Looking for Answers about Tetra Parasite Guard Tablets?

Good morning,

We appreciate your concern. From what we can gather in your email, your tank is around 55 gallons of water. 40 fish would have been too many fish for even an established tank of that size, and when you purchased this tank, we assume you moved it without much or any old water. So when you set it up, you had all new water in it. Then on top of the 40 fish it originally housed, you put additional fish in the tank. We hope our summary here is correct.

So what this caused was an immediate issue with water quality. Many of the symptoms you have described can be related to high ammonia and nitrite problems. Have you tested these parameters? If not, we suggest you do so. It does sound like there are some disease issues going on here as well, but until the water quality is improved, you will not be able to do much about any of the diseases. What we recommend is a daily water change of about 20% of the water, adding conditioned new water back into the tank. Do this for 3-4 days in a row, no medications added at all. Also, add aquarium salt for freshwater fish at a rate of 2 tablespoons per 10 gallons (I think that equates to 3 liters??) or basically 10 tablespoons total for the initial dose, and then an appropriate amount for each water change. The salt will help the fish with stress, regulating osmosis, and reducing nitrite levels.

Now, after 4 days, you can try treating for the only disease we know for sure the fish have, some type of parasite. We would recommend Parasite Guard tablets. If you cannot find those in your area, look for another medication that treats gill flukes, as I think that your fish have these, and this is why they are "flashing" on rocks. You could also try another round of Lifeguard, but I chose Parasite Guard because it is more specific to that problem.

While treating, stay on top of the water changes, do one prior to each treatment, and make sure you add salt to the amount of new water you add each time, until the tank has stablilized. If I knew what your readings were, I would highly recommend Tetra Safe Start, from our other division, but it cannot be added when ammonia and nitrite levels are very toxic. You might want to add it after the first four water changes though, and wait 24 hours before starting the Parasite Guard.

Regards,

Tetra

Hello,

Thank you for your interest in our products. Yes, you may use them together although you should not need to. Parasite Guard will take care of most parasites, including ick.

Regards,
BREX

Good morning,

The only fry that might have an issue with it would be the guppies, as guppies can sometimes be sensitive. The others should be able to tolerate it. You could try a half dose to see how they all react first, and then if all goes well, do a full dose the next day. Also, if any of the fish react negatively towards it, you can put in dechlorination drops and remove the medication immediately.

Regards,

Tetra

Hello,

Thank you for contacting us. Velvet is generally only affected by copper-based products. Parasite Guard would not have much effect on it. However, it is safe for scaleless fish and it is safe for corydoras catfish which DO have scales.

In regards to your dosing, it is best to not dose for the full amount of water as a tank will never have the full amount it can hold, due to the gravel, decor, etc, that displace some of it. In other words, your dosing for the 65 gallon was spot on, and the 29 gallon possibly a slight overdose. In general, the amount of displacement can be anywhere from 5-10 gallons of water, in most cases. Saltwater tanks with live rock, etc, may be more.

Regards,
BREX

Hi Jeff,

Thank you for contacting us. Yes, it can be used on clown loaches. You want to do a partial water change, and remove your carbon filter, but keep the filter system running. Make sure there is plenty of aeration as well.

Regards,
BREX

When using Parasite Guard the carbon should be removed from the filter because carbon will pull the medication out of the water. Please leave the carbon out while treating to give the fish the benefit of the medication.
However, the filter should remain running. It will disperse the medication as you have suggested plus aerate the water and overall help in the health of the fish.
Once the treatment period has been completed. Return the carbon to the filter, and perform a 25% water change. The water change will also help remove the medication and improve general water quality.

It is the same product, yes. We're transitioning the Jungle Fizz Tabs over to the Tetra brand. As for stingrays, I'd be wary of suggesting use with these animals. Scaleless animals can react differently to medications. Contact our customer service department at 1-800-526-0650 if you need further help.

Hello,

All of the symptoms sound like they are related to water quality and/or bacterial issues. The only test you mentioned was pH, and a high pH is what goldfish actually prefer. What about ammonia? With all of the water being new, you would have no beneficial bacteria to help break waste down, and ammonia could spike very fast. How large are these goldfish? Goldfish require 2-3 gallons of water per inch of body length (this does not include tail) so a 5 gallon is pretty small, and again, ammonia levels would elevate rapidly in brand new water.

The white squiqqly poo just means the fish are producing more urea than poo right now. Internal parasites would cause them to eliminate long completely clear strands, with no white or pinkish brown color to them at all.

When performing water changes, change no more than 1/3 of the water at a time, to allow good bacteria to develop and continue to live in the tank. For now, we recommend such a water change once a day, and the addition of aquarium salt at the rate of 1 tablespoon for the entire tank. We do not think the Parasite Guard is going to help you, but if you wish to dose it, you dose every other day until the fish are well. Be sure to remove your carbon, run your filter, and do water changes prior to each dose.

Regards,
BREX

Hello,

With Ick Guard, you will treat once a day until the fish are well. The carbon will stay out this entire time. Do a partial water change prior to each re-dose.

With Parasite Guard, treat once every other day, and follow the same procedures with the carbon and water changes.

Regards,
BREX

The worms are different; the parasites this product kills would be in the fish. However, it may help rid the aquarium of them as well. You can put the carbon back in after 24 hours of the last treatment.

Thank you for your interest in our product. The amount would be proprietary information.
Thanks.

Hello there,

No, you would not soak the food in the treatment. Just dose the tank. Keep in mind you do not have a total of 8 gallons of water since the gravel, etc, displaces some. We would recommend one tablet. Dissolve it outside of the tank, and dose after you finish a water change.

Regards,
BREX

Hi there,

That is a tough one. Parasite Guard would be okay with the plants, but I don't know of any medication that won't harm the shrimp. Can you remove the shrimp and place them in another area temporarily?

Regards,
BREX

Parasite Guard, in some cases, can be harmful to snails. Whenever possible, a hospital tank is recommended for the sick fish.
A second treatment is recommended. If after a second treatment, symtoms do not start to improve, you may need to seek a different medication. It could be a fungus or even severe parasites can require weeks of medication.
Thanks.

As long as there is proper filtration, it should not be a problem. I would recommend a 25% water change before & between treatments.
Thanks.

Loss of color is generally due to stress. Make sure you are doing partial water changes along with the dosing to keep up on your water quality. Her color may come right back once she is well, and no longer being treated.

BREX

Do you have enough salt in the water for him? Most puffers are brackish. Sounds like a parasitic or water quality illness, but apparently it is not parasitic. If you have dosed every other day, for a total of three doses, we'd recommend changing the meds, trying something totally different, and adding salt.

BREX

Once your fish are well, do a partial water change and run fresh carbon for 24 hours, then it should be okay to put the shrimp back in.

If they are pretty small worms, there is a tiny fly that likes to hang around moist areas like showers, aquariums, etc, and they lay eggs in crevices. Try cleaning the filter out more often, like weekly, for now, to get rid of them. They won't harm the fish, but they are very annoying. Keep an eye out for a tiny, pale gray fly in the vicinity of the tank, almost looks like a moth.

BREX

The white droppings are actually urea, nothing bad. Internal parasites will make the droppings clear or a combination of clear and white, not white and pink. White and pink/red is urea and feces. Mollies like a high pH and high alkalinity. We would have recommended at least 2 or 3 doses of the PG to be sure he was well. You should go ahead and treat, as it sounds like you do have a parasitic or protozoal infection in the tank, and it will gradually work it's way through more fish.

BREX

Yes, Parasite Guard may help with the leeches; however, they can be very, very difficult to eradicate, and it is sometimes required to have an organophospate, which is a very concentrated, serious chemical. You should definitely stay on top of the water quality, do a water change with vacuuming prior to each dose, treat every other day, and add aquarium salt to the tank as well. To our knowledge, Parasite Guard should not bother wild caught corys any more than it does captive bred ones. Treat every other day for 3 treatments then once a week for three more weeks.

BREX