PANACUR FOR EQUINES ( HORSES ) 5.2 GRAMS

By Robin and Ron Futrell
15-12-02

You will be using a total of 1/32 tsp of Panacur (22% Fenbendazole) per 4oz total food (beefheart works best) in a 2 dose (one day) worming. Using it inside the food is the most effective way to use this drug - it does not dissolve well in water nor do we recommend this drug be used in water. Begin by starving fish for 12 hours before feeding so they'll be good and hungry and won't turn their noses up at the treated food. Take 1/32 tsp Panacur granules and grind into a very fine powder - we use a pharmacists' mortar. Take 4oz of beefheart, flatten out and sprinkle ground Panacur over the top (imagine you're heavily salting food), fold the beefheart over, then soak the mixture in the fridge for about an hour before feeding it to the fish. Feed the remaining medicated beefheart again 8-12 hours later. Wait 6-8 days (depending on the life cycle of the worm you're treating for) and repeat this procedure and then repeat again 10 days later. Feed your fish normally during this "wait period" and do not pre-mix the treated food as the drug will lose it's potency (as most all drugs do). We find it best to not feed the fish their night-time meal, mix one worming early in the morning, feed it to them, then don't feed them again until their second dose is due (8-12 hours later). We usually wait until the 8th day to give them their second worming and 12 days to give them their third worming. Each worming consists of two doses and 1/32 tsp Panacur per 4oz food will deworm about 100 fish for two doses (one worming). Bloodworms can be used instead of beefheart by soaking frozen worms inside a small bowl of tank water for approximately 1 hour. Soak in same dosage as with beefheart. Live worms are only recommended for use if your fish will not eat anything else. At same dosage, soak worms inside small bowl with small amount of tank water until first few begin to slow down and die. Feed immediately. This drug is not recommended for use inside the water.

If the fish have any kind of lump in the stomach, they've not been passing their feces at a normal rate, they've had the worms in excess of 3 months or if you suspect the fish are infested with worms, we suggest you clean them out before treatment, 72 hours after the first treatment and then again 48 hours after the second and third treatments. Be sure to keep a check on how well they pass their feces during this time as sometimes it's hard for the fish to pass the worms, dead or otherwise. They may require a fourth cleaning out if they're having a hard time passing their feces or if they're passing it at a rate YOU don't feel like is normal for them. You're the only one who can make that decision since you're the only one who sees them on a daily basis. Also be sure and watch them throughout the deworming procedure for signs of darkening in color, stress bars, etc., to be sure you're not over medicating your fish. While Panacur is the safest dewormer we've found to use on discus, all fish react differently and may not need a third worming. You will be able to tell by watching your fish closely. Clean them out using Epsom salt inside their food as we've found it's most effective when put directly inside their gut (remember, that's where the worms are so it only makes sense that it would be most effective when used this way). Normal dosage for cleaning out a fish is 1/8 tsp Epsom salt per 4oz (112gms) beefheart. This dosage changes if you hafta clean them out throughout the de-worming process so if this applies to you, we ask that you contact us for proper dosage as it will be based on your individual case. Any of the special circumstances mentioned above or if the fish aren't passing their feces normally the morning after the second dose was administered, will need a change in the Epsom salt dosage.

We do not recommend deworming fish under 6 months of age or less than 3.5 inches in size. However, if life is threatened, treat with only 1/3 the amount recommended in this article (cut the dose by 2/3) and space their second day's dose to 18 hours instead of 12 hours. Do not give them the follow up treatment 6-8 days later for eggs until they reach the required 6 months of age unless they begin to exhibit signs of the worms taking control again. The reason for this is that much of a discus' immune system is developed during the first 6 months of their lives. We strongly believe that deworming your fish before that time will inhibit the proper development of it and could result in the fish being less able to fight the colonization of worms by itself - without the help of wormers. The earlier you deworm your fish while the immune system is developing, the more likely they are to need dewormings throughout their lives.

May I suggest the above directions be read carefully and understood before beginning treatment. If you don't understand what you're doing and/or why you're doing it, please call or email us so we can help straighten it out in your mind before you begin treating the fish. It's almost impossible to overdose with the Panacur (and Epsom salt for that matter), however, getting too much in their stomachs at once could cause the fish to get a belly ache for a few days. When used as directed here it will only make them feel great again (provided you're treating for the right kind of worm). Also please remember - a discus fish has an incredible immune system. It's only when they are under some kind of stress that the immune system breaks down and allows worms to take over so if you're fish have worms and you can't think of any logical reason why they would have them (shipping stress, getting bullied all the time, malnutrition, etc), look to your water conditions for the cause. Pinpointing the actual cause is the only way to make sure your discus fish stays healthy after treating for the result of the immune system breakdown. Let us know if we can help you.