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Hallo PC

I have some problems with one of my Zebra plecos. A female is breathing heavly while fanning her fins very fast.
She had white stringy poop too.
So i suspected internal parasites, and have been threathing with metronidazole the last 4 days. The stringy poop seems to have disappeared, but shes still breathing alot and fanning her fins. She very thin and dosent seem to eat much.

The waterparameters are good with alot of flow and oxygen, the other zebras in the tank are eating and healthy.

I would really appreciate some help or thoughs.

Regards Hyp

Hi HypA,

Can you give us more information about the tank and water conditions? Is difficult to know what to advise otherwise.

viewtopic.php?t=4305

Also, how long have you had this fish? Has it always been skinny? Did it ever eat well? What are its tankmates? Are they healthy?

Good luck,
Eric

When you say the stringy poop has disappeared do you mean it's poop returned to normal looking or that the fish is not pooping at all.

Two observations here- if the wasting fish has stopped pooping and eating, this is not good. There are stronger meds, but I am not sure if the fish can handle them especially if it it is weak from the issue at hand. Flubendazole is one such med. Here is a paper you should find interesting in this respect. http://www.inkmkr.com/Fish/FlubendazoleArticle.pdf

Dr. Harrison also sells meds if you need them http://www.inkmkr.com/Fish/ItemsForSale.html

If you decide to get Flubendazole, also read the: Background and treatment methods for using Flubendazole.PDF
This med is not easy to dissolve in water and the pdf tell how to overcome this. (I use the vodka method as it gives me an excuse to keep a bottle of Stoly in the freezer.)

Normally one would want to ID the exact parasite before choosing a treatment. Unfortunately, most of us are neither properly educated to identify such things and we also lack the microscope etc. to see them.

The zebra is eating and the poop is white still, though is more firm like normal brown poop now.

I have started treating with flubendazole, had some wormer plus in my medicine stock, which dissolve quite easily.

I read the PDF and will treat as followed in the instructions.

Should i continune with the metronidazole treatment as well?
I am on day 5 of 10 treatments.