# Internal Parasite in tank. Bleach it?



## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

My yellow labs have been 'dropping' like flies. A week ago I found several dead. I figured overcrowded tank, someone gets aggressive, dead fish fouls tank, crash. I changed 70% of the water, threw in prime, stability and found another one dead the next day and another the day after that. I moved all the fish to new tank, and they kept dying. The corpses were slightly bloated, whitish rather than bright yellow and slightly darkened cheeks. They acted stressed before death, but didn't have red gills or gasping at the surface. 

Today I saw the first thing that could be diagnostic. 2 White egg-like round things handing from a thin threads out a fish's anus. I'm guessing some sort of worm. I've started them on Jungle anti-parasite food.

Is there anything else I can do for the fish? And what do I do with the tank I took the fish out of. Do I bleach it? Drain it? Just leave it for a month with no hosts?


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## SueM (Jan 23, 2004)

First, are they eating the anti-parasite food you offer? And what med is in it?
I make up a Medicated food that seems to work wonders for me. I use Tetra JumboMin pellets soaked in Garlic Guard ( http://www.petstore.com/ps_ViewItem-idProduct-SC4811.html )and Metronidazole. I have not seen a fish yet that wouldn't eat it. If you can not find garlic guard at least use the juice (water not oil) from a jar of chopped or crushed garlic. 
And yes, I would move then to a hospital tank, while you are sterilizing theirs.


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

emc7 said:


> Do I bleach it?


em:

IMHO yes.

Many pathogens are way beyond what I would term "very pesky little devils" but even viral pathogens cannot survive an extended contact time with a chlorine solution.

The potable water which comes out of your faucet must have a minimum residual of 1ppm chlorine equivalent concentration and this is subsequent to a chlorination contact time during it's production at the plant.

If I had this mess on my hands I would place the tank on the back porch, fill it with warm water, add enough chlorine in order that a very heavy chlorine odor is present, refill with chlorine and stir for several days.

Evacuate the chlorine solution and place the tank in a sunny area of your back yard for several days.

If this does not "get it done" the tank should go into in "red bag waste receptacle" at the nearest hospital.

TR


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