The effect of flubendazole on bacteria filtration cycle and plants

[confused_aquarist]

I am about to start flubendazole treatment for my tank of clown killifish which are infected with intestinal worm.
My plan is to have the treatment going for an entire month, since I cannot identify precisely the species of this intestinal parasite and do not know their life cycle.
The fish are stressed when isolated in non-planted tank so this time I want to treat the entire tank.
They have just recovered from hexamita.
My question, for people familiar with flubendazole use with any inputs appreciated, would this kill beneficial bacteria inside the tank and ruin the water quality, and also might it also harm the plants? I have anubias, microsolium, and floating plants.

 

[gwand]

I would only treat two consecutive times, each time for 48 hours. Flubendazole is potent. I have found no effect on denitrifying bacteria or on Anubias, corynewentii or Amazon swords or Java ferns.

 

[confused_aquarist]

I would only treat two consecutive times, each time for 48 hours. Flubendazole is potent. I have found no effect on denitrifying bacteria or on Anubias, corynewentii or Amazon swords or Java ferns.

Okay. Can I also ask what dose you used to treat if you could remember, and how many days in between each cycle. I can't tell if the nematode is egg-laying or live-bearing, though it looks like the most typical roundworm with no special feature and no longer than a millimeter long and invisible to naked eye. I wonder if I should just assume that it takes 1 week for them to hatch.

 

[gwand]

Okay. Can I also ask what dose you used to treat if you could remember, and how many days in between each cycle. I can't tell if the nematode is egg-laying or live-bearing, though it looks like the most typical roundworm with no special feature and no longer than a millimeter long and invisible to naked eye. I wonder if I should just assume that it takes 1 week for them to hatch.

I’ll get back to you. I have the dose written down at home.

 

[Colin_T]

Deworming medications do not harm bacteria.

If you are deworming fish, treat them once a week for 3-4 weeks. This makes sure you kill any baby worms that hatch from eggs.

You should do a huge (75-90%) water change and gravel clean the substrate 24-48 hours after each treatment. Clean the filter too. This will remove any worms that have been expelled.

You should treat all the tanks at the same time so you don't reinfect the tanks that you just treated. Treat plants tanks too. Ideally you just leave the fish in their normal tanks and treat them all there. There is no point isolating individual fish to treat because all the fish will have them.

 

[gwand]

Okay. Can I also ask what dose you used to treat if you could remember, and how many days in between each cycle. I can't tell if the nematode is egg-laying or live-bearing, though it looks like the most typical roundworm with no special feature and no longer than a millimeter long and invisible to naked eye. I wonder if I should just assume that it takes 1 week for them to hatch.

Dose is 1 gram per 100 gallons. I use a gram scale I bought on Amazon for pretty cheap.

 

[confused_aquarist]

Thank you guys! I have ended the treatment and confirmed all fish to be worm-free. Finally, they have a clean gut.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

For future reference re Flubendazole:

http://www.inkmkr.com/Fish/FlubendazoleTreatment.pdf
and
http://www.inkmkr.com/Fish/FlubendazoleArticle.pdf

I buy Flubendazole and Levamisole HCL from http://www.inkmkr.com/Fish/ItemsForSale.html