PraziPro is reef safe, but it can kill tube worms/feather dusters and bristle worms or any other species that are part of the Polycladida order.
PraziPro can also cause cloudy water in some reef tanks since it contains Oxybispropanol ( a solubilizing agent) that can cause a bacterial imbalance in a reef tank.
If this is your first time dosing PraziPro in your reef tank you can learn more about PraziPro and why praziquantel is reef safe in the following article.
We’ll also go over how praziquantel works, and address some of the side effects PraziPro can have on the inhabitants of a reef aquarium.
Also if you’re looking for a quick and easy way to buy PraziPro we recommend buying it on Amazon (Buy Online) since it’s usually much cheaper than buying it at your local pet store.
Is PraziPro Safe for Corals?
Is PraziPro Reef Safe? PraziPro is safe for corals, and it can be used in most reef tanks as long you carefully follow the dosing instructions.
When you dose PraziPro in a reef tank make sure to calculate the actual amount of water in your aquarium. Take into account any live rock, sand, or anything else that might be displacing the water
PraziPro shouldn’t be used with sulfur or sulfinite-based water conditioners. These types of water conditioners can cause PraziPro to be less effective, and they can negatively impact a reef tanks dissolved oxygen levels.
If you have a heavily stocked tank it’s also a good idea to increase the amount of aeration in your aquarium when using PraziPro to help protect your fish and corals.
Will PraziPro kill shrimp?
Is praziquantel safe for shrimp? Praziquantel is shrimp and snail safe, and it won’t kill hermit crabs or urchins. Praziquantel will kill worms that are part of the Polycladida order. This group of animals includes flatworms, tube worms, bristle worms, and feather dusters.
In some cases, copepods might die off when a tank is dosed with PraziPro. While the exact reason for this is unknown it might have to do with a reduction of the dissolved oxygen levels in the water.
Copepod die off might also be related to the Oxybispropanol found in PraziPro which can cause bacterial blooms that can cause problems for certain copepod species.
The best way to avoid harming any of the invertebrates in your tank is to closely follow the dosing instructions printed on the PraziPro label.
Praziquantel Side Effects
Praziquantel can cause mild side effects in some fish, and it can bother certain species that require higher dissolved oxygen levels. Fish like wrasses are especially sensitive to praziquantel overdosing.
Mild appetite suppression is also a frequent praziquantel side effect that can occur in most fish which usually only lasts for 24 to 72 hours.
Oxygen depletion can cause fish to become lethargic and less active than normal. In some cases, corals might respond by retracting their polyps, and they might show signs of stress due to low oxygen levels.
What does PraziPro cure?
PraziPro treats parasites like flukes, tapeworms, flatworms, and turbellarians. When PraziPro is added to an aquarium it will quickly kill external parasites in 24 to 72 hours.
Some people also use PraziPro to treat intestinal worms by soaking fish food in PraziPro, but this is not advised since PraziPro contains Oxybispropanol which can damage a fish’s intestinal membrane.
If you need to treat intestinal worms it’s a good idea to use a powdered medication like API General Cure (Buy Online) or Thomas Labs Fish Tapes (Buy Online) since they are a pure source of praziquantel, and they don’t contain any solubilizing agents.
PraziPro Dosage
1 Tablespoon per 20 Gallons
Do a large water change before dosing PraziPro, and treat your water with a sulfur-free water conditioner like ULTIMATE ClorAm-X (Buy Online).
Also make sure to remove any activated carbon, and stop your protein skimmer and UV sterilizer since these will render PraziPro ineffective.
Vigorously shake the bottle of PraziPro to thoroughly mix up the settled praziquantel. Then you can add 1 tablespoon of PraziPro per 20 gallons of net water that needs to be treated.
How Does Praziquantel Work
Praziquantel works by inducing severe spasms and it will paralyze a flatworms muscles. This is accomplished by causing a rapid calcium influx inside the worm’s cellular membrane. Changes in a worm’s overall structure and morphology are also another one of the toxic effects of praziquantel.
Once the worms die they will either completely breakdown and dissolve into their surroundings. They might also fall off the fish, or they can be passed out intact in their stool.
Praziquantel is relatively ineffective against juvenile flukes and worms. It is usually effective against their larval stage, but effectiveness decreases when the worms are 3 to 4 weeks old. Then the effectiveness of praziquantel increases slowly until it’s fully effective again when the flukes or worms reach 6-7 weeks old.
How Long Does PraziPro Stay in the Water?
PraziPro will remain effective in water for 5 to 7 days. After that period it’s advised that you do a 50% to 75% water change. If you plan on treating the tank again you should wait 4 days before re-dosing. Then after 4 days do a 25% to 50% water change and re-dose again as needed every 5 to 7 days.
Activated carbon can also be used to remove PraziPro from the water in a reef tank. The activated carbon will chemically bind with the praziquantel and any other medications in the water. This method will ensure that 100% of the praziquantel is removed from the tank, unlike water changes which will still leave some Praziquantel in the water column.
READ MORE: Best RO DI System for a Reef Tank
What color is PraziPro?
PraziPro is usually clear but it can have a pinkish or even slightly yellow color. Hikari has stated that it’s normal for some batches to have a pinkish hue, while others can have a yellow/clear color. They are all equally effective and the only difference is a small change in the manufacturing process.
However, clumps in the liquid can be a sign that the bottle of PraziPro has been frozen, which means the active ingredients have been rendered ineffective. If you notice any clumps it’s best to dispose of the affected PraziPro and get a fresh bottle.
Praziquantel for Fish
Hikari USA PraziPro for Aquarium, 16-Ounce
Hikari PraziPro (Buy Online) is a highly effective way to treat flukes, tapeworms, flatworms, and turbellarians. This 16-Ounce bottle of PraziPro will treat up to 1,920 gallons.
Everything Aquatic Anti-Parasite Duo Flake
Everything Aquatic Anti-Parasite Duo Flake (Buy Online) is a medicated food that contains metronidazole and praziquantel. It comes in packages that range from 1 to 8-ounces, and the manufacturer also makes this blend of medication available in pellets.
This medicated food is great for treating internal worms and parasites, and it’s also useful to feed to quarantined fish as a prophylactic. It will also help save some time since you won’t have to wait to soak your fish food in medication.
API Powder General Cure 20 pack
API Powder General Cure 20 pack (Buy Online) is a powdered form of metronidazole and praziquantel fish medicine. This 20 pack of API General Cure will treat up to 200 gallons, and it is reef safe and it won’t discolor an aquarium’s water.
API General Cure can also be used to soak food to treat intestinal parasites. It can also be used in a quarantine tank to ensure that any new fish or corals are free of parasites before you add then to your display tank.
Thomas Labs Fish Tapes (Buy Online) are pure praziquantel tablets. Each capsule contains 34mg of praziquantel and each bottle contains 30 capsules.
One capsule will treat 4-gallons of water which means each bottle of Thomas Labs Fish Tapes will treat up to 120 gallons. You can also use the powder inside the capsules to make medicated food to treat intestinal worms.
Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3615395
https://web.stanford.edu/group/parasites/ParaSites2005/Praziquantel/Praziquantel.htm
