Antibiotics and prazi?

Fishfinder · Mar 2, 2018

i have fish in antibiotics kanaplex and metroplex. Can I add prazipro to this? Or do I have to wait?

EmdeReef · Mar 2, 2018

Fishfinder said:
i have fish in antibiotics kanaplex and metroplex. Can I add prazipro to this? Or do I have to wait?

What are you treating?
I wouldn’t mix the two with prazi.

Big G · Mar 2, 2018

Fishfinder said:
i have fish in antibiotics kanaplex and metroplex. Can I add prazipro to this? Or do I have to wait?

Usually not a good idea to mix praziquantel products with other medications. Here's Humblefish's guideline for Prazipro:

Prazipro (praziquantel): Treats flukes, black ich, and some internal parasites (worms).

How To Treat - In either a quarantine or display tank, dose Prazipro at the rate of 1 teaspoon per 20 gallons of water. DO NOT OVERDOSE (especially with wrasses), try not to mix with other medications (for various reasons), and provide additional gas exchange while treating with Prazi. Wait 5-7 days, do a 20-25% water change and then repeat dosage. The reason for the second dose is to eradicate the “next generation” of worms before they can lay eggs of their own. Because while Prazi does kill worms, it doesn’t eliminate any eggs they might leave behind.

Prazipro is generally considered reef safe, although it may kill any tube worms/feathers dusters you have. It may also eradicate bristle worms. If you have mass quantities of these, the resulting die-off can lead to an ammonia spike. After treatment is done, activated carbon may be used to remove any residuals (if you need to use a different medication next). If using a protein skimmer post-treatment, be advised that it will “over skim” for at least a couple of weeks.

Pros - Reef safe, effective dewormer that is relatively gentle on most fish.

Cons/Side Effects - Mild appetite suppression, moderate oxygen depletion, wrasses are sensitive to overdosing.

HotRocks · Mar 2, 2018

+1 to not mix. Complete one med cycle. Then switch to the next after water change.

Fishfinder · Mar 2, 2018

Risk of killing them?

EmdeReef · Mar 2, 2018

It will very likely end up in a bacterial bloom which may cause water quality issues inc. in some cases oxygen depletion. But there are also interactions between the two meds including some indications of reduced efficacy.

All that said in emergency conditions you could do it if you monitor carefully. Really depends on how serious is the condition you’re treating.

HotRocks · Mar 2, 2018

EmdeReef said:
It will very likely end up in a bacterial bloom which may cause water quality issues inc. in some cases oxygen depletion. But there are also interactions between the two meds including some indications of reduced efficacy.

All that said in emergency conditions you could do it if you monitor carefully. Really depends on how serious is the condition you’re treating.

And to add to this. Plan on heavy water changes every few days. 100% water changes. I've dealt with it. Once a bloom starts it's very hard to end. And high risk of fish loss. I was doing 100% water changes every 3 days and still lost half of my fish in QT to low oxygen. I was only treating with copper at the time, don't know where my bloom came from. But if avoidable to mix meds, I would recommend waiting.

krausean · Mar 19, 2018

Hi, sorry to thread jack but I have a similar issue and am wondering if feeding kanaplex vs dosing to the water column makes any difference. I just treated with prazipro, due to suspecting flukes. The fish has a cloudy eye and ragged fins, so I would like to feed kanaplex to hopefully help with this.

Big G · Mar 19, 2018

Kanaplex can be dosed in the water column or internally with food. However, it is a broad spectrum antibiotic and absorbs easier through the gills rather than through the gut.

krausean · Mar 19, 2018

Big G said:
Usually not a good idea to mix praziquantel products with other medications.

Due to the general concensus being that it's a bad idea to mix the meds, I hoped that feeding kanaplex wouldn't have the same impact as adding it to the water column. Is this the case?

Big G · Mar 19, 2018

krausean said:
Due to the general concensus being that it's a bad idea to mix the meds, I hoped that feeding kanaplex wouldn't have the same impact as adding it to the water column. Is this the case?

Yes. Kanaplex + Focus + Food will bind the med to limit its infiltration to the water column. Feed small amounts to limit dispersal into the water. Some like to use a turkey baster to remove uneaten food/kanaplex mix.

krausean · Mar 19, 2018

Thanks very much!

Big G · Mar 19, 2018

krausean said:
Thanks very much!

You are welcome. Just remember that multiple meds are hard on a fish's liver and kidneys. Also with the possibility of Praziquantel and Kanaplex in the water column you can get a heck of a bacterial bloom (hazy water). Add some more O2 by aiming powerhead to break the surface or an airstone.

krausean · Mar 19, 2018

Big G said:
You are welcome. Just remember that multiple meds are hard on a fish's liver and kidneys. Also with the possibility of Praziquantel and Kanaplex in the water column you can get a heck of a bacterial bloom (hazy water). Add some more O2 by aiming powerhead to break the surface or an airstone.

Sounds good. I've decided to feed kanaplex soaked food only once or twice per day (I feed 3 times). I'm also running a skimmer without the collection cup for aeration and have the powerheads pointed at the water's surface. Let's hope these two pull through. They're still flicking their heads and rubbing on rocks. I'll do a second treatment with prazipro 3 days after their first treatment.