Small Rescue Collare Butterfly is Sick

[livinlifeinBKK]

Today I was looking to get a certain butterfly fish species but I changed my mind after getting to the store so I went to walk around the market and visit several shops where I found this little guy among a dozen other butterflies of other species. I could tell his colors were a little faded and the shop keeper said it had been there for 1 or 2 weeks so I doubt it ate much at all in that time. I decided for the really cheap price to give him a chance so I brought him home. He's in a QT tank with some live rock with aiptasia I pulled out of my mature tank because I wanted him to eat if he could....he was eating a little bit. Now I notice him scratching himself similar to if he had ich but I don't see spots. Also he has these "spasms" where he shakes his head and sometimes body for a second or two. He does swim around but seems to be breathing a little hard maybe so I have an airstone in the tank...any ideas if he can be saved?
I have a video I can send if you know what you're talking about

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

 

[Tamberav]

Today I was looking to get a certain butterfly fish species but I changed my mind after getting to the store so I went to walk around the market and visit several shops where I found this little guy among a dozen other butterflies of other species. I could tell his colors were a little faded and the shop keeper said it had been there for 1 or 2 weeks so I doubt it ate much at all in that time. I decided for the really cheap price to give him a chance so I brought him home. He's in a QT tank with some live rock with aiptasia I pulled out of my mature tank because I wanted him to eat if he could....he was eating a little bit. Now I notice him scratching himself similar to if he had ich but I don't see spots. Also he has these "spasms" where he shakes his head and sometimes body for a second or two. He does swim around but seems to be breathing a little hard maybe so I have an airstone in the tank...any ideas if he can be saved?
I have a video I can send if you know what you're talking about

head twitching sounds like flukes, prazipro is the treatment

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

that sounds like flukes, prazipro is the treatment

Ok...we have something similar to prazipro here but it's intended for koi so I'll have to make sure it'll work

 

[Tamberav]

Ok...we have something similar to prazipro here but it's intended for koi so I'll have to make sure it'll work

keep a close eye for any other odd behavior, swimming in front of powerheads, hiding from light, very heavy breathing, etc. Those can all be signs of velvet.

API General Cure also contains praziquentel

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

keep a close eye for any other odd behavior, swimming in front of powerheads, hiding from light, very heavy breathing, etc. Those can all be signs of velvet.

There's no power head in the QT tank but he is breathing heavy

 

[MnFish1]

Ok...we have something similar to prazipro here but it's intended for koi so I'll have to make sure it'll work

If it is praziquantel it shoudl work - just double/triple check the dose

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

@Tamberav one weird thing is he likes to swim directly over the airstone so the bubbles go all over him

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

keep a close eye for any other odd behavior, swimming in front of powerheads, hiding from light, very heavy breathing, etc. Those can all be signs of velvet.

API General Cure also contains praziquentel

One weird thing he does is like to swim directly over the airstone so he feels the bubbles on him

 

[Tamberav]

Not sure why but I can’t get the videos to load. Odd behavior but not sure it indicative of anything specific.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Not sure why but I can’t get the videos to load. Odd behavior but not sure it indicative of anything specific.

Ok...I can get the powder praziquantel...any idea how to prepare it as a dip?

 

[MnFish1]

Not sure why but I can’t get the videos to load. Odd behavior but not sure it indicative of anything specific.

I cannot either. If you change browsers to chrome you can sometimes get them to work!

 

[MnFish1]

Ok...I can get the powder praziquantel...any idea how to prepare it as a dip?

Usually it is prepared as a 'bath' - over days as compared to 15 minutes, etc.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Usually it is prepared as a 'bath' - over days as compared to 15 minutes, etc.

How many days does it take to treat? And how quickly does this kill a fish? I'll have to order the meds and they won't get here for a few days

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

I'm worried about him

 

[Tamberav]

Really depends on how many flukes there are which we can’t know. Usually takes two treatments a week a part. I would treat each time for at least 24 hours. I don’t believe a short bath will be effective.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Have you heard of Tremazol? It's supposed to be effective against flukes as well and I can get it here easier.

 

[Tamberav]

I have never used that med, sorry. @Jay Hemdal ?? May have experience

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

I have never used that med, sorry. @Jay Hemdal ?? May have experience

I have access to the powder praziquantel so I'll just use that...it's just a little more complicated and since I've never done it I was hoping for simplicity

 

[Tamberav]

Powder is fine and perhaps even preferred. The liquid version sometimes causes bacterial blooms.