# I'm really bummed out on how to use parasite guard....



## sholi (Jul 20, 2011)

For all, this is the parasite guard i'm gonna use, and i plan to treat them right away when i get enough info on how to treat them...
Tetra™ Parasite Guard® - Parasite Medications - Medications - PetSmart

In my 10g tank, i have 3 female guppies pooping white stringy poop right now

Ok, so this is how i think i'm suppose to use it...any errors?
1) feed fish
2) take out whole filter cartige
3) 25% change on water
4) cut 1 tablet of the medicine into 1/4ths (the circle tablet is about 1 inch in diameter)
4) dissolve 1/4 of 1 parasite guard tablet into cup with tank water
5) put dissolved parasite guard tablet water into aquarium
6) lets say, after 1 hour of putting the dissolved tablet in, i clean the filter cartige and put the filter cartige back in the filter and run it again
7) after 48 hours, repeat steps 2-6 again (of course i'll feed the fish)

This is a "note" that the description on the box says:
for tanks 40g plus, & for soft wtaer and/or water with low alkany, dissolve tablet b4 adding to tank. remove carbon from filter during use. treatment may repeated up to 2 time with 48 hours between treatments and a 25% change. For anchor worms or lice, repeat treatment up to 3 times using 1 time a week with a 25% water change.

Thank you, any errors found?


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Remove any carbon you have. If you have the type where the carbon is impreganated into the cartridge, then you'll need to get some filter fiber (sold at fish store) and place it in there to still be able to filter your water. Why are you cutting tabs in fourths? Isn't it one tab for every 10g?

Which part of the instructions is confusing you?


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## logan84 (Jul 27, 2011)

That all sounds good, especially if that is following the directions from the medicine. The only thing is that usually you would wait to put your filter media in for longer than an hour so the carbon doesn't eat up all the medicine... but the instructions should be followed if that's what they recommend. 

There are usually some good quality foods that are medicated to get rid of internal parasites, which seem to be your problem. They are SO much easier to use!


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## sholi (Jul 20, 2011)

So is the internal parasite the problem then i guess? i've got parasite guard because there was no medicated food at the lfs.


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## logan84 (Jul 27, 2011)

sholi said:


> So is the internal parasite the problem then i guess? i've got parasite guard because there was no medicated food at the lfs.


It's hard to say - it could be bacteria, an internal parasite or even digestion issues (which I would rule out since it sounds like it's hitting all three of your fish at once).

Are they showing any other signs of irritation? Chances are you have an internal parasite which you should be able to treat pretty easily.

Definitely remove your carbon from your filter, as suggested, so you actually benefit from the medicine.


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## sholi (Jul 20, 2011)

So if i remove the carbon form the filter, will it do anything for a week to my fish? (because the medication may take up to a week) i will keep the cartige filter in though. and theres no irritation.


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## logan84 (Jul 27, 2011)

Removing the carbon for a week won't have much of an affect. As long as you have some form of biofiltration (such as a sponge or similar that most common day filters have) you should be good. The carbon helps absorb impurities but the bacteria living in the biofilter from an established fish tank will do this as well. Sometimes the medicine can hurt the bacteria... but aside from chlorine or massive temperature changes the bacteria can be pretty hardy.


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