# Help for internal parasites!



## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

My oldest boy Azure has over the span of the last year lost a lot of weight but he was acting alright so somehow (like an idiot) I didn't pay much attention to it. After being on the forum, I started realising it may be parasites and today, it was proved. He has a white wormy thing coming out of his anus. This would be an internal parasite right? 
I'm starting on the 100% water changes and epsom salt+ IAL tomorrow. I also want to medicate but I'm not sure what to use. The brands of medications mentioned in the diseases and treatments page are not available to me, although the actual meds may be. PP would be available to me. Should I treat with that? If so, what should the dosage be? 
Thanks guys!




> Housing
> What size is your tank? 2 gallons
> What temperature is your tank? 26-28 C
> Does your tank have a filter? No
> ...


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## flowerslegacy (May 10, 2011)

Hi Fightergirl,
I had this issue when I brought home my new VT and Darkmoon really helped me out. Tetra's Parasite Clear was reccommended. I would totally trust Darkmoon's direction too. I certainly do not know much about diseases, outside of ich. For my personal issue, I used API's General Cure, and it worked for me. However, the Tetra product is really more specific for your issue. Darkmoon stated that Tetra had purchased Jungle because originally I had looked for Jungle's Parasite Clear. You could also PM Darkmoon, but I'm sure you'll get lots of hits to help you out. I hope Azure is feeling better soon!


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Thanks, flowerslegacy! My problem though, is that these medicines aren't available to me . They aren't sold where I live, that's why I need a generic name and a dosage...
Hopefully, I can get the dosage for the potassium permangnate, it's the most widely available treatment in the list for me .


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## flowerslegacy (May 10, 2011)

Sorry Fightergirl - I didn't see that you were out of country! I've only had one medical emergency so far and Sakura and Darkmoon responded right away. I'm sure you'll get some hits on this issue! Sorry I couldn't help more!


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

That's alright! Your support helps too ! I'm sure I'll get a few hits... Many helpful people out there ;-)


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I'm just bumping this before I go to bed!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

The medicines in the Jungle Labs Anti-Parasite Medicated Pellets that DarkMoon recommends are metronidazole, raziquantel, and levamisole. I don't know if you can get those, though. Proziquantel helps too, I think. Can you get daphnia? It's good for purging unwanted things.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Yes, I have daphnia, I still have the metro but not the other 2... Gah, so confused...


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Try the daphnia and the metro, then. I don't think epsom salt will work all by itself.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Yeah, I read in a lot of places online that the levimasole is good... What do you think? Should I panic now and PM Darkmoon or wait? D:


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Considering Azure's age, panic now. Besides, you'll feel better panicking. At least, I do. Then I feel like I'm doing something constructive.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Yeah, true.. Ok, I'm panicking and it feels good XD I'll PM Darkmoon when I get back from class. Ofl gave me a natural remedy, I was thinking I'd try it...


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Yeah, it can't be any worse than doing nothing.


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## flowerslegacy (May 10, 2011)

Fightergirl, I used the metro and it worked for me!


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Ok, I have the metro I think I'll start using it then.. Did your guy have intestinal parasites as well?


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## flowerslegacy (May 10, 2011)

Yes, I had internal parasites. I found a marine veterinarian site in regards to different meds based on the diseases and they stated metro as one drug for internal parasites. I started talking with Darkmoon after I had already dosed and she was good with it. Although she did say for me to try the Tetra Parasite Clear if it didn't work (sorry, I don't know the drugs in the Parasite Clear!) Although I believe the drugs that Sakura listed for you above are the other one's you can use. My issue was that my fish wasn't eating, so I didn't have the luxury of getting those drugs internally into my fish. However, the metro worked as a bath treatment!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Praziqutanel, metronidazole, and acriflavine are the active ingredients in Parasite Clear. Although when I searched petsmart.com it said the product was no longer available. But I think it's just not available through petsmart.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

That's amazing! I didn't think metro worked as a bath but my boy is eating so I've sacrificed the live worms into the metro (they promptly die in there...) The mix is soaking in the fridge right now, will be ready in 5 hours... I thought I'll just go with the meds, I don't want to mess around with 2 things and have none of them work :/...


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Yeah, that's a good idea. Plus he gets worms. He'll like that. It's like getting ice cream for a sore throat.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Yeah, I hope he can find them before the metro dissolves in the water.. He's getting good at finding his food though, I'm training him to find his food in a small container


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

The smaller the easier. Unless they're psycho like Anderson who looks everywhere but where the food is. He's not blind or anything. Just kinda . . . dumb. :lol:


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

No, Azure's pretty smart, just the old age is blinding him, ppor guy.. He sounds like a reject betta... Or a Stephen hawking of bettas actually.. Smart but no fins and blind... He knows where the ripples in the water are (from the spoon), that's where the food is. He swims into the cup on his own too, he's practically waiting for it to scoop him up XD


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

What a good, cooperative guy. Anderson swims into the cup on his own too but I think because he doesn't even realize it's there. Poor Anderson, he's definitely not as bright as his namesake. My girls have to be chased all over the place before I can cup them.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

My girls are too fast for me XD They get in the cup and zip right out! So annoying!! Lol, I love silly bettas, I think Tranny is one of them.. e flares at the feeding spoon hehehe... Azure knows when it's time for the cup. I tap on the glass once and he'll come out to the middle and top of the bowl from where he is and wait for the cup. Then I fill some water in the cup and he just swims in! He makes me so proud! *sniff*


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

And who says you can't train bettas and that fish are stupid?  Go Azure! I have to trap my girls in the cup up against the side of the glass and wait for them to swim to the back of the cup so I can tilt it upright. When I feed pellets I have to take Wanda out and give her special small pellets. Fortunately at feeding time it's easy to catch her because they're all right there, hopping over each other.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

That's true, feeding time has them engrossed.. Sometimes i use a transparent cup and wait patiently, that works too lol! They swim in unknowingly.. Tranny just flares at the cup and shows off so he's pretty easy to catch XD...
Yeah, they should have him as a subject to prove fish can be smart!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I can picture Tranny flaring away.  Sherman is ridiculously easy to catch because he can't swim with that big tail of his. But as hard the girls are to catch, the cories were harder. They're on the bottom so I have to dip the cup all the way down and chase them to the top. I hate to use a net though becaue the cories have spines that can catch on a net and harm them.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Hehehe I can imagine Sherman swimming away slowly thinking yes! I'm getting away!! And gets scooped up! The new guy has a pretty heavy tail too, I hope he doesn't nom at it D:


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I almost wish Sherm would nom part of his tail off. Seriously, it's like a 4 foot tall woman with Dolly Parton boobs. Can I say boobs here? Ooops, did anyway, huh.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Lol! Now I'm imagining a betta with boobs... I don't know why XD 
I've given Azure 2 doses so far and I think it's really helping him... For one thing he's making bubbles! He hasn't done that for months and months! I was wondering how I would know that the parasites are gone completely? So that know whether I should repeat the medication or not...


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

After you finish the treatment, it may take a week or more, I think. The key will be if Azure puts on weight when you feed him. If he still has parasites, they'll still be eating the food you feed him so he'll still be skinny. 

Betta with boobs. Hehehe.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Hmm so if in a week or so he puts on weight, I'll know right?


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Yeah, a week or maybe two. Also if you don't see any more parasites in his poo or hanging around . . . down there.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

*Update*

Metro is ah-mazing! Azureis more active than I've ever seen him be, he's making bubbles and I think he can see again! He caught the worms so fast today! 
Is this possible? That these parasites affected his eyes? And now its getting better??


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## DarkMoon17 (Apr 16, 2011)

I'm so glad he is doing better! You did the right thing, Metro is the #1 treatment for internal parasites  Typically, you continue Metro treatments for 14 days. After that, if you still see worms or if he doesn't put any weight on then you can repeat but give home a week between to rest. 

Since Metro also happens to be affective against bacterial infections it is possible that his sight issues were bacterial related and the Metro is helping fight off that infection. Internal parasites can also result in general illness so his sight issues could have been due to them. Who knows!


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Thanks Darkmoon! I give him 2 doses a day, 12 hours apart, so should I still be continuing it for 14 days? His eyesight is still not great but now he "looks around" and checks thing out if they move and stuff, he wouldn't do that before, he wouldn't even realise my finger was in front of his face! I hope his eyesight comes back completely! That would be awesome  
I had actually looked up the directions you had given me for metro when Cleo had dropsy. It's sad it didn't work for her, I should have started it instead of Terramycin in the first place .


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## DarkMoon17 (Apr 16, 2011)

Yep, make sure you do the whole 14 days. It would be really great if his eye sight returned, even just a bit! 

You really did everything you could for Cleo, it's really difficult to treat fish when you don't have fish meds!


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

OK, Darkmoon, I guess I'll have to ask the g-ma for more metro, don't think I have enough for 14 days right now . Thanks a ton! 
That's the stupidest thing about the lfs' here, they sell the fish but not the meds..  At least I've got you to tell me the meds, otherwise I'd be lost!


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## DarkMoon17 (Apr 16, 2011)

No problem at all, I hope he recovers quickly! 
I noticed the same problem in Ireland, the pet stores only sell pets, no meds :/


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Yeah, it sucks... The concept of disposable pets. -___-
I don't know what people with those huge expensive fish like Arowanas or Flowerhorns must do..


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Just an update!
5 days of dosing is done and he's never been this active, well not active exactly, his lack of finnage doesn't allow him much movement, but he's so responsive to me and his food now! He does a little jig when he sees me and his eyesight has improved greatly! His colour has brightened up to it's original royal blue/ purple too! He was blue grey for the longest time.. He hasn't put on any weight yet and he still has stringy long poo but then it's been only 5 days.. 
I hope he comes back to full health with the treatment! Thanks to all you guys, Sakura, flowerslegacy,Darkmoon! I'll keep giving you guys updates!

I feel like I gave an Oscar speech lol!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Yay! I'm so glad Azure is recovering! He's getting his second wind now, not bad for an old guy. :-D Let's hear it for metro, too, that stuff works. Go Azure!


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## DarkMoon17 (Apr 16, 2011)

That's great news! Keep it up both of you. Internal parasites can take some time to clear entirely but you'll get there.


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## flowerslegacy (May 10, 2011)

Woo! Hoo! What fabulous news! My little girl was so quiet and listless when I first brought her home with internal parasites. Now she almost jumps out of the tank! Thank you for the update Fightergirl - you made my day!


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I'm so happy you guys care so much for my little old guy! We both thank you


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Aww, you both are welcome. I'm just happy Azure's getting better.


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