Has Anyone Used Seachem Metroplex and Focus to Treat Internal Parasites?!!

[HotRocks]

Can you upload pics of the eye? It could be an infection or flukes if there are eye problems.

Metroplex+focus in food will treat for intestinal parasites. It wouldn't do anything for an eye problem.

Focus binds metro to food. If you are dosing metro into water you'd need to do so in a QT.

 

[Ryanevo2003]

So I just picked up a clownfish 3 days ago that definitely has white stringy poop which has brought me here researching. I understand I should treat with metro and focus but my problem is he is spitting all the food back out and not eating at all. He’s showing interest in food just won’t keep it in. I’ve tried all the food I have with no luck which caused for concern. If I food soak I’m worried he’s just not gonna eat it. I would just treat the water but I have corals and my understanding is treating the water is not reef safe. I’m not positive but I need some advise. How should I attack this? Thanks in advance

 

[HotRocks]

You definitely don't want to dose the water in a reef tank. Metronidazole is not reef safe.

If you move the fish to a QT you could dose the water.

Without the fish eating it's going to be tough to get the meds to the gut where they are needed. Dosing the water isn't always effective but could possibly provide enough relief to the point that the fish will eat again and then you could medicate the food at that point.

I will also say if he's eating and spitting that can still get some medication absorbed as well. What are you feeding? Any frozen foods?

 

[Ryanevo2003]

You definitely don't want to dose the water in a reef tank. Metronidazole is not reef safe.

If you move the fish to a QT you could dose the water.

Without the fish eating it's going to be tough to get the meds to the gut where they are needed. Dosing the water isn't always effective but could possibly provide enough relief to the point that the fish will eat again and then you could medicate the food at that point.

I will also say if he's eating and spitting that can still get some medication absorbed as well. What are you feeding? Any frozen foods?

Flakes are the only thing he will go after so far. I have tried frozen mysis shrimp and no interest. Just so I understand it correctly the metro with focus to treat using food is reef safe correct? Treating the water alone is not.

 

[Manthanol]

Flakes are the only thing he will go after so far. I have tried frozen mysis shrimp and no interest. Just so I understand it correctly the metro with focus to treat using food is reef safe correct? Treating the water alone is not.

I've had good success with newly acquired clownfish to eat Hikari seaweed extreme and/or PE mysis pellets. Once eating the pellets successfully then soak the pellets with sealcon/zoecon, focus, metro/GC (let it air dry) to feed them. Good luck, it's very frustrating when newcomers don't eat and starve to death. I just lost a diamond goby in QT, spat everything out.

 

[Ryanevo2003]

I've had good success with newly acquired clownfish to eat Hikari seaweed extreme and/or PE mysis pellets. Once eating the pellets successfully then soak the pellets with sealcon/zoecon, focus, metro/GC (let it air dry) to feed them. Good luck, it's very frustrating when newcomers don't eat and starve to death. I just lost a diamond goby in QT, spat everything out.

I appreciate the help. I think I’m putting a good game plan together. I’ll pick up some pellets also. Worth a shot

 

[Ross Petersen]

Hah! I'm lost now. I misunderstood. I use metro short for metroplex.

I may have missed this: in a newer display tank that doesn’t have corals yet (just a couple clowns), is it reasonable to add metroplex (or API GC) to the food only... or would this comprise the water for coral and inverts down the road? Thx

 

[Big G]

I may have missed this: in a newer display tank that doesn’t have corals yet (just a couple clowns), is it reasonable to add metroplex (or API GC) to the food only... or would this comprise the water for coral and inverts down the road? Thx

Can remove the metro by running carbon for a few days and regular water changes.

 

[CindyKz]

I may have missed this: in a newer display tank that doesn’t have corals yet (just a couple clowns), is it reasonable to add metroplex (or API GC) to the food only... or would this comprise the water for coral and inverts down the road? Thx

If you use Focus to bind the medication to the food it won't be a problem. Just don't overfeed, you don't want a lot of the medicated food left over to be consumed by your CUC/inverts. As Big G stated, you can run carbon if you're concerned about residual meds in the water.

 

[Cichlidguy77]

Why does everyone say 1 scoop metroplex when the directions state 1 scoop per 10 gallons? Honestly asking because I just followed the instructions and did 8 scoops of metroplex and 8 scoops of focus.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Why does everyone say 1 scoop metroplex when the directions state 1 scoop per 10 gallons? Honestly asking because I just followed the instructions and did 8 scoops of metroplex and 8 scoops of focus.

The trouble is - one is a dose for the water and the other is a "dose" for the food, but it is NOT calculated correctly. The proper dose for metronidazole in food is 1% by weight. So - the 1:1 mix of Focus + Metro is just to bind it. The "as fed" dose is then based upon how much food you add it to. If you mix it will too much food, the dose will be too low to work. If you add it to too little food, it can be toxic to the fish, or at the very least, it makes the mix very bitter and the fish refuse to eat it. Here is an article where I discuss this:

Proper Dosing of Medicated Foods

Proper Dosing of Medicated Foods Jay Hemdal c. 2020 Oral medications are an excellent way to target internal diseases of fishes. Marine fish absorb aquarium water, so in certain cases, they “drink” enough medication from the water to effect a cure. However, freshwater fish actively export...

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