Bicolor Angel sick :(

[sdunkin]

I got a bicolor angelfish almost 2 weeks ago, and he's been in QT doing well until the last couple days. I just finished a quinine sulfate treatment on the whole tank, so I'm assuming it shouldn't be ich. I'm wondering if it is flukes? Is it okay to go ahead and start dosing prazipro if it is?

He's showing interest in food, but no longer eating. Breathing heavy with red gills, but there is no ammonia in the QT tank according to my seachem badge.

Here are some pics:

I've currently got him dipping in Paraguard in case its bacterial/fungal. I've got paraguard and prazipro here at the moment, but I'm ordering from MarineDepot tonight if I need to get some new meds. How should I proceed? Is it flukes?

 

[b0bab0ey]

Flukes are internal worms, so you can't see it unless it's in the eyes. The only symptom of Flukes that I'm aware of is head twitching/shaking. If you suspect he has Flukes, I'd give him a f/w bath. You should see the Flukes fall right off and settle on the bottom. Just make sure the temp and pH of the f/w is exactly the same as your tank!

 

[MrTuskfish]

There are many species of flukes and they can be either internal or external parasites. Dosing with Prazi-Pro won't hurt, but I doubt this is your problem. Bi-Colors are still a very "iffy" fish to acclimate; much depends on their origin. Some of these fish are still caught with cyanide and loss of appetite is often the only visible symptom. Cyanide caught are also often much more colorful than normal. I hope this isn't the problem, but its a real possibility. The timing is in the ballpark for a cyanide caught fish too; but this is just an educated guess.

 

[MrTuskfish]

Flukes are internal worms, so you can't see it unless it's in the eyes. The only symptom of Flukes that I'm aware of is head twitching/shaking. If you suspect he has Flukes, I'd give him a f/w bath. You should see the Flukes fall right off and settle on the bottom. Just make sure the temp and pH of the f/w is exactly the same as your tank!

How can flukes "fall off" if they are only an internal parasite?

 

[b0bab0ey]

How can flukes "fall off" if they are only an internal parasite?

Well, you're right. I guess I get confused because there are many different species of flukes. Some infest the gills, some infest the skin, some do both. But it seems the most common flukes are the 1mm flatworm variety that infest the gills. Thus the head twitching. So I think of flukes infesting the gills as something internal for some reason. In any case, a f/w dip will kill flukes, they fall out of the gills (or off the skin) and on to the bottom of whatever you're using to do the f/w dip in.

 

[sdunkin]

He died last night. I was thinking cyanide last night when I was flushing him, because it moved very fast and I realized the same thing happened with a previous fish that I bought that turned out to be cyanide caught as well. He was supposedly caught in Fiji, according to the place I ordered from.

I would of done a fw dip but I didn't have anything to adjust the pH, and then test it afterwards.

 

[MrTuskfish]

He died last night. I was thinking cyanide last night when I was flushing him, because it moved very fast and I realized the same thing happened with a previous fish that I bought that turned out to be cyanide caught as well. He was supposedly caught in Fiji, according to the place I ordered from.

I would of done a fw dip but I didn't have anything to adjust the pH, and then test it afterwards.

For what its worth, I don't anything would have saved this fish. Sometimes fish just don't make it and we never really know why; its happened to about everyone. Fiji fish are generally excellent; but bicolors are difficult (supposedly getting better), no matter where they come from.

 

[b0bab0ey]

Sorry for your loss.