Discus Hex Infection

[macman7010]

I got a tank raised Red Ica Discus not long ago and he never seemed to join in with the rest of the fish in the tank. He stayed back, didnt eat much, and recently turned a dark color. I put him in a 20 gallon tank and am treating him every other day with 250mg capsules of Metro.

It seems like he is dropping white stringy feces every day. Each time I look at him there is a line of them coming out. I know that is not uncommon for a hex infection although does it signify that the Metro is working and the parasite is being eradicated.

Also, I was planning on treating the Discus with a de-wormer after he is through with the Metro treatment since i assume if he has succome to Hex he has probably succome to worms.

 

[Apocalypse_Gold]

Jungle makes a medicated food for hex and intestinal worms. It wouldn't hurt to feed it to the others also.

 

[tiptoptank]

Change the 50% of the water and dose 500MG per 10 gallons. Wait 12 hours and Change 50% of the water and dose anouther 500mg per 10 gallons. Do this every 12 hours for 3 days. The fish should bounce back. If no then it might be tape worms but, the way you deiscribe him he must have hex.


Do you own just this one discus or many? You say he wouldn't swim with your other fish, I was just wondering weather or not these other fish are discus. Also how big is the discus. Whats the water parms.

If you just have this one discus I would highly suggest buying 4 more adult fish. Haveing just one discus in a community tank is just straight asking for troble. The fish is easyly stressed out and stress in the discus world leads the disease. Pm me whats going on with the fish and I will try anf help to the best of my knowledge

 

[macman7010]

tiptoptank,

No this Discus was in an 80 gallon tank with 8 other juveniles. The rest of the group have formed two small schools and this guy when added refused to join either. I normally give my fish some time when I add them to adjust but when he turned black and refused to eat I figured he had hex. I did a similar treatment to what you recommended. The metro treatment has ended and he is eating well again and has regained his old color. Right now I am treating with Praziqunetal just in case he had worms as well. Thanks.

 

[tiptoptank]

Make sure your temp is 90+deg when you metro or eles the treatment would be nullified. Metro is a human med designed to work at 98.6 deg. The prazi treatment might be alittle stressfull on the fish right after a metro treatment. PRazi isn't as kind to the fish as metro. Usually when I prazi my fish it puts them off there food for acouple days. this might give any remaining hex to reinfest your fish.


THis proceder has never gone wronge for me.

3 days of 500mg for 10g every 12h with 50% W/C's at 902 degrees

then keep temp up for a week straight.

then lower temp to 88 and add alot more air to the water via sponges.
I use prazipro and follow the direstions. The only thing is a dose alot more often. Then say to dose once a week. I dose every three days with 50% W/C for 2 weeks.


Finnaly I Potasium Permanganate dip the fish before they go back into the tank. I just add enough PP to 5 gallons of water untill the water is a darkish purple and let the fish stay in there for 10-20 mins. It kills there slime coat but also kills all the nastys on them.

 

[macman7010]

tiptop,

sounds like you know your stuff. I had my temp at 92 for the treatment since I had read like you must have that anything below 90 makes a metro treatment rather useless. I did a 100% water change yesterday then ran the filter with activated carbon and floss to remove any remaining meds. I have been feeding the Discus a mix of medicated flakes and New Life Thera A soaked in Freshwater Zoe, he is eating both.

This morning after the filter had run all night with carbon I removed the cartrdige and treated with the Prazi. Your treatment plan sounds more thorough than the one I used so I saved it to my HD and will use your suggestions the next time I get nailed with Hex. Also I used some Fluke Tabs on him, they do a similar thing with knocking off the slime coat and forcing the fish to regrow it. Thanks a lot

 

[tiptoptank]

fluke tabs are mainly formalin. This is a great med but really hard on the fish. I use it only on fish that can take it. I rarely use this med on weakened fish. Good luck with it though.

Really remeber to add alot more air to the water. The prazi does lower the o2 alot. Formalin lowers the 02 evern more. I use two sponge filter and a big air stone when I medicate. Also, if the fish looks like it's getting better then all of a sudden starts getting worse, skip a treatment but still do the W/C. sometime every three day treatment is alittle much for the fish.


What kind of prazi are you useing?

 

[macman7010]

prazi pro

 

[tiptoptank]

Prazi pro is werd.. 8) www.jehmco.com