INTERNAL
PARASITES
Flagellated
protozoan is a common problem in discus. It is the primary cause for
hunger strikes. These include protoopalina, octomitis, hexamita,
spironucleus and others. Protoopalina is referred to as the discus
parasite. It is commonly found in the gut of the discus. When a
discus is under stress, these parasites multiply. True cases of
hexamita are a hobbyist’s worse nightmare. However, most cases of
so called hexamita are actually spironucleus or protoopalina. These
are much less serious and easier to treat. NOTE: the standard
treatment does not kill or remove all of the flagellates. It reduces
their numbers so the fish can handle it with their immune response.
In severely weakened fish, treatment can go on for some time.
DIAGNOSIS:
white, stringy feces evidence this problem. The fish may darken and
withdraw from the others, facing into the rear of the tank. They may
bite at food and then spit it out as if disgusted with it. Left
untreated the fish will waste away and die. The gut can become
damaged and lose the ability to properly absorb nutrients. Hole in
the head may develop. Loss of muscle in the head gives a knife edge
appearance when the fish is viewed from the front. The key to this,
as in all treatments is to completely follow through the full course
of treatment.
TREATMENT
for FLAGELLATES
1.Now
is the time to raise tank temperature to 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
2.
Add 1 / 4 teaspoon metronidazole per 20 gallons. Tablets contain
binders, fillers and products to prevent moisture getting into the
pills. Pills are not recommended. Metro sold in pet shops is usually
a blend with other substances added. Pure metro powder is
recommended. You can order pure metro from Rocky Mountain Discus and
have it shipped to most countries. For pure metro click here:
3.Treat
for flagellates a full 14 days. Add meds daily for a week, then every
other day for a week.
In
extreme cases the metro can be added twice daily, once in the morning
and again in the evening for a week. Metronidazole dosing and
schedules are variable depending upon the severity of the infestation
and condition of the fish.
A
small water change can be done as needed. The discus may go several
days before eating. Frozen brine shrimp or bloodworms are good foods
to get them eating again. A four ounce (golf ball size) portion of
frozen beef heart food can be thawed. Add one-teaspoon metro and
refreeze. This can be fed for a week to the fish to ensure all
flagellates are eliminated. A deworming treatment should follow.
One
thing I have observed is that when I introduce vital, important
information on my web site, suddenly it appears on other sites as if
it was common knowledge. This has happened as I explained why discus
fish treated with metronidazole frequently rebound or relapse in far
worse condition. The usual answer was a tolerance to metro was
developed by the flagellates, which can be true. But that is not the
cause of the relapse. I will explain this in detail shortly. Anytime
you treat discus for flagellates, you should follow with a deworming
treatment for nematodes (worms). Most of the time a dual infestation
is present. When the flagellate load is reduced, there is suddenly
more room and opportunity for the worm load to increase. Within a
short time, this causes the discus to take a turn for the worse,
giving the “relapse” that tends to occur. Going back to metro
treatments does not solve this and the fish will not improve until
dewormed.