Treating With Prazi For 2 Months Now

[npila1]

I've been treating with prazi for flukes for almost 2 months now (it will be 2 months in 5 days) and I still see some occasional yawning. The problem is that I've been adding prazi every Monday but next week I'm going to be away on Monday (leaving on Friday and coming back on Wednesday). Is it ok if I wait until Wednesday to do the water change followed by addition of prazi next week?

And why is it taking so long for the flukes to go away??? Fang, I don't know if you'll read this but I know you started the treatment about a week after I did - are you still treating, too?

[Captain Findus Goldfish]

are you using the PraziPro? I had major resistant flukes which I zapped with using 2x the dose (vet here says up to 3x is safe.) . 2weeks of that and everyone seems fluke free.

[Sakura]

What have your water parameters been and what are they now? What is your pH and temperature and do they fluctuate at all? I'm wondering if the "yawning" could be caused by something else.

[Cynders]

I would definitely stop the prazi now and we can look at other things that might be causing it. All of that prazi is soooo expensive and could possibly be creating resistant flukes, so no more prazi for a bit.

Like Sakura said what's your pH and temperature?

[npila1]

Yes, I'm using prazi pro. I posted a month into the treatment and people said that I could extend the treatment since they were still yawning. My water parameters were 0,0,5 two months ago and for the past 1-1.5 month they have been 0,0,0. I had pH issues (it was down to 6.4-6.6) but I got buff it up and it's been constant at 7.5 for the past few weeks. Temperature fluctuates a bit because I'm in a dorm and I can't control the heat - it varies between 72-76 most of the time, but it's usually gradual.

[Sakura]

Huh... in that case I might try Federica's suggestion of 2x the normal dose. I'd maybe give the fish a week's break from meds for now, and then try 2x dose of Prazi and watch to make sure they don't react badly.

2 months to be using Prazi is a long time though.. maybe the fishs' gills are simply irritated from having Prazi in the water for so long. That's why I'd give them at least a week's break and see if they seem better or worse.

[npila1]

So just "skip" next week completely, right? I hope they stop yawning and get better soon

[Cynders]

yes that way it'll give fluke eggs a chance to hatch. I hope theu feel better. Also do you have live plants? 0 0 0 is strange if you don't have them.

[npila1]

yes that way it'll give fluke eggs a chance to hatch. I hope theu feel better. Also do you have live plants? 0 0 0 is strange if you don't have them.

I thought supposedly the eggs hatched after the prazi got deactivated, 3 days after I added it.

No, I don't have live plants. I actually created a topic about the 0 nitrates "issue": http://www.kokosgoldfish.invisionzone.com/forum/index.php?/topic/87354-is-it-bad-to-have-no-nitrates/page__pid__995706#entry995706

[flutterbudget]

I don't know how Buff It Up works exactly, so I might be way off. But do you add the Buff It Up to the water before you add the water to the tank? If not, it seems to me like the ph is probably still fluctuating with water changes?

[npila1]

I don't know how Buff It Up works exactly, so I might be way off. But do you add the Buff It Up to the water before you add the water to the tank? If not, it seems to me like the ph is probably still fluctuating with water changes?

I add it to the bucket with the new water (after I add prime) and then do a pH test on the new water before adding it to the tank. So there shouldn't be fluctuations in the pH...

[flutterbudget]

I add it to the bucket with the new water (after I add prime) and then do a pH test on the new water before adding it to the tank. So there shouldn't be fluctuations in the pH...

[caitie]

Are your fish yawning a lot? Do they actually still have other symptoms of flukes like flashing or gulping air? I ask because goldfish do yawn occasionally, with out reason. Sometimes it is only because they need to clear out their gills. Like Sakura said the prazi being used for two months would probably irritate their gills so that would cause yawning long after all the flukes are gone.

One of my goldfish who is perfectly healthy yawns every couple of hours and he has done this for the last 4 years.

[npila1]

Are your fish yawning a lot? Do they actually still have other symptoms of flukes like flashing or gulping air? I ask because goldfish do yawn occasionally, with out reason. Sometimes it is only because they need to clear out their gills. Like Sakura said the prazi being used for two months would probably irritate their gills so that would cause yawning long after all the flukes are gone.

One of my goldfish who is perfectly healthy yawns every couple of hours and he has done this for the last 4 years.

They don't yawn a LOT, but do occasionally (maybe I see them doing it once a day or so - but I'm also not here the whole day...)

No flashing, but like I said above they do gulp at the surface mostly after feeding, which could also be normal. The thing is I never really saw them yawning BEFORE they got flukes, so I guess I assumed I had to wait for the yawning to go away completely.

I'm definitely going to stop the prazi for now though. I had no idea it could irritate them I'll keep an eye on them of course to make sure they don't still have flukes. How will I tell if they do indeed still have flukes? They'll start flashing?

[Sakura]

Yeah they should definitely start flashing and darting if they have flukes. Also the gills will look pale. Can you get a glimpse of the gills right now by any chance and see what color they look?

[npila1]

Yeah they should definitely start flashing and darting if they have flukes. Also the gills will look pale. Can you get a glimpse of the gills right now by any chance and see what color they look?

How do I look at the gills? Do I have to pick them up and lift the gills?

[caitie]

Usually when the breathe you should be able to see a little bit inside the gill.

[npila1]

Ok good, because I really didn't want to take them out and do that

I'm not sure I can see them from the side but from the top they look pretty red/dark...

[caitie]

Do they look like this?

http://thegab.org/Ar...mages/Gills.jpg

[npila1]

You can kind of see them in this photo if you look closely...

http://s932.photobucket.com/albums/ad163/npila1/STL%20from%20the%20top/?action=view&current=DSC_00272.jpg#!oZZ4QQcurrentZZhttp%3A%2F%2Fs932.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fad163%2Fnpila1%2FSTL%2520from%2520the%2520top%2F%3Faction%3Dview%26current%3DDSC_0020.jpg

[npila1]

Do they look like this?

http://thegab.org/Ar...mages/Gills.jpg

Yeah from the top I think they do look reddish/purple like that photo.

[caitie]

Then they are healthy. I would give them a break from the prazi and over the next few weeks check to see if they start scratching or flashing. If they don't I would consider the yawning as something normal. You do have enough oxygen in the tank? Airstones and such? Because yawning can also be if there isn't enough oxygen in the water.

[npila1]

Ok I'll do that. I remember reading that about the oxygen. I do have two airstones in the tank and the surface area is quite adequate, so I think it's good in terms of oxygen.

I'll let you know how they are doing

[npila1]

I just saw my comet twisting her body and scratching on the gravel

[amynmitchell]

I'm sure this is in the thread somewhere, but have you ever treated them with .03% salt? I am wondering if you are dealing with some other parasite here.