Gill Flukes that won't go away

S

snuffie381

New member
I have been dealing with gill flukes in quarantine tanks for weeks now. All of the fish have been through three weeks of Cupramine after which they were moved into two different frag tanks and another (newly setup) quarantine. I have dosed Prazipro every 5 to 7 days, every 3 days, and double dosed and yet the fish still have flukes. After velvet eliminated most of my 265, little did I think that velvet and ich would be gone yet the flukes be so difficult. The latest experiment I tried was bringing the salinity down to 1.014-1.015 having read that deals with some strains. After two days of that the fish still seem to have flukes. I had read it takes two days for juveniles and adults and then five days for the eggs...could it be the hatching eggs that have yet to die that I'm seeing? Could I even see them with the naked eye? I will say that in the lower salinity the Copperband really chases down food and all 3 fish are eating well(Copperband, Orange Shoulder, and Kole Tang). I'm not interested in the anecdotal two year life span that comes with Formalin/Formalin based products but is this all I have left?
 
I would drop the salinity down to 1.009 and keep it constant there for 5 days minimum (you will need a calibrated refractometer and stay on top of evaporations). If that doesn't do it you will have to resort to formalin. 2-3 treatments 5 days a part.
 
Have. You tried TTM with the freshwater dips in between transfers rather than putting them back in the same tank. I assume you are checking ammonia levels too in the qt tanks . Good that they are eating in hyposalinity . If lagabezan's trick doesn't do it . I would consider trying metronidazole and then lastly the formalin as a dip but not a continuous bath
 
Dropping the salinity to 1.009 would cause PH problems I can't really deal with and from what I understand 1.015 should be low enough to deal with the ones that are affected by a lower salinity.

My tanks have no ammonia as Seachem Matrix does a pretty good job with beneficial bacteria.

I didn't think TTM worked for flukes mainly because a freshwater dip wouldn't kill all of them.

As far as the Prazipro date is concerned the first few treatments were done with a bottle that was about 18 months old but not expired and the last few have been with a new bottle.

Currently trying Paraguard(started yesterday) to see if it can get the job done.
 
TTM won't work on flukes based on what I read because they complete their entire lifecycle on the fish; they don't crawl off the fish to lay their eggs.
 
Different species of gill flukes exist. Some lay eggs and that is why I recommended the TTM just for the sake of not introducing the fish back into the same tank to become reinfected . Paraguard sounds worthy of a try. Praziquantel was usually listed as drug of choice. Yet I remember that some others have been reporting failure with prazipro too . There are many species of flukes and you may have a difficult one. Dylox has been recommended in use against flukes in koi . I have never used it on marine fish . Bought some yet chickened out on using it . I have been lucky with the FW dips in knocking them off . I do it in between transfers during my treatment/quarantine protocol on new arrivals . Prazipro and metronidazole are some of my initial meds used in the TTM method . So with fw dips, I usually do 3 to 5 total during treatment stage depending on the initial evaluation. . The other nonmedication alternative would be to use the diatomaceous earth filters that are supposed to filter out at micron stage . Marine land makes one . I am throwing ideas out and hopefully you don't have to continue with treatments if the paraguard works.
 
Another possibility is to try fenbendazole (Panacur) I bought it and never used . The fish I had eventually bulked upand I never proceeded with the treatment of intestinal parasite
 
After 3 days the Paraguard didn't seem to be doing much dosed into the QT. I don't see anything at the bottom of the barebottom tank. I did a 20 minute six x dose(as per the recommended dip dosage) today and there seemed to be flukes as well as these little white looking balls(worms?) at the bottom. Don't want to freshwater dip tonight as I did that yesterday and then Paraguarded them today, so I will do it tomorrow night and see what comes off.

Based on what has happened with my Prazipro experience in the frag tanks I'm starting to think it weakens the fish to the flukes that are resistant to it...allowing them to cause even more damage to the fish. My fish have had more flukes after Prazipro(double dose) than before.
 
Well seeing something at the bottom after the concentrated dose sounds positive. That means they are susceptible to it . I have to use that in my treatment regimen if FW dips do not succeed . It's hard to say if praziquantel usage is producing resistance . They just may not be susceptible to it. This allows the parasite to multiply. One of the issues that seems to pop up with praziquantel is appetite supression . How true that is , I don't know. I use prazipro only with new arrivals and those fish often are spooked and often not hungry to begin with in a QtTank .
 
Just FW dipped the Copperband and this is the first time 0 flukes came off. Maybe there was one there as it's always hard to tell as gill flukes are so small but I may have found an answer here. Gonna dip the two tangs and see how "clean" they are.
 
After dipping the two tangs I feel like the flukes are gone. I FW dip in an airstoned ziplock bag floated for temperature but both of the tangs pooped in the bag within one or two minutes. The water becomes dirty pretty quickly so while it's hard to see anything coming off of the fish I can't say I see any flukes floating around or at the bottom. I'm going to assume there are eggs potentially and check again in a few days. Does stuff always come off of fish(making water dirty) when doing a FW dip even if there is no flukes/worms on them?
 
Not really do I see other floaties . When I dip I usually do it for very short amt of time . Less than 2 min. Some say to do longer but I watch the fish carefully . If at anytime do I see stress I pull them out. Now I usually don't do it for a long time because I may not see symptoms. I just do it for the reassurance . If I see symptoms then I may go longer or do multiple dips over time . Good to know that this has resolved. This is one parasite that if unchecked can cause the demise of the fish over a period of time . NOW about those frag tanks . They can be suspect since you had put them in there . They can be a source of reinfection . If it were me . I would never have put fish in there as a QT tank . So my advice is to take them down and sterilize the system . You can always dip the coral in coralrx or similar product. And start the system over .
 
Got some new acquisitions and now trying the paraguard . The fish from the LFS was itching . It was in all of their tanks . So after the concentrated dip for an hour, I did see clear floaties that looked like flukes . I immediately added general cure that has prazipro and metronidazole combined . So in three days I will FW dip inbetween the tank transfer . And post an update
 
Louis Z said:
Got some new acquisitions and now trying the paraguard . The fish from the LFS was itching . It was in all of their tanks . So after the concentrated dip for an hour, I did see clear floaties that looked like flukes . I immediately added general cure that has prazipro and metronidazole combined . So in three days I will FW dip inbetween the tank transfer . And post an update
Click to expand...


How did the fish do with API General Cure. I have tried it a few times with disastrous results...fish killed. Added as directed in a 50g (40 water)...4 packets, which just the next day the fish were dead.
 
RegalAngel said:
How did the fish do with API General Cure. I have tried it a few times with disastrous results...fish killed. Added as directed in a 50g (40 water)...4 packets, which just the next day the fish were dead.
Click to expand...

I personally have used GC with no ill results. certain wrasses are sensitive with prazipro so its best to go slow and increase it slowly. The prazipro in GC will reduce oxygen levels in the tank so you want to make sure you add an airstone or face a powerhead toward the surface to promote good gas exchange (or the fish can suffocate). Also I personally add the packets to a paper cup with some tank water in it, mix it very well and then add it to the qt slowly.
 
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