Lyretail Anthias Treatment Question

[3mm3]

I have 1 male lyretail in quarantine. Put through TTM treated with prazipro. Was eating a variety of frozen foods while in observation.
I had a slight suspicion that he may have had internal parasites so I began treatment with metro and prazi soaked frozen food.
After the second day of medicated food his eating slowed to zero.
I have not seen the fish eat in a week. I also have not seen any sign of disease.
Will not touch any type of food I have presented.
Frozen brine, frozen mysis, frozen plankton, live brine shrimp and a mix of others...

Fish has been in observation for nearly a month. I would prefer not to loose this fish as it is getting very thin.
Whats my options?
Thanks!!

 

[Antics]

Have you removed the medication(s) that suppressed the lyretails appetite? I'd mix up a new stage of the TTM and keep the fish free of medications until it resumes eating. After that I'd try a lower dose or a different medication.

@Humblefish

 

[3mm3]

Have you removed the medication(s) that suppressed the lyretails appetite? I'd mix up a new stage of the TTM and keep the fish free of medications until it resumes eating. After that I'd try a lower dose or a different medication.

@Humblefish

Yes medication was removed by heavy carbon use and 3 50% water changes.

 

[Antics]

When I do TTM on Anthias I have the best luck getting them to eat by thawing my frozen and introducing it slowly in front of a powerhead. Dropping it in with only an airstone never seemed to get them agitated enough to eat. Whenever I add a powerhead to the TTM set up I always had success getting them to eat.

 

[3mm3]

When I do TTM on Anthias I have the best luck getting them to eat by thawing my frozen and introducing it slowly in front of a powerhead. Dropping it in with only an airstone never seemed to get them agitated enough to eat. Whenever I add a powerhead to the TTM set up I always had success getting them to eat.

I use this exact tactic in the observation tank, worked well until the medicated food. I will definitely need to purchase some pumps to try this for TTM.

 

[HotRocks]

I have never kept Anthias.

I see alot of people getting Anthias started eating with cyclops.

How much medication did you add to the food?

 

[3mm3]

I have never kept Anthias.

I see alot of people getting Anthias started eating with cyclops.

How much medication did you add to the food?

I used 1 spoon metroplex soaked in half cube frozen food. For prazipro I used 4 drops in half frozen cube.

 

[3mm3]

I have not seen any signs of possible intestinal parasite in almost 2 weeks however I began treating food 10 days ago.
With the fish not currently eating would you get indications of intestinal parasites even if he had them?

 

[HotRocks]

I used 1 spoon metroplex soaked in half cube frozen food. For prazipro I used 4 drops in half frozen cube.

This may be part of your problem.

Its one measure of metro to a tablespoon of frozen food that is thawed. Which is probably a few cubes worth. The dosage may have been too strong.

 

[3mm3]

I will try to find cyclops tomorrow.

 

[3mm3]

Without seeing signs of internal parasite even though he hasn't eaten would it be a risk putting into display?
or is this fish doomed?
I have never had a fish stop eating so this is quite new for me...

 

[Big G]

I see alot of people getting Anthias started eating with cyclops.

+1 ^^^ exactly. Make a "smoothie" of a variety of frozen cubes, making sure to have cyclops in the mix. Let the cubes "slump" in the fridge. Pour off and strain out excess water. Add a couple of drops of Selcon. The mix will stay good in the fridge for a couple of days. All of my fish love the "smoothie" And yes, I drop the "smoothie" into the flow stream of my return line. The fish just go crazy. It almost mimics live food darting about and excites the fish into a feeding frenzy.

 

[HotRocks]

+1 ^^^ exactly. Make a "smoothie" of a variety of frozen cubes, making sure to have cyclops in the mix. Let the cubes "slump" in the fridge. Pour off and strain out excess water. Add a couple of drops of Selcon. The mix will stay good in the fridge for a couple of days. All of my fish love the "smoothie" And yes, I drop the "smoothie" into the flow stream of my return line. The fish just go crazy. It almost mimics live food darting about and excites the fish into a feeding frenzy.

This ^^^ is how I feed my fish daily, it works great! I use 8-12 different types of cubes/frozen variety.

 

[3mm3]

Cyclops is a nogo in my area.
I have been also transferring pods from display but no luck there either.

Would a fish show signs of internal parasites on an empty stomach? (White stringy poo)

 

[HotRocks]

Cyclops is a nogo in my area.
I have been also transferring pods from display but no luck there either.

Would a fish show signs of internal parasites on an empty stomach? (White stringy poo)

Much less likely. That is the difficult part of treating internal parasites as well with a fish that isn't eating. You can try dosing the water, treatment is much more effective through ingestion off meds soaked in food.

 

[3mm3]

Much less likely. That is the difficult part of treating internal parasites as well with a fish that isn't eating. You can try dosing the water, treatment is much more effective through ingestion off meds soaked in food.

Well kind of what I expected to hear.
Kind of a seriously dumb question but is there any way to get a fish interested in eating? Say for instance a video of anthias in a feeding frenzy played on a loop? Yup I really went there

 

[3mm3]

Glimmer of hope. He just ate a very small piece of mysis

 

[3mm3]

Just want to give an update. The fish is eating frozen mysis shrimp. Had a few large ones last night. I do hope that he now continues to eat.

 

[3mm3]

okay the fish has been eating today. How long do I need to observe the poo for parasites before I can call him good for the display?

 

[3mm3]

Okay new issue here. How do you get this anthia to:
1. Swim
2. Chase food

Seriously only sits on the sand and eats only from turkey baster or my hand..... I'm leaving town soon and need this fish to eat normally.
Any help or suggestions?

Would adding a group of females make him brave and adventurous? This guy is not getting picked on by the other fish at all so I'm kind of lost here.