Clown fish flashing after I added general cure.

[Chrisv.]

I have a new clown fish who has been in qt for three days. Now that she's eating, I've started a general cure/metro/Kanaplex regiment. I was a little unsure if she really needed the ectoparasite treatment until I added general cure and she started flashing all over the tank.

I eventually even saw what I believe to be gill flukes fall from her gills. When balled up, they were about the size of a pellet of new life spectrum.

The fish looks pretty uncomfortable hopefully it will be worth it in the long run.

Here is a video of her flashing in the qt tank:

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[Jekyl]

#reefsquad just to be sure

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

What happens is the praziquantel in the GC doesn’t kill the flukes right away and they detach and move around, causing irritation to the fish. If you dosed it accurately, it should quiet down. Many gill flukes are egg layers, so you’ll need a second dose 7 to 10 days later.
That all said, I always run copper before GC as protozoan diseases kill faster and are more common than flukes.
Jay

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have a new clown fish who has been in qt for three days. Now that she's eating, I've started a general cure/metro/Kanaplex regiment. I was a little unsure if she really needed the ectoparasite treatment until I added general cure and she started flashing all over the tank.

I eventually even saw what I believe to be gill flukes fall from her gills. When balled up, they were about the size of a pellet of new life spectrum.

The fish looks pretty uncomfortable hopefully it will be worth it in the long run.

Here is a video of her flashing in the qt tank:

- YouTube

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

youtube.com

That doesnt seem to be flashing. It seems to do it only when in the tube and appears to be favoring the bottom surface of tube and maybe has a fluke or similar irritating it

 

[Chrisv.]

That doesnt seem to be flashing. It seems to do it only when in the tube and appears to be favoring the bottom surface of tube and maybe has a fluke or similar irritating it

What is it?

It's been in the qt tank for three days and hasn't rubbed against anything that I have seen, but within 30 seconds of adding GC, it started rubbing it's opercula against the tube. It does seem to favor the inside of the tube, but has also rubbed against the outside of the top of the tube.

As predicted the behavior-- whatever we are calling it -- has slowed down but not stopped completely.

 

[vetteguy53081]

As Jay made mention of a possible irritant, there may have been something present in which a fluke or trophant reacted to GC and caused the fish to react ( similar to us placing our hand in lets say soapy water or vinegar, and suddenly there is a burning sensation with no knowledge of a cut)

 

[Chrisv.]

As Jay made mention of a possible irritant, there may have been something present in which a fluke or trophant reacted to GC and caused the fish to react ( similar to us placing our hand in lets say soapy water or vinegar, and suddenly there is a burning sensation with no knowledge of a cut)

Got it! Hopefully they all drop off! I will treat every other day with kan and metro, then substitute a second treatment with GC + kan on day 7, then continue for another few doses of metro+kan. Then, observe a while before adding to the display tank.

After all of that, is there value in doing a formalin and methylene blue bath (safety stop) before adding to the dt? Or are we go for launch?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Got it! Hopefully they all drop off! I will treat every other day with kan and metro, then substitute a second treatment with GC + kan on day 7, then continue for another few doses of metro+kan. Then, observe a while before adding to the display tank.

After all of that, is there value in doing a formalin and methylene blue bath (safety stop) before adding to the dt? Or are we go for launch?

If symptoms have subsided, fish eating and breathing normally, you should be good BUT Any new aquarium fish should be quarantined for 2 to 4 weeks prior to being placed in your aquarium. A freshwater dip is also beneficial. This will help ensure only healthy fish are introduced to an aquarium.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

What is it?

It's been in the qt tank for three days and hasn't rubbed against anything that I have seen, but within 30 seconds of adding GC, it started rubbing it's opercula against the tube. It does seem to favor the inside of the tube, but has also rubbed against the outside of the top of the tube.

As predicted the behavior-- whatever we are calling it -- has slowed down but not stopped completely.

All I see is the fish scratching its gill cover - which is considered flashing.

Jay

 

[Chrisv.]

Update: within the first 12 hours, the flashing stopped. I'm curious if this is related to the half-life of prazi/metro in heated seawater, or of this is related to a reduction in parasite load. 24 hours in and things look good.

 

[Chrisv.]

Update: Day 3 of treatment, second dose. 20% wc + Metro + kan. The fish still reacted by scratching his opercula against the tank ornaments immediately after the tank was dosed. I guess that either means that there are still flukes present, or the metro itself is an irritant.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Update: Day 3 of treatment, second dose. 20% wc + Metro + kan. The fish still reacted by scratching his opercula against the tank ornaments immediately after the tank was dosed. I guess that either means that there are still flukes present, or the metro itself is an irritant.

Metronidazole is REALLY bitter - when it is added to food, many fish will try one bite and then avoid it at all costs. Perhaps the same bad taste is causing the fish to react like this? Like when my grandson drank something sour....

Jay

 

[Chrisv.]

Update: one week into treatment, the clown is no longer flashing when I add the meds, but he did for most of the week. My interpretation is that the flashing was due to flukes being irritated when the meds were added, and that the lack of flashing behavior at this point is due to a decrease (or elimination) of gill flukes. I will continue the full two week treatment as planned.

Rewarding to see that this was a case when treatment was legitimately needed, and go see it work.