Should I treat WC fish for parasites?

[Lana Bollers]

Seachem ParaGuard is an excellent product, but IME (and according to Seachem) it will not be effective on internal parasites/pathogens, which is why I use Jungle Tank Buddies Parasite Clear in my qt tank. (it kills both internal & external nasties)

Feeding NLS TherA is optional.

Where do you buy the Jungle Tank Buddies Parasite Clear from?

Lana

[RD.]

I buy them in Red Deer, but that probably won't help you much.

Check with your LFS, I believe that both WalMart & PetSmart sell them as well.

2 treatments over 4 days will take care of the vast majority of internal & external parasites.

[Moutain Dew]

I buy them in Red Deer, but that probably won't help you much.

Check with your LFS, I believe that both WalMart & PetSmart sell them as well.

2 treatments over 4 days will take care of the vast majority of internal & external parasites.

is this a liquid ?

[firestorm]

I think you can get liquid form, not 100% sure. But I have bought the parasite clear food before....seems none of my fish liked it though. I would expect almost any type of parasite medication will work. API makes anti parasite meds which come in powder form. Someone once told me it is basically useless to quarantine if not treating them with anything. Aquarium or epson salts in the tank will also be good, since they can carry more than internal parasites.

[JORG]

Well I'm not going to agree with RD on this one. In my opinion and experience Clout is the way to go. It's the only medication I keep on hand if it can't fix your african cichlid problem--- flush them, I know it sounds crude but that has been my experience. As for it knocking down your biological filtration it may but I've never noticed it and I've used it when necessary for over 20 years. There may be new meds out there that I'm unfamiliar with but clout has always done the job for me, be it parasites,bloat ,or fish not eating --- I recommend it when quarantining new fish---as a side note in my opinion the biggest cause of bloat is over feeding your new arrivals give them slim pickings the first week.

[RD.]

According to the fish that I've seen being fed, their medicated food tastes like crap. lol

Here's a link to Jungle Parasite Clear, it comes in tabs that dissolve in the water, not liquid.

http://www.junglelabs.com/pages/details.asp?item=TB636

I've tried plenty of meds over the years, and IMO this is one of the best broad spectrum anti-parasite meds on the market.

[RD.]

Clout works, no question about that, but IME in most cases it isn't necessary to subject your fish to a med this harsh.

There are safer, less harsh meds currently on the market that are just as effective. JMO

I've seen african cichlids that I would have bet money on not making it 48 hrs, come back to 100% health with 2 doses of Jungle Parasite Clear.

[JORG]

No doubt as I said I'm not familiar with other meds I just never found clout to be very hard on fish and it does the job. I always wonder but I've never said anything, but why do people (on other forums) mix their food with clout, as the first sign of trouble is usually the fish stops eating---baffles me

[patrick]

I always keep a good supply of clout in the cabinet. There is no doubt that it is very effective. It is my belief however that the main reason newly arrived fish become sick is because they are stressed from the shipping, with a weekend immune system, not because they were sick when they left the breeder.

Clout does stress the fish quite a bit, so I prefer something milder. After all the fish may not even become sick, and it's a preventative we are talking about, so why bring out the big cannon (clout) right away?

Pimafix and Melafix are also great products that does not stress the fish.

For fish with serious issues I use clout, and 9 times out of 10 it have worked, but sometimes lead to secondary milder diseases such as fungus and finrot.

Clout does works great mixed with food, and this way the filter bakteria is not affected either. I have even mixed clout with metronidazole in the food with no noticable side effects.

[patrick]

According to the fish that I've seen being fed, their medicated food tastes like crap. lol

Here's a link to Jungle Parasite Clear, it comes in tabs that dissolve in the water, not liquid.

http://www.junglelabs.com/pages/details.asp?item=TB636

I've tried plenty of meds over the years, and IMO this is one of the best broad spectrum anti-parasite meds on the market.

I have never tried Jungle Parasite Clear but I will definately give it a shot the next time I need to fill up my supplies.

Edited October 2, 2008 by patrick

[JORG]

I guess I'm lost where the fish are eating as I would never use clout if the fish were eating. As I said it's the only med I use and in quarantine they get next to no food, when the fish comes splashing begging for food I know it is ready for a new home---thanks for the info Patrick---I guess I just never considered clout a big cannon. I remember a good friend in the mid eighties who would put in a tab of clout in with his tropheus at every feeding (not what I would recommend ) and I remember them chewing and playing with the tabs and he was breeding them and having good success with them--again I wouldn't do it but he did and it didn't seem to effect his filters any--

[firestorm]

I have used clout before as well, but as a last resort. I also have heard that it is a really strong medication, so I don't know if I would use it other than a last resort like I have. Foods that come medicated are just crap, they don't work IMO because none of the fish I have ever fed with them liked it, and wouldn't eat it, so to me why even bother trying it anymore. I have seen the jungle parasite clear tablets at petsmart.

[patrick]

I have used clout mixed with the food in cases were some fish did not eat and some did, to prevent it from spreading. I have also had a couple of cases where the fish would spit most of the food but still ate his favourite food. For example I had a fish that promptly would spit everything out except for krill. I soaked the krill with clout and garlic guard (the fish does not like the clout flavor). This particular fish was in very bad condition but recovered after about a week of treatment. I have also had a group of Cyprichromis leptosoma that contracted a condition that is commonly referred to as "wasting". Not all fish would spit so the treatment worked on the ones still eating. Unfortuntely I did not start this treatment until the end so I lost most of the fish.

I have noticed that when I dose my 20gallon hospital tank with clout most of the fish I have treated looked stressed immediately after, and a few hours into the treatment. I appears to me that different species, and different size fish, do not all react the same way. Also, I am sure that the water chemistry play a role here as well.

Edited October 2, 2008 by patrick

[bottomdweller_fan]

Where can you buy Clout?

[patrick]

Where can you buy Clout?

You can get it at Big Al's. They don't have it out in the store, you have to ask for it at the front desk.