almost killed wrasses with prazi today - need dosing amount advice

spiraling · Mar 23, 2018

Hi All,

I got two flashers from DD yesterday. Active, colorful, but one definitely had intestinal parasites (white stringy poo). Today I dosed with prazi, as I have done before in QT. I added 2 ml for 15 gallons. (directions are 1 tsp = 5 ml per 20 gal)

First off - Thank You to everyone who has warned about prazi and wrasses. It saved them today!!

After about 5 minutes one hid (strange but not uncommon) then about 2 minutes later the other stopped swimming, laid on the bottom, and lost its color. I panicked a bit, but got two cups of water from the main tank and diluted with a little RO, hoping I was close enough. They were in there an hour while I made fresh water. (freaked out - but alive) I replaced about 2/3 of the water with new salt water. They are fine now that they have been returned to the tank.

Lesson learned: anytime you are medicating a tank make sure you have a back up place for the fish ready if things go wrong!

Now my question: What is my best course for amount and timing of future doses?

Greenstreet.1 · Mar 23, 2018

What is your water movement like it sounds as if when you added the prazi it depleted the oxygen and they had a hard time breathing.

Big G · Mar 23, 2018

@evolved, @Maritimer

Big G · Mar 23, 2018

Here's a post by Humblefish on this subject: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/wrasses-and-qt-protocols-prazipro-and-copper.316708/#post-3907145

"One strategy you might try is spacing out the dosage. For Prazipro, it's 1 teaspoon per 20 gallons. So if your QT is 20 gals, dose 1/2 teaspoon now and another 1/2 teaspoon in 3-4 hours. Or 1/4 teaspoon every hour for the next 4 hours. So the fish has more time to adjust to the presence of medication in the water."

spiraling · Mar 23, 2018

Big G said:
"One strategy you might try is spacing out the dosage. For Prazipro, it's 1 teaspoon per 20 gallons. So if your QT is 20 gals, dose 1/2 teaspoon now and another 1/2 teaspoon in 3-4 hours. Or 1/4 teaspoon every hour for the next 4 hours. So the fish has more time to adjust to the presence of medication in the water."

Perfect - thanks! I'll try the next dose at 1/4 tsp per hour or two.

Greenstreet.1 said:
What is your water movement like it sounds as if when you added the prazi it depleted the oxygen and they had a hard time breathing.

I have an airline bubbling in the QT tank. I did mix the prazi vigorously, but lack of O2 is certainly a possibility.

Big G · Mar 23, 2018

spiraling said:
Perfect - thanks! I'll try the next dose at 1/4 tsp per hour or two.

I have an airline bubbling in the QT tank. I did mix the prazi vigorously, but lack of O2 is certainly a possibility.

Do you have a powerhead in the tank? A powerhead aimed toward and rippling the surface will create much more O2 exchange.

spiraling · Mar 23, 2018

nope - I've just used an airline. I can add a powerhead. I was thinking that the lower flow would help the new fish settle in better.

Greenstreet.1 · Mar 24, 2018

When adding meds you need to have a lot of surface movement as the meds drop your oxygen. In my qt I don’t run a powerhead I have a sponge filter an air stone and a HOB this is all on a 20G and I still have an extra air stone for backup Just a heads up if you don’t want to use a powerhead. I too believe that powerhead can cause a little stress in a qt that’s why I went this.

spiraling · Mar 24, 2018

I have a HOB I can add with the airstone. I can go that route.

4FordFamily · Mar 24, 2018

I don’t have much trouble with established wrasse and prazi. The longer they’re eating and established before treating, the better.

Dosing as directed is what I’ve always done. I’ve never experienced anything like you describe.

I do have a powerhead aimed at the top of the tank.

Deinonych · Mar 24, 2018

^^^
Agree. Only time I've ever had problems with prazi and wrasses is when I accidentally overdosed (2x the recommended dosage) with a flasher. Carbon and a 50% water change solved that particular situation. I have observed adverse reactions with fairy and flasher wrasses (freaking out/hiding) combining prazi and Prime, so I avoid that combination now.

Maritimer · Mar 24, 2018

I've not had the Prazi / wrasse problem either ... though I've had plenty of other problems! I have had problems with Prazi-Pro when mixing with other meds, and generally use General Cure these days.

Big_G has been pretty spot-on with flow and aeration advice!

~Bruce

fishgirljockey · Apr 12, 2023

I've never had a problem with wrasses either. I had mine in formalin for 45 mins and then straight to PraziPro/Kanaplex QT and they are eating Metroplex soaked food; TRIFECTA! As long as you have enough surface agitation, then they should be okay. Granite, it's still good to keep an eye on them just incase. Not every fish is the same. The problem could have been, not the Prazi, but the surface agitation or he was already on his way being sick (maybe just a coincidence). I put a powerhead at the surface, sometimes even half way out. It's noisy, but creates great oxygen. I know this is an old forum but I hope you had some luck!