epsom salt per 4oz (112g) of
beefheart. This dosage changes if you have to clean them out throughout
the de-worming process so if this applies to you, we ask that you
contact us for proper dosage, as it will be based on your individual case.
Any of the special circumstances mentioned above, or if the fish aren’t
passing their feces normally the morning after the second dose was
administered, you will need a change in the Epsom salt dosage.
May I suggest the above directions be read carefully and understood
before beginning treatment. It’s almost impossible to overdose with the
Panacur (and Epsom salt for that matter), however, getting too much in
their stomachs at once could cause the fish to get a bellyache for a few
days. When used as directed here it will only make them feel great
again (provided you’re treating for the right kind of worm). Also please
remember – a discus fish has an incredible immune system. It’s only
when they are under some kind of stress that the immune system
breaks down and allows worms to take over. So if your fish have worms
and you can’t think of any logical reason why they would have them
(shipping stress, getting bullied all the time, malnutrition, etc.), look to
your water conditions for the cause. Pinpointing the actual cause is the
only way to make sure your discus fish stays healthy after treating for
the result of the immune system breakdown.
(many thanks to Allan Clarke for allowing DiscusForums.com to reproduce this article and share it amongst fellow hobbyists)
(used with permission, original article provided by Robin and Ron Futtrell)
(as seen in the DISCUSsions June/July Newsletter)
You will be using a total of 1/8 tsp. of Panacur (Fenbendazole) per 3oz
(84g) total food (beefheart works best) in a 4-dose treatment. Mixing it
with food is the most effective way to use this drug, as it does not dissolve
well in water.
• Begin by starving fish for 12 hours before feeding so they’ll be good
and hungry and won’t turn their noses up at the treated food.
• Take 1/8 tsp. Panacur granules and grind into a fine powder – we
use a pharmacist’s mortar.
• Divide the ground powder into four doses and put ½ (two doses)
back for later use.
• Take ¼ of the 3oz beefheart (21g), flatten out and sprinkle one dose
of Panacur over the top (imagine you’re heavily salting food), fold
the beefheart over, then soak the mixture in the fridge for about an
hour before feeding it to the fish.
• Do this again 8-12hrs later. Wait 6-8 days (depending on the life cycle
of the worm you are treating for) and repeat this procedure. Feed
your fish normally during this “wait period” and do not pre-mix
the treated food, as the drug will lose its potency (as most all
drugs do).
We find it best to not feed the fish their night-time meal, mix one dose
early in the morning, feed it to them, then don’t feed them again until
their second dose is due (8-12hrs later). We usually wait until the 8th
day to give them their third and fourth doses.
Bloodworms can be used instead of beefheart by soaking frozen worms
inside a small bowl of tank water for approximately 1hr. Soak in same
dosage as with beefheart. Live worms are only recommended for use if
your fish will not eat anything else. At same dosage, soak worms until
first few begin to slow down and die. Feed immediately. If your fish
aren’t eating, please request specific instructions for use in water.
If the fish have any kind of lump in the stomach, they’ve not been passing
their feces at a normal rate. If they’ve had worms in excess of 3
months or if you suspect the fish are infested with worms, we suggest
you clean them out before treatment, 24-48hrs after the second treatment,
then again 48hrs after the fourth treatment. Be sure to keep a
check on how well they pass the worms, dead or otherwise. They may
require a fourth cleaning out if they’re having a hard time passing their
feces or if they’re passing it at a rate YOU don’t fell like is normal for
them. You’re the only one who can make that decision since you’re the
only one who sees them on a daily basis. Clean them out using Epsom
salt inside their food as we’ve found it’s most effective when put directly
inside their gut (remember, that’s where the worms are so it only makes
sense that it would be most effective when used this way). Normal dosage
for cleaning out a fish is 1/8 tsp. Epsom salt per 4oz (112g) of
beefheart. This dosage changes if you have to clean them out throughout
the de-worming process so if this applies to you, we ask that you
contact us for proper dosage, as it will be based on your individual case.
Any of the special circumstances mentioned above, or if the fish aren’t
passing their feces normally the morning after the second dose was
administered, you will need a change in the Epsom salt dosage.
May I suggest the above directions be read carefully and understood
before beginning treatment. It’s almost impossible to overdose with the
Panacur (and Epsom salt for that matter), however, getting too much in
their stomachs at once could cause the fish to get a bellyache for a few
days. When used as directed here it will only make them feel great
again (provided you’re treating for the right kind of worm). Also please
remember – a discus fish has an incredible immune system. It’s only
when they are under some kind of stress that the immune system
breaks down and allows worms to take over. So if your fish have worms
and you can’t think of any logical reason why they would have them
(shipping stress, getting bullied all the time, malnutrition, etc.), look to
your water conditions for the cause. Pinpointing the actual cause is the
only way to make sure your discus fish stays healthy after treating for
the result of the immune system breakdown.
(many thanks to Allan Clarke for allowing DiscusForums.com to reproduce this article and share it amongst fellow hobbyists)
(used with permission, original article provided by Robin and Ron Futtrell)