Mysterious fish deaths are more common now (Flukes)

[FortyFour]

If done properly, how stressful is a freshwater dip?

Back story. I've had a male clown for maybe 3 years and he stopped eating 3 days ago, showed heavy breathing, and has looked uncomfortable in his mannerisms. Today he ate well, but still looks uncomfortable IMO. I've experienced flukes before and remember them being visible. I know they aren't always visible, but the fact I can't see anything means I'm not 100% sure it's flukes and I'm reluctant to treat that way in fear of stressing him out more.

Helpful thread. Thank you.

 

[billsreef]

Less stressful than being infected with flukes Clowns normally tolerate FW dips quite well. Just make sure the FW is close to tank temp, well aerated, dechlorinated and pH between about 7.5 and normal tank pH.

 

[FortyFour]

I have everything on hand, including prazipro. But I came home today and the clown seems back to normal, leading me to believe that whatever it was, he fought it off naturally. I think I'm going to standby for now.

 

[Deinonych]

If done properly, how stressful is a freshwater dip?

Back story. I've had a male clown for maybe 3 years and he stopped eating 3 days ago, showed heavy breathing, and has looked uncomfortable in his mannerisms. Today he ate well, but still looks uncomfortable IMO. I've experienced flukes before and remember them being visible. I know they aren't always visible, but the fact I can't see anything means I'm not 100% sure it's flukes and I'm reluctant to treat that way in fear of stressing him out more.

Helpful thread. Thank you.

Those symptoms are similar to those I've experienced with my male clownfish when he gets constipated. I've had him for almost 3 years, and he's eaten something that doesn't agree with him on several occasions. Usually clears up after a couple of days.

 

[ThRoewer]

How effective are formalin dips against flukes?

 

[billsreef]

Not as effective as FW dips, plus formalin is a pretty nasty chemical to be using, especially when better alternatives exist.

 

[FortyFour]

I've heard that wrasses are sensitive to prazipro. Does anyone have experience with that?

In case I go forward with the Prazipro, should I be concerned for my yellow coris or melenarus wrasse? Neither are showing symptoms but another tankmate is.

Thanks.

 

[jason2459]

I've heard that wrasses are sensitive to prazipro. Does anyone have experience with that?

In case I go forward with the Prazipro, should I be concerned for my yellow coris or melenarus wrasse? Neither are showing symptoms but another tankmate is.

Thanks.

I've not experienced that at all. I assume all my wrasses have some kind of internal worms and always treat with prazi pro but I also always make sure they are eating first and then start treatment.

 

[Deinonych]

I've heard that wrasses are sensitive to prazipro. Does anyone have experience with that?

In case I go forward with the Prazipro, should I be concerned for my yellow coris or melenarus wrasse? Neither are showing symptoms but another tankmate is.

Thanks.

Only time I've experienced sensitivity to Prazi with wrasses is when I accidentally overdosed it. A quick water change solved it.

 

[FortyFour]

Thanks for the responses.

 

[FortyFour]

How long after dosing Prazipro should I expect to see progress? My flamehawk has a gill irritant, which could be many things, but my main suspicion was flukes. It's been 12 hours and it's still showing symptoms i.e. Mainly keeping to the top of the tank, breathing rapidly, and swimming against the current every so often.

 

[bronzebadger]

How long after dosing Prazipro should I expect to see progress? My flamehawk has a gill irritant, which could be many things, but my main suspicion was flukes. It's been 12 hours and it's still showing symptoms i.e. Mainly keeping to the top of the tank, breathing rapidly, and swimming against the current every so often.

You should see some improvement within 24 hours. Keep in mind Prazipro irritates the flukes to spasm to death and when they detach they may do so violently. Some of the symptoms take longer to clear up than others because of this.

 

[Sweeper13]

Great post guys...

Some members have posted there fish have freaked out as soon as Praziro was put into tank. That has happen to my fish also, 3 fish in qt and 2 of them reacted right away, then calmed down after 30 sec.

Does that mean the flukes were are coming off or some fish just react to the medication?

Thanks

 

[Mrs. Music]

Prazipro works like a champ. Had a Melanurus wrasse in QT exhibit the headshakes and other symptoms mentioned in this thread. He stopped eating and after reading this thread I realized his issues matched the symptoms described. Ordered the Prazipro on Saturday and didn't receive it until Tuesday and by that time the wrasse was laying listlessly on it's side at the bottom of the tank. I administered the Prazipro and already the next morning he is swimming and eating again. About 10-15 minutes after dosing you could see the dead flukes in the water column. Thanks to everyone that contributed to this thread.

Prazipro also works on internal parasites? Are the reults of dead parasites usually visible in the tank?

I have a green file fish in QT, and he has just startd hanging out at the top of the water. Looks great, eating well. I just hate seeing a change in behavior in the QT.

 

[Sweeper13]

Some say yes some say no on the internal parasites. You need to use Metro or Praziqual deworming medicine on there food. The different posters say you shouldn't use Prazipro on there food.

There a few different types of flukes, there is the one you can see like a grain of rice and the other is microscopic. The guys have said you see them usually in a bucket when you freshwater dip.

I use Prazipro on all fish. I would go thru the 29 pages on this topic and you will be happy you did.

GL

 

[ThRoewer]

I wonder if flukes can actually survive under hyposaline conditions at a specific gravity of 1.010 kg/L?

 

[adamPL]

I wonder if flukes can actually survive under hyposaline conditions at a specific gravity of 1.010 kg/L?

Flukes will survive hyposalinity, I just done it to get rid of ich, and in the meantime lost few fish in 3 days period. Looks like only prazipro works, but time will tell.

 

[ThRoewer]

Flukes will survive hyposalinity, I just done it to get rid of ich, and in the meantime lost few fish in 3 days period. Looks like only prazipro works, but time will tell.

Some monogenean species are euhaline and will easily survive hyposalinity or even freshwater. Some other (capsalid monogeneans) can't handle low salinities.

Praziquantel usually seems to work, though there are also reports of failure.

Formalin baths at 30 mg/L (ppm) can also be used, but are more risky for the fish.

More info here: Monogenean Parasites of Fish

 

[Dmorty217]

Some monogenean species are euhaline and will easily survive hyposalinity or even freshwater. Some other (capsalid monogeneans) can't handle low salinities.

Praziquantel usually seems to work, though there are also reports of failure.

Formalin baths at 30 mg/L (ppm) can also be used, but are more risky for the fish.

More info here: Monogenean Parasites of Fish

Hikari advised me to treat every 3 days with Prazipro if I believe the flukes are resistant or if it doesn't seem to be working.

 

[ThRoewer]

One of my regal angels showed something on the end of his dorsal fin that looks like flukes - the kind that actually look more like actual whitish flatworms.
First it was just one whitish raised blotch, but yesterday there were quite a few.
This morning I couldn't see anything which makes me wonder if these are actually flukes or maybe just stings from the one of the giganteas in this tank (this fish is way to cozy with those anemones for my taste).
On the other hand, I have 2 pairs of cleaner shrimp (skunk and S. tenuirostris) in the tank that could have cleaned him up.
In any case, I plan on catching him and give him a freshwater bath to see if anything falls off.

There hasn't been a new fish added for quite a while and all added fish were quarantined for well over 2 months, so that path of infection can be pretty much excluded.

Last weekend I added a Rock with a Porites coral and Christmas Tree Worms. This would be the only plausible source. I dipped this coral for quite a while in Coral Rx at a higher than recommended dose, but didn't quarantine it (no other tank where it could possibly survive).
I wonder how infested a tank needed to be with flukes so that they start hanging out on rocks...