# Common Parasite That Stunts Growth In Serra's



## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

I have seen in post past where Rhom, Manny, an even some pygo keepers treat for a parasite that shows no side effects. They just rod the fish of nutrients an slow growth rate down. I was wondering what this was and what to treat it with. I don't know that any of my fish have it, but I would like to treat for it just in case and also if they did have it this would speed up the growing process. So anyone who knows anything on this please give me your .50 cents on it an what you did how it worked. Thanks


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## ChrisC (Aug 5, 2011)

Prazipro I believe is the medication used to treat internal parasites. Idk much about the parasites.


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## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

Do you know the proper way to treat it? What you have to do with the filters an the tank temp all that stuff?


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## ChrisC (Aug 5, 2011)

Keep everything the same and just treat I believe. It is for killing tapeworms, flatworms and gill flukes


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## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

Ok thank you very much I'll give it a shot just because... Since there is no real way to know if they have it what would it hurt to treat just in case they did have it


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## Johnny_Zanni (Nov 8, 2009)

Doesn't hurt to treat anyway. A lot of places treat all their wild piranhas. AEaquatics for example treated both mine before I got them.


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## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

This place I'm not sure they treat even the ones with visible issues lol


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## Red Sox Fanatic (Jun 13, 2011)

Prazipro huh??Does it help with growth???


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## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

it will only help with growth if your fish has an internal parasite that is robbing him of the food he intakes. the only way to know for us it to treat and see if his growth rate increases. if the first has no internal parasites it will do nothing for the fish


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## 0S1R1S (Aug 29, 2010)

Ryan, I treated the Manny with Prazipro once before, awhile ago. I only dosed once (one week's worth of treatment), but the Prazipro directions say you can treat the fish for more than 1 week to make sure you rid them of all parasites. I didn't want to over do it since the manny is picky with water conditions so I never did do a second run. Might be worth a try.


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## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

Thanks man, I was more leaning towards my new rhom on this. Manny seems to be coming a long pretty good actually I may give him one weeks dose. Seen your reds are looking nice glad everything is working out well


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## kove32 (Oct 26, 2004)

I have heard about this too, but if I'm not mistaken, there is no concrete evidence.. It has been something thrown around for quite a number of years. Don't expect your rhom to grow anything noticeable if you do treat it. There are many things like this such as the drip system and feeding your fish "growth" food like the feed game fish.


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## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

Kove!!! Your alive







Ha Ha So your saying those things help improve growth the most?? Wonder what food the game commission feeds? An if these are actually healthy for your fish an their colors


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## kove32 (Oct 26, 2004)

I am alive, just busy with school!

And no, sorry if my post was a bit confusing.. There are speculations on different reasons why the Rhoms grow so slow in home aquariums. If I'm not mistaken, their growth in their natural habitat is much quicker! Over the years that I have been here, many people have come up with different reasons why (aka parasites). To think that every rhom in captivity has these parasites is really unlikely. Like Johnny said, AE treated their fish before they were sent. This is just most likely to kill off parasites, just like our natives have parasites if we bring them into captivity. Will it speed up your rhoms growth? Probably not..

There was also a theory about a "drip system" (If my memory serves me correct). This theory was that if you constantly have water coming into and leaving the tank, and pristine condition, then your rhom's habitat would match the quality of the amazon, hence helping him grow quicker. I haven't heard much of that in a while.

Similarly, there was discussion about this food, almost like steroids for fish. It would help them grow rather quick just as the fish and game commission's fish grow extremely quick. Just off the top of my head, I would imagine it just loads them up with fat upon fat. For trout, and colder water fish this may not be bad. For a $1200 rhom that you want to keep healthy, the risk doesn't seem worth the reward. If it was worth it, I think we would see many many people doing it. Especially over at MFK where they strive to have their fish reach monster sizes.


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## MFNRyan (Mar 27, 2011)

Thanks man, I guess i'll do like every one else, an hope for the most but expect the least lol


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