Flashing post TTM

[Kalizean]

Hello all,

I had a very clear Cryptocaryon infection a few months ago. All fish went straight into TTM. After a total of 15 days, the fish went into a tank where I intended to observe them for several weeks. I soon noticed one of the fish scratching against the heater and decided to continue the transfers. As the TTM is rather easy and all fish were eating and in sound health otherwise, I was not too concerned about going forth with another round of transfers. It has now been about 26 days of utilizing the TTM.

As of this morning, all fish are in a larger tank to observe for the next several weeks. Just a moment ago I noticed one of the fish scratching...

I've taken a gill sample, which I have attached, they look pretty healthy to me.

I'd appreciate any input as to what else may be causing this behavior. All fish were prophylactically treated with prazi.

 

[Deinonych]

It could be latent irritation from the infection. One 12-day treatment of TTM will eliminate Crypto, let alone 26 days! How often does the flashing occur?

 

[Kalizean]

Thanks for the reply. That could be it. My only concern would be that it's been quite a while. The spots faded during the first round of transfers and this is the only possibly crypt related symptom I've seen since.

It isn't an often occurrence. Its tough to say but definitely not constant... (Flashing as I type this). When it does occur, it is a series of 5-6 flashes (scratch, swim back, repeat).

I feel like I'm becoming a hypochondriac for my fish.

 

[Triggerfish]

maybe try a FW dip see if anything falls off.

 

[snorvich]

maybe try a FW dip see if anything falls off.

That would only be useful for diagnosing flukes (which may be a possibilty)

 

[Kalizean]

Thanks for the replies. I did try a freshwater dip initially, before taking the gill biopsy. I let the water settle after removing the fish and then went along with a syringe carefully siphoning up anything on the bottom. I then looked at that under the microscope, drop by drop. I saw nothing but random debris.

 

[scooter31707]

I was thinking a possibility of gill flukes also.

 

[Kalizean]

Even with the prazi treatment? What else would you try?

 

[Triggerfish]

are all fish doing it? is there any sand in this tank?

 

[Kalizean]

No sand in the tank. It's just one fish that does it.

 

[scooter31707]

How many round of PP is you do? From my understanding is doesn't kill the eggs which is why it's recommend to do the second dose.

 

[Kalizean]

Definitely at least a couple of rounds. I actually dosed again last night.

 

[ThRoewer]

Flukes are not just one species, but rather several families with thousands of species. Some of them are unaffected by Praziquantel.

Also, TTM can fail either due to sterilization oversights or one of the rare cases where a parasite encyst on the fish.
When in doubt it may be best to do another round of tank transfers.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[Kalizean]

Hello all,

I managed to get a picture of whatever it is, clearly a ciliate. It looks a bit more oblong and just a little bit different from crypt that I've seen but I may just be in denial. Any thoughts on what this may be? Crypt or otherwise?

 

[Kalizean]

Other picture, a bit better I think.

 

[ThRoewer]

Where did you get samples from, out of the water or from a skin or gill scraping of a fish?
Ciliates are quite common in reef tanks and most are harmless.
The general appearance of whatever that is in the first two pictures could fit Cryptocaryon or Brooklynella and a lot of other ciliates, but it's hard to be sure from a less than stellar picture and without a size reference.

The microbe in last picture looks to me more like a Dinoflagellate and the general appearance would fit the free stage of Amyloodinium.
But it could also just be a Symbiodinium species (only if the sample is from a reef tank)

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[Kalizean]

Thanks for the reply.

It's from a skin scrape. Quarantine tank with no inverts. I believe the first was taken at 40x and then 100x.