Jennifer

That is excellent, well done! I wonder if it was an osmotic effect drawing the fluid out of the eye...? Does anybody know why this condition occurs? How long can you leave a freshwater fish in saltwater before they get dehydrated?

Most dewormers are not able to kill multiple life stages of worms. Many only work on adult worms within the intestinal tract. Thus any larvae that are migrating in the vicera, are free in the enviroent, or that are developing in an intermediate host will need to fully develop and move to the intestines of the definitive host to be susceptible to the medication. In most mammalian worms, this lifecycle development usually takes around 10 days to two weeks which is why we re-dose in 3 week intervals. It would definately be a good idea to treat all in the tank. It would also be a good idea to consider where the infection came from (feeding infested invertebrates for example). If necessary you can re-dose again if symptoms persist but if it were me I would avoid resistance by feeding fenbendazole instead (it also is delivered more effectively into the gastrointestinal tract). As to whether the medication degrades, it most certainly will, most medications do. The problem is the ever reduced diluted doses that could enable worms to develop resistance. It is always best to treat with a full strength dose. Would you feel confident taking a baby sized dose of antibiotics rather than an adult dose?

Haha! Actually mites require a different treatment! :lol:

A 24 hour treatment bath should be fine. After that, pop them back in the tank and dispose of the used batch of dewormer. In 3 weeks repeat the 24 hour bath with a fresh batch of dewormer. To minimise stress on the fish, it is fine to create the treatment bath using tank water (just so the water chemistry is the same) and it is important to keep the water heated for the 24 hour treatment (or as per normal). Afterward the fish will probably be off food for a few days but that is not a problem at all. This is just how we have done it it the aquatics ward but others may have more good ideas.

How many milligrams per millilitre is the liquid? If you can possibly do it, it would be better to take the fish out and treat them in a bucket so that you can fully remove the chemical from their environment when the treatment is done. Then you can repeat the procedure in 3 weeks. In other words, it would not be ideal to do a partial water change and leave the rest of the wormer in the tank - worms do get resistance to such chemicals that way. That's just my opinion tho....

Ah, and so it begins (MTS - multiple tank syndrome). :bounce:

Lovely, such a beautiful boy. Congrats!

We saw him here in Chch on Saturday. Lovely man and a great speaker. Some great fishy stories and pics as well as some fun non-fishy tidbits. Highly recommended!

If the worm has an indirect life cycle (and I believe Callamanus sp. does) then the first stage larvae that are released from the adult worms within the fish will not be able to infect the fish since the fish is the definitive (final) host. It is only after the larvae are ingested by an intermediate host such as a mollusc or crustacean that it develops to third stage larvae that can infect the fish after the fish eats the intermediate host. As such, the best form of treatment would be a repeat dose about 3 weeks after the first treatment to catch the next batch of third stage larvae that have made it to the fish's intestinal tract again (most anthemlmintics work best on parasites within the intestines which is why they don't commonly work on the first/second stage larvae within the tank). We have used Levamisole baths used in clinic using a dose of 2mg/litre for 20 to 24 hours then repeating it in 3 weeks. Microscopic faecal parasite analysis confirms this is an effective treatment for the fish/amphibians we have treated. Not sure how it works for all types of fish though. HTH

Ok. I presume it is not just stuff they bring in (since they can be quarantined) but things they are prone to picking up once here?

I admit I am totally ignorant on this subject (although I wish I wasn't) but I was just curious, wouldn't the risk be lower for species that require tropically warm waters? If so, why all the problems with importing them?

Yes, I am almost certain I can be available in the morning to 12ish shift.

Yes, and current research is showing a growing correlation between over-deworming and asthma and allergies in dogs and cats and in humans indicating that some internal parasites may play a beneficial role in promoting a healthy immune system.

Oops, :oops: I guess my foreign upbringing gave me away that time! I shall remember that the next time I use the word 'loo' (must mean toilet and toilet is definately not the bathroom). :roll:

Who could turn that awesome offer down!?? Especially the fish tank in the loo! :lol:

+1 (don't even get me started on the excessive deworming protocols of dogs and cats). :roll:

Welcome to the forums! Sam and Phoenix have given you excellent advice so you should be sweet. I wholeheartedly agree about adding a canister filter. It will provide more efficient processing of fish waste, better flow and improve plant growth. If you add a canister you will need to 'modify' the hood to get the inlet and outlet tubes into the tank (we can help you with advice on how to do that). The hood filter you have should be ok to cycle with and the media (ceramic tubes) in there is pretty decent to start with. If you decide to get a canister in future you can transfer the mature (used) media from the hood to the canister and top it up with some better media. As Phoenix said, start out with one or two little hardy fish and a bunch of hardy plants to cycle the tank before you add any more fish (this might take a couple of weeks or more). Examples of hardy fish that are active and make good community fish are Danios or Platys (among lots of others). There is a good article here on the forums that will help get you started: http://www.fnzas.org.nz/index.php?PG=beginnerfreshwater And, if you use the search function (top right of the page) you can look up just about anything you need to know! Also, take a moment to add your location to your profile (under control panel, top right of the page) that way when you post, those that are near you can provide useful local advice! Have fun and keep us updated! :bounce:

Hey, what day is the sausage sizzle?

Hmmm, I suspect you are right about the gas bubbles although who really knows? It does sound like a toxin due to the rapid death and the fact that the other tanks were not affected. What a shame though. Horrible when there are unexplained losses like that - it is so hard to know what NOT to do again next time!

I think it was the hairy bogan that was scary! :lol:

OMG that image is burned into my mind!!! LOL :lol:

A wet wound (as on fish) often turns white but that doesn't mean that it is a fungus. I would have to see a better photo to know for sure. The wounds could have been colonised by bacteria in the water. A wound with necrotic tissue (dead and dying tissue) can also be colonised by a fungus (as they are opportunists). In my opinion, you should start with the following: 1. Keep clean water - if you keep it clean, you will not need antibacterials 2. Add salt (others may have advice on how much to add for optimum effect) 3. If the area is red surrounding the wound or the fish is genrally unwell or not eating, it might be infected in which case a proper antibiotic is needed (Furan or Erythromycin for example) 4. If the wound has fluffy white on it (not just white bits of tissue) then it could be a fungus in which case methylene blue might help 5. Carry out only one treatment at a time if you can possibly help it 6. Feed the fish well and ensure that it is not stressed as much as possible. Good luck

I'd do it in a flash (no pun intended) Nymox....but I am nowhere near your area! Good luck though, I am sure there are keen fishy photographers out there! :lol:

AWESOME tank adodge!!!

Thanks guys. I will see if any hatch and in the mean time I will put a sponge over the inlet and hold off on feeding for a while. Cheers!!