Medication Change - Help please

Hello guys. New to this forum and I'm looking for some help.
My common goldfish seem to have parasites. One of them mostly has been doing the flashing, erratic swimming and lots and lots of rubbing on rocks.
I have treated them with Fritz Paracleanse and they are just finishing their 3rd day of treatment with NO improvement whatsoever.

I hadn't realized that I accidentally spilled some carbon grains into the water prior. I was doing the water change and tried to get it all out but I'm sure a few grains were left over.
I'm thinking either the medication has been neutralized by the spilled carbon or this meds is just not effective for the parasite they have.

Thinking about trying Expel-P with Levamisole or move on to PraziPro. Any recommendation is highly recommended.
I have found that you are supposed to wait 7 days before changing medication but I cannot stand to watch this flashing behavior for so long.


Do I do a large water change and run carbon for 2 days.. and then dose the new meds? Or should I wait longer?

I have also started feeding medicated food today (Metroplex & Focus combo).

Any help is greatly appreciated!!!

 

I mean, carbon can absorb a lot, but I doubt it can take out an entire tankfull of medication with only a few grains present. But, then again, there's a reason why activated charcoal is so often used in chemistry; because it's effective at removing colors, smells, and particles you don't want. So...maybe?

 

What parasite do you have? and more importantly how do you know that is what you have?

 

Hi NinaJ
Welcome to the forum.
3 days is not a lot of time to expect to see a big improvement. Flashing or scratching is not something you suddenly stop doing just because you killed the mosquito that was biting you .

Yes do water changes. The medication alone could also be making a fish feel like it needs to scratch?

Wait the 7 days as the instructions say, would be my suggestion.

What is your water change routine?
What is the PH ?
Do you know the nitrates level?
Any ammonia in the tank?

 

What parasite do you have? and more importantly how do you know that is what you have?

Hello ltiwhetu. I'm assuming it is some kind of worm - internal parasite because I can't see anything with free eye. Fish has been doing this for weeks now. I have observed it and didn't medicate right away cause I thought it wasn't serious and didn't wanna dump meds in right away. However the flashing intensified and erratic swimming as well. Fish even swam into the wall with a loud thud and is doing all kinds of acrobatic swims. My other 3 goldfish don't have this behavior.
They had parasites back between Sept - Oct and I treated them with PraziPro then (they all had the aforementioned behavior). PraziPro stopped the symptoms within first even 2 days. Thats why I'm surprised these ones have not worked as quickly.
Fish also started having reddened fins at their base. I know it could also be sign of ammonia poisoning but that is not the case...

Hi NinaJ
Welcome to the forum.
3 days is not a lot of time to expect to see a big improvement. Flashing or scratching is not something you suddenly stop doing just because you killed the mosquito that was biting you .

Yes do water changes. The medication alone could also be making a fish feel like it needs to scratch?

Wait the 7 days as the instructions say, would be my suggestion.

What is your water change routine?
What is the PH ?
Do you know the nitrates level?
Any ammonia in the tank?

Hello. Thank you so much for responding. You may read what I said in the answer above. I was expecting quicker treatment of it because of previous PraziPro efficacy a month or so ago.

My water change routine varies. The Only time I don't change water for 4-5 days is if fish are being treated by meds that need to sit in water for so long. I would say ever 2 - 3 days they get the water change. Yeah Im fully aware of the nitrogen cycle and how it works. If ammonia rises to 0.25 or 0.50 I dose with Prime and live bacteria. I measure almost daily. My Ph stays stable around 7.5 and I use filtered tap water with various conditioners in it.

Thank you again for taking time to respond!!
Yes this one fish definitely doesn't seem herself and doesn't swim as lively as the other 3.

Hi NinaJ
Welcome to the forum.
3 days is not a lot of time to expect to see a big improvement. Flashing or scratching is not something you suddenly stop doing just because you killed the mosquito that was biting you .

Yes do water changes. The medication alone could also be making a fish feel like it needs to scratch?

Wait the 7 days as the instructions say, would be my suggestion.

What is your water change routine?
What is the PH ?
Do you know the nitrates level?
Any ammonia in the tank?

Forgot to respond about nitrates. They are in ideal range as I WC frequently. They dont usually go above 10PPM and currently they are at 5 as of now.

I mean, carbon can absorb a lot, but I doubt it can take out an entire tankfull of medication with only a few grains present. But, then again, there's a reason why activated charcoal is so often used in chemistry; because it's effective at removing colors, smells, and particles you don't want. So...maybe?

that's what I was wondering. There were quite a few of them spilled at the bottom during first 2 days of treatment. On 3rd day direction say change 25% of water. So I gravel vacced and then found out how many there were. Then I dosed with 2nd packet of medication. Still not sure if all the grains are out.

What parasite do you have? and more importantly how do you know that is what you have?

I forgot to mention the fish that's doing the flashing was seen to have very long stringy clear white poop and clamps fins often. I don't think she's doing the rubbing on rocks for fun or that it's accidental. Other fish are not flashing at all.
I am attaching some pics of the fish. I'm not sure what reddening of the fins mean. I heard it can be sign of parasite or ammonia poisoning but I think it looks like the parasite thing?? They also have bit of pinkish hue on their white scales.
View attachment 865849