Tapeworms!

[LizStreithorst]

Last week I saw tape a couple of section of tape worm segments floating in a tank with one of my pairs.  I was mortified and ordered Prazi from Jemco.  It arrived today.

Twice before when I did a general clean up on my fish I used PraziPro and saw nothing expelled, so the last time, I didn't bother with it.

The fish will get their first treatment this afternoon.  I'll let you know what I see.

[Mugwump]

Last week I saw tape a couple of section of tape worm segments floating in a tank with one of my pairs.  I was mortified and ordered Prazi from Jemco.  It arrived today.

Twice before when I did a general clean up on my fish I used PraziPro and saw nothing expelled, so the last time, I didn't bother with it.

The fish will get their first treatment this afternoon.  I'll let you know what I see.

..better to play it safe and treat 'em.....keep us posted........where the 'F' could that have come from....??....food?

[LizStreithorst]

That's what I'm wondering.  Could be PraziPro doesn't work as advertised.  Could be it came in with fish I purchased after I last treated.  Has to be one or the other.  What most distresses me is that I saw the strings of segments in a young home bred HB pair.  BUT  I move fish around all the time and all equipment is shared.

It's a good thing that I saw that I had a problem.  The strand of segments was unmistakable.  It was flat and segmented at regular intervals.  I know what Tapes look like in dogs.  In fish it's the same but smaller.  I wonder how long they have been releasing one or two segments at a time?  I would not have be able to identify the problem.

[BillT]

Too bad, but also pretty cool. I have never seen tapeworm bits floating around.

[LizStreithorst]

Neither have I until now.

[LizStreithorst]

Alas I was not able to treat today.  This Prazi mixes best in a small amount of acetone.  It just doesn't dissolve in hot water no matter how long you shake it.  My acetone was ancient and when I opened the old gallon jug and poured a bit of it into a glass jar with a teaspoon of pure Prazi, my acetone was all brown.  I'll get a pint at the hardware store tomorrow.  I'd use nail polish remover but I don't think that nail polish remover is 100% acetone.

At least I pre-treated two pairs that I think might be loaded with Epsom salts.  Fish that are loaded can bloat and die when wormed.  Surely mine are not that bad, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.

[BillT]

I thought you could use ethanol for that.

[LizStreithorst]

You can.  I would have to drive to Laurel to get Vodka.  It's a Bible best thing, don't you know...Beer is fine.  Wine and and the hard stuff is bad and forbidden.  Go figure .  Besides, a small amount of acetone works better and does no harm.  The hardware store is around the corner and just a bit down the road from my shop.

[LizStreithorst]

First treatment done.  What a pain   Can't wait to see what I find in the tanks in the morning.

[Mugwump]

First treatment done.  What a pain   Can't wait to see what I find in the tanks in the morning.

What is your mix ratio?...

[LizStreithorst]

1 teaspoon per 100 gallons.  I put the Prazi in a jar, pour in just a bit of acetone and shake.  Add water and shake and dump in in the tank.  I took all the micron filters out of the Magnums and turned them on without any filter in them to to add more air to the tanks.

I'm going to see if I can stand to go 3 days between WC rather than 2 days.  All than mixing, measuring, and shaking is time consuming.

[Mugwump]

..see anything this morn'n??

[LizStreithorst]

Nothing yet.  I don't know how long it takes for them to be expelled because I've never had tapes before.  May be after work today.

[Mugwump]

Nothing yet.  I don't know how long it takes for them to be expelled because I've never had tapes before.  May be after work today.

..weird.....ya sure they're tapeworms too, ?....

[LizStreithorst]

I'd have sworn.   I saw 2 pieces, one was about 1 1/2 long.  The segments were very clearly defined and of equal size.  It had to be a tape.  In dogs when you treat the tapes dissolve and you never see them expelled.  But in fish they are supposed to be expelled in long strings.