~they are turning dark and the white poo is back

[rupes88]

I could cry ~~ it has been two weeks since I ran a 3 day metro course to try and clear up the Hex. It did the trick for the first week and all but one picked up by 90%. Then into the second week they all started getting darker and hiding more. Yesterday I saw the distinct long white mucus poos coming out of two of them and all of them were starting to hiding all the time and look dark miserable again. I think they never got completely cured, is this a common thing to happen ?

I'm doing 30% w/c every two days...my params are:

6.8 ph
0 am and nitrite
10 nitrate
30 degrees

I have also added a small bag of peat to my filter. If it is not Hex I cant think what could be wrong with my water to make them sick. All my Rams and Cardinals have shining colours and are really healthy looking.

At this stage I'll leave it for a day and just watch them, then if there is no improvement Im off to get some Metro. Sorry to bother you all again but do you have any advice for me re administering a second round of metro ? Should I up the dose or run the regular 3 day every 12hr course again ?

I was going to try and give it to them in their food. Anyway other ideas would be great.

thanks so much ~rupes

PS: is it me or am I just unlucky ?

:cry

[Merrilyn]

Rupes, hex can be really difficult to cure, and whilst a three day treatment will fix most cases, some will need to be treated for 5 days, and in really resistant cases, up to 10 days.

If the fish are eating, add the metro to a dry food, like tetra bits or breeders premium. Soak some in a solution of metro and water for about ten minutes, before feeding, and add the rest of the metro medication to the water. That way you are attacking the problem on two fronts, some medication going straight into the gut, where it will do the most good, and some going into the water, as a medicated bath.

I know how you feel, but you aren't doing anything wrong. This is sometimes just a very difficult disease to cure.

[rupes88]

Thanks for the vote of confidence LR - I think Ill go for the food and 5 day Metro approach.

With the twice a day metro routine and carrying all these 20l buckets its a great work out and cheaper than the gym ~~ here we go again

[Del]

Hey Rupes

Come on - they are fighters - you are too... work with them and they will have a good shot... & take it slow...

With your waterchanges, make sure the water you are putting in is the same temperature as the water in your tank, if you can (as in our PMs) boil some of the water on the stove (to get it to the same temperature) then add it to your aged water to get the right temperature - rather than shock them with water of a different temperature.