Fritz Expel-P versus ParaCleanse

[Any Huit]

Hi again!

In your opinion, what are the main differences between Expel-P and ParaCleanse? Is one better than the other? Is expel-p worth having on hand for treating parasites like worms?

I've only used ParaCleanse along with Maracyn and ich-x as the med trio. I've got betta fishies.

Thanks again for sharing your experiences! Any advice & your patience always helps 🙂

A curious betta person

Edited August 1, 2022 by Any Huit

[Guppysnail]

They treat different types of worms  I could not remember which did which so I copied this from the net to give you a more complete answer than I could offer off the top of my head  I hope this helps  

Expel-P from Fritz Aquatics is used as a deworming medication and is intended to treat parasites such as Planaria, Nematodes (like Camallanus Red Worms), Roundworms, Nodular Worms and Hookworms.

Fritz ParaCleanse treats and controls of a wide variety of parasitic diseases. Use Fritz ParaCleanse for outbreaks of aquatic parasites including velvet (Oodinium dinoflagellates), hole-in-the-head disease (Hexamita sp. & Spironucleus), fish lice, or skin and gill flukes

Edited August 1, 2022 by Guppysnail

[Any Huit]

On 8/1/2022 at 12:45 PM, Guppysnail said:

They treat different types of worms  I could not remember which did which so I copied this from the net to give you a more complete answer than I could offer off the top of my head  I hope this helps  

Expel-P from Fritz Aquatics is used as a deworming medication and is intended to treat parasites such as Planaria, Nematodes (like Camallanus Red Worms), Roundworms, Nodular Worms and Hookworms.

Fritz ParaCleanse treats and controls of a wide variety of parasitic diseases. Use Fritz ParaCleanse for outbreaks of aquatic parasites including velvet (Oodinium dinoflagellates), hole-in-the-head disease (Hexamita sp. & Spironucleus), fish lice, or skin and gill flukes

Cool, thank you! Personally, have you ever had to use expel-p or somthing like it for hookworms? are hookworms, roundworms etc common?

Just not sure if I should buy now or wait and buy if those parasites ever happen 🙂

[Guppysnail]

On 8/1/2022 at 8:51 AM, Any Huit said:

Cool, thank you! Personally, have you ever had to use expel-p or somthing like it for hookworms? are hookworms, roundworms etc common?

Just not sure if I should buy now or wait and buy if those parasites ever happen 🙂

I used paracleanse on guppies once. I’m not big on meds unless I have no choice and then I would ask here so I’m not one to ask. I don’t preemptively medicate and have been very fortunate over my life to not run into roundworms in fish. Most external parasites can be dealt with using standard aquarium salt. I’ve never dealt with hookworms. 

[nabokovfan87]

Expel-P: Typically for internal parasites
Paracleanse: Typically for external parasites

I have run both, no issues with either. Of note, when you run Expel-P, be sure to black out the tank for 24 hours.  Light breaks down the medication (Levamisole)

With both of these you're typically going to want to run 2 treatments, sometimes 3 if you see the parasites directly.

On 8/1/2022 at 5:51 AM, Any Huit said:

Cool, thank you! Personally, have you ever had to use expel-p or somthing like it for hookworms? are hookworms, roundworms etc common?

Just not sure if I should buy now or wait and buy if those parasites ever happen 🙂

I had some fish that seemingly never were interested in being fish.  Layed on the bottom, etc.  After about a year I decided to run them for internal parasites.  They never really showed an interest in food and that can be one of the symptoms.  It's just something to note, as you see the fish behave you may wish you did treat them.  I do appreciate the approach of only treating them when it makes sense to do so.

You would do one med, then give the fish a rest, then do the other.  Cory has a really awesome video on the topic.
 

 

[Waterlife]

I love using expel p because my wasting away fish get healthy again and actually live instead of die.  

[Odd Duck]

On 8/1/2022 at 5:56 AM, Any Huit said:

Hi again!

In your opinion, what are the main differences between Expel-P and ParaCleanse? Is one better than the other? Is expel-p worth having on hand for treating parasites like worms?

I've only used ParaCleanse along with Maracyn and ich-x as the med trio. I've got betta fishies.

Thanks again for sharing your experiences! Any advice & your patience always helps 🙂

A curious betta person

They each treat different types of parasites.  There is some overlap in the types of parasites treated, but @Guppysnail’s post gets it down to the basics pretty well.  Levamisole (Expel-P) is swallowed by the fish and paralyzes the parasites so they are expelled.  But it is not significantly absorbed by the fishes GI tract so it is very safe with very minimal risk of side effects.  The biggest risk would be if a fish had so many parasites that they form a blockage as they release from the gut.  This is very rare, but theoretically can happen.

Paracleanse is a combo med (Praziquantal and Metronidazole).  The Praziquantal is swallowed but not significantly absorbed and also acts as a paralytic for the parasites (but for different species of parasites than Levamisole).  It treats internal tapeworms and external flukes (including gill flukes).  The Metronidazole is swallowed and absorbed from the GI tract plus it has some antimicrobial effects.  It can get some internal and some external parasites plus certain bacterial infections.  It even has some anti-inflammatory properties, particularly on the gut wall, so it can help animals feel better more quickly if they have certain types of internal parasites or certain bacterial GI infections.

Edited January 5, 2023 by Odd Duck
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