Burrfish update and really need advice!

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

I am still trying to figure out if she has internal parasites. I had thought she had ich but it turned out to be bubbles stuck on her from the airstone in her QT. I had just started hypo (only got to 1.022) but stopped when I realized it was not ich. So she has not had a spot of ich for two weeks now, which is great news.

But the IP is confusing me. I couldn't tell if she had them or not. She ate well, was very active, colorful, breathing well, feces were normal, just no signs of IP except she was not really putting on weight. She did put on a little weight during the first week and a half but I felt it was not much and decided to start treating with Prazi-pro 2 days ago. I did a huge water change and dosed the exact amount. She did not eat the first night. She did not eat the next day. She still has not eaten and its been 2 1/2 days. Since starting the treatment she swims frantically most of the time, looks skinnier than ever and is very, very dark colored. He breathing is terrible at times. I am monitoring nitrates and they are quite low. Im using an ammonia remover to make sure they stay at 0.

I am having a very hard time watching her like this. She was doing so well in QT without the prazi, which is suppose to be so easy on the fish! She is EXTREMELY stressed.

Any ideas????

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Im really not convinced she has IP either. I think she is just very under weight. How long would it typically take for a fish like this to put weight back on? I kow Burrfish usually have smallish bellies anyways, unlike other species of puffers.

Im worried Im putting her through stress for no reason.

I really want to get her in the display tank soon but I don't want to expose my other puffer to anything bad. How are IP picked up? Is it something the other puffer could get easily if she did infact have them?

[justinl]

can't offer much real help, but I can say that internal parasites are very very diverse and have a lot of modes of spreading themselves. I would keep it in quarantine not put it in with your other fish.

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Yeah thats what Im thinking...I just feel like I may loose her if I keep her in the QT too long. She is really not looking very good. Not to mention she is really withering away since she stopped eating :(

Maybe its just a coincidence but she stopped the moment the prazi was dosed in her QT.

[fatpuffer]

Can you get a hold of levamisole hcl instead? I have great results from food soaked in levamisole instead of treating the tank. However, it is only good if the fish is still eating. I have force fed a takifugu oblongus with pureed shrimp using a 10 ml syringe. It was time consuming but it worked.

Jonah

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Can you get a hold of levamisole hcl instead? I have great results from food soaked in levamisole instead of treating the tank. However, it is only good if the fish is still eating. I have force fed a takifugu oblongus with pureed shrimp using a 10 ml syringe. It was time consuming but it worked.

Jonah

I have not tried to get levamisole but I have been told it works great. Where would I go for something like this?

She is not eating anymore but I hope that she will again after treatment. She still bites at any food I put in the tank but she spits it right back out. So she is hungry and interested but I have no idea why she is not eating anymore. All I can think if is the prazi. Thats all that changed.

[fatpuffer]

I got levamisole from a member in bcaquaria (mykiss). However, maybe you can go to your vet or any cattle farmer. They usually have leva hcl. as dewormer.

Js