Expel P

[Jeff]

Seeing the Co-Op commercial for EP in Zenzo's video got me thinking. 

Instead of using Expel P in situational circumstances, can I just add it as a 4th med to the med trio in quarantine? 
 

Wouldn't this make more sense instead of waiting for something to happen? If not, what am I missing? 

[Jeff]

bump.

Anyone use it as another med added to the trio in quarantine?

[laritheloud]

I do not combine Expel P/Levamisole with the other 3 meds, but on livebearers or wildcaught fish, I think it's a good idea to add it as a quarantine med before adding to the display. It's an ordeal to put the display tanks through when an infestation is suspected. 😞

To elaborate, I do a week of General Cure (or Paracleanse), rest the fish, administer Levamisole round 1, water change, General cure round 2, water change, then continue with two more rounds of levamisole before clearing the fish from quarantine. I don't use antibiotics or Ich meds unless I see a reason to use them.

Edited December 20, 2021 by laritheloud

[HH Morant]

I have not tried Expel P as part of the trio.

I think levamisole, like most medications aimed at internal parasites, is most effective in the food. Some (aquariumscience.org) would argue that such medications are not effective at all if they are added to the water column. That would include Paracleanse, which contains metronidazole and praziquantel. 

I have used Paracleanse, Expel P, metronidazole powder, and praziquantel powder in food in my display tank. I have even used levamisole powder sold as sheep dip. Before the treatments, I had multiple fish deaths from internal parasites. It is hard to say whether the treatments saved any fish, although I had no deaths after the treatments. I saw no negative effects. I don't think it hurts healthy fish to eat medicated food, and all my fish ate it.

 

[Jeff]

Does anyone think there's a negative / side effect to adding it to the med trio?

Edited December 20, 2021 by Jeff

[PineSong]

I put all new fish through both Paracleanse and Expel-P, but I do not use them at the same time. The Fritz website may be the best source of info about whether they recommend doing both at once.

I do Paracleanse according to the instructions on the box first and then after a week or so, I do Expel-P, wait a week and do the second Expel-P dose. 

I QT fish for 4 weeks, so there is time for both without having them be back to back.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 21, 2021 by PineSong

[laritheloud]

@PineSong has a similar quarantine routine to mine, but I do a second round of Paracleanse at the end. Quarantine ends up at around 5 to 6 weeks for me since I go through full parasite treatments now.