# What’s best for Sunken belly- API General Cure or PraziPro?



## Chacon Cichlids (9 mo ago)

I am not sure which to use??
So I have a few fish with sunken belly and kinda look lethargic. So I am wondering which medication will work best. 
Also, can the parasites be passed on to my other fish?


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## SenorStrum (Aug 14, 2020)

So... No?

Also, welcome to the forum!

I started to type out a long diatribe, but I'm tired. Here's the honest deal. We have no idea what's causing the sunken belly. I can think of any one of five or six things that cause that and some of them are behavioral.

However, I'm guessing that you believe that the sunken belly is due to lack of nutrition, probably due to parasites. This is reasonable, but not guaranteed. The shortest answer to your question is to feed the fish the general cure. If you put it in the water, it won't get into the fish, and therefore it will not cure any internal parasites. You will, however, buy MUCH more of the product than you need. API thanks you. The reason I'd go with general cure over prazipro is that the general cure is easier to get into food for the fish, doesn't go bad like prazipro does, and it contains an additional medicine - which is good because you really don't know what's going on. Let me know if you want to know how to make medicated food, it's easy.

When asking for help around here, folks are going to definitely want to know the details of your tank - it can matter. How big, what's it stocked with, and what are your measured parameters. Sometimes we can spot something off that can be easily addressed.


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## Chacon Cichlids (9 mo ago)

SenorStrum said:


> So... No?
> 
> Also, welcome to the forum!
> 
> ...


Yeah that would be great if you can share how to make the medicated food. Thank you.


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## SenorStrum (Aug 14, 2020)

This is the method that I use.
12.7. Making Medicated Food
Good luck!


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## Chacon Cichlids (9 mo ago)

SenorStrum said:


> This is the method that I use.
> 12.7. Making Medicated Food
> Good luck!


Thank you.


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## Auballagh (Jan 29, 2003)

Jeeeze....
Reading through that scholarly dissertation has made my own medication feeding process feel a bit, well..... lame?
I mean all I've ever done is get the powdered form Metronidazole,








and just mix that stuff into a small bowl of tank water. Once the powder is clear and fully dissolved into the water, I then just drop the dry pellets into the medication bowl for a pre-soak and they absorb that medication right up.
Feeding follows with the now-medicated pellets, as per 'usual'. Rinse - Repeat.
Too easy?


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Sounds like what I do as well Auballagh. Not even sure I fully dissolve the powder.


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## Chacon Cichlids (9 mo ago)

Auballagh said:


> Jeeeze....
> Reading through that scholarly dissertation has made my own medication feeding process feel a bit, well..... lame?
> I mean all I've ever done is get the powdered form Metronidazole,
> View attachment 142246
> ...


When you say repeat, when exactly do you repeat?
Also, do you know if the tank itself will be contaminated with whatever worm larvae/ eggs that the oral medication will not kill? Is that even a thing?


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## Auballagh (Jan 29, 2003)

Hmmmm....
'Repeat' means you are going to feeding medicated food for a full, 14 day cycle. So, if you feed twice per day? That's two offerings per day involving the medicated process of pre-soaking the pellet food with Metronidazole then feeding your fish with it. Apparent 'cures' or a somewhat miraculous return to health after a few days or so in providing medicated food, should in no way determine cessation of an antibiotic medication treatment regimen. Those treatment cycles need to run their full course over 14 days, to positively kill whatever organisms are internally attacking your fish.
And no, if you are treating for _Spironucleus vortens _outbreak in the intestinal tract of your cichlids (Bloat), worm larvae/eggs will not be a concern for causing additional infection or problems in your Cichlids. Maintaining or increasing your aquarium cleaning water change frequency and percentages however, could be of significant benefit to restoring the health of any sick fish.


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## Chacon Cichlids (9 mo ago)

Auballagh said:


> Hmmmm....
> 'Repeat' means you are going to feeding medicated food for a full, 14 day cycle. So, if you feed twice per day? That's two offerings per day involving the medicated process of pre-soaking the pellet food with Metronidazole then feeding your fish with it. Apparent 'cures' or a somewhat miraculous return to health after a few days or so in providing medicated food, should in no way determine cessation of an antibiotic medication treatment regimen. Those treatment cycles need to run their full course over 14 days, to positively kill whatever organisms are internally attacking your fish.
> And no, if you are treating for _Spironucleus vortens _outbreak in the intestinal tract of your cichlids (Bloat), worm larvae/eggs will not be a concern for causing additional infection or problems in your Cichlids. Maintaining or increasing your aquarium cleaning water change frequency and percentages however, could be of significant benefit to restoring the health of any sick fish.


Ok thank you so much. 
So they have sunken bellies (some fish not all) and pooping white poops. Not sure what the culprit is. 
So 14 days of feeding medicated food wont cause harm to them?


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## Auballagh (Jan 29, 2003)

No harm. Feeding 14 days of that medicated food to your ailing Cichlids will (hopefully) get their intestinal tracts back on, well, track. And should cure them of this problem they are having.
But, if you have a stubborn case of - something - that resists treatment? Then I would first treat for a full 14 days. After that, observe closely for another full 30 days (no medication). Then, if the problem persists, or seems to be actually getting worse? Treat your Cichlids again with another full, 14 day cycle of medicated food. 
That should almost certainly take care of the problem.


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## Chacon Cichlids (9 mo ago)

Auballagh said:


> No harm. Feeding 14 days of that medicated food to your ailing Cichlids will (hopefully) get their intestinal tracts back on, well, track. And should cure them of this problem they are having.
> But, if you have a stubborn case of - something - that resists treatment? Then I would first treat for a full 14 days. After that, observe closely for another full 30 days (no medication). Then, if the problem persists, or seems to be actually getting worse? Treat your Cichlids again with another full, 14 day cycle of medicated food.
> That should almost certainly take care of the problem.


Thank you 🙏🏽


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