Metronidazole, HELP! (UK)

[LewisH93]

Hi, I think my fish has internal parasites (clear stringy poo, belly starting to get sunken), I've been looking online and found out that I need medication containing metronidazole but cant seem to find anywhere that sells it in the UK? Anyone know where to get or order it from? What medication would you guys use and how?
Ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 10

 

[seangee]

Think you need a prescription. If Levamisole will work AFAIK this is the only one available in fish concentration https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B012WKCRTM/?tag=

You can also buy it for birds or cattle, but then you have to work out your own dosage.

 

[LewisH93]

Will this kill the beneficial bacteria in my tank? I only have a sponge filter? I read online that you need carbon to take the medication out the water but I only have a sponge filter? Would large water changes do the trick?

 

[Essjay]

If Levamisole will work AFAIK this is the only one available in fish concentration...

eSHa-ndx contains levamisole
And for completion, eSHa gdex contains praziquantel and Kusuri Wormer Plus contains flubendazole.
These treat worms of various types

But nothing without prescription contains metronidazole, which treats protozoan infections.




Water changes will remove medication after treatment has finished. But if you could fit a small cheap internal filter in the tank, and fill that with a bag of carbon, that would also work.

 

[LewisH93]

Oh okay thank you! What medication would you recommend me to use then? All 3 of them? I'm having trouble figuring out what to buy, quite new to the fish keeping hobby so all this is quite confusing lol

 

[Essjay]

It depends what is wrong with the fish. if it has round worms, then levamisole or flubendazole. If it has flat worms, then praziquantel. If it's a protozoan infection, I don't know what can be used. If it's bacterial, again that needs an antibiotic which needs a vet's prescription. If it's viral, there is no treatment.

However, I know someone who swears by Waterlife Octozin for internal infections. This contains dimetridazole which google suggests does treat protozoan infections.

 

[LewisH93]

How can I tell which worms it has? It's starting losing weight and doesn't really have an appetite? I dont have a second tank either? Will it be best if I euthanize it?

 

[LewisH93]

Any idea what it could be?

 

[Essjay]

I'm afraid I am not very good with diagnosis. Hopefully Colin_T will be able to help you work out what the issue is.

 

[LewisH93]

Ok thank you for your help, hopefully hes on soon! Lol

 

[LewisH93]

Anyone?

 

[Colin_T]

what symptoms do your fish have and how long have they had those symptoms?

 

[LewisH93]

White stringy poo, her belly looks like its shrinking and going more sunken in, not really eating.. other than that shes been swimming around.. about a week

 

[LewisH93]

About a week ago (tries getting answers on another site but was told everything was fine), look at the difference with her belly

 

[LewisH93]

?