Breakthecycle2
2500 Club Member
Im not sure what is going on, but 6 of the 9 fish in my tank are rubbing their gills/head on the sand and rocks. As of right now, there are no spots on any of them. Could it be gill flukes?
Fish rubbing on sand
- Thread starter Breakthecycle2
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OP
OP
Breakthecycle2
2500 Club Member
Yes I have. What could I treat it with? It is a reef tank, around 200 gallons plus sump.
Fish:
pair of Fridmani dottybacks
pair of hooded wrasses
Scotts Fairy Wrasse
Naoko Fairy Wrasse
Mimic tang
Golden Pygmy Angel
REadhead jawfish
Snow bass
Fish that are scratching: two wrasses, tang, bass
Fish:
pair of Fridmani dottybacks
pair of hooded wrasses
Scotts Fairy Wrasse
Naoko Fairy Wrasse
Mimic tang
Golden Pygmy Angel
REadhead jawfish
Snow bass
Fish that are scratching: two wrasses, tang, bass
OP
OP
Breakthecycle2
2500 Club Member
I don't think so. They have been doing this for weeks and there are no spots.
The ICH parasite is not visible to the naked eye. It is embedded under the fishes scales/skin. Only when they are carrying cysts are they visible. Therefore your fish could be irritated by the eating parasite.
Both ich and flukes can harbor inside the gills, and not show any visible physical symptoms. Can you catch one of the fish that is rubbing and perform a FW dip? This will confirm the presence of flukes; if you see nothing you will know it is ich instead. See more info below:
Freshwater Dip: Provides temporary relief for Brooklynella, Flukes, Marine Velvet disease (Amyloodinium); possibly even Ich & Uronema marinum (both unproven). Can be used to confirm the presence of Flukes.
How To Treat - Fill a bucket with RODI water, and use a heater to match the temperature to the water the fish is coming from. Aerate the water heavily for at least 30 minutes prior to doing the dip, then discontinue aeration while performing the dip. Fish aren’t overly pH sensitive for short durations like this, but you can squirt a little tank water into the dip just before the fish goes in to help bring it up.
Place the fish in the freshwater (FW) dip and observe closely. It is not unusual for them to freak out a little at first. Also, tangs are notorious for “playing dead” during a FW dip. The important thing is to watch their gills; they should be breathing heavily at all times during the dip. If breathing slows, it’s time to exit the dip. Dip the fish for no longer than 5 minutes. Multiple dips may be done, but it’s important to give your fish a day to recuperate in-between dips.
For flukes, use a dark (preferably black) bucket so you can see if tiny white worms fall out of the fish (especially out of the gills) at around the 3-4 minute mark. The worms will settle to the bottom, so you can use a flashlight to look for them there as well.
Pros - Provides temporary relief for a wide range of diseases in a chemical free environment. Can “buy you more time” until a proper treatment can be done.
Cons/Side Effects - Not a permanent “fix” for any disease, as FW dips are not potent enough to eradicate all of the parasites/worms afflicting the fish. Some fish can have an adverse reaction to a FW dip by appearing unable to maintain their equilibrium once returned to the aquarium. If this happens, hold the fish upright (using latex, nitrile or rubber gloves), and gently glide him through the water (to get saltwater flowing through the gills again). It is also a good idea to place the fish in an acclimation box until he appears “normal”.
Freshwater Dip: Provides temporary relief for Brooklynella, Flukes, Marine Velvet disease (Amyloodinium); possibly even Ich & Uronema marinum (both unproven). Can be used to confirm the presence of Flukes.
How To Treat - Fill a bucket with RODI water, and use a heater to match the temperature to the water the fish is coming from. Aerate the water heavily for at least 30 minutes prior to doing the dip, then discontinue aeration while performing the dip. Fish aren’t overly pH sensitive for short durations like this, but you can squirt a little tank water into the dip just before the fish goes in to help bring it up.
Place the fish in the freshwater (FW) dip and observe closely. It is not unusual for them to freak out a little at first. Also, tangs are notorious for “playing dead” during a FW dip. The important thing is to watch their gills; they should be breathing heavily at all times during the dip. If breathing slows, it’s time to exit the dip. Dip the fish for no longer than 5 minutes. Multiple dips may be done, but it’s important to give your fish a day to recuperate in-between dips.
For flukes, use a dark (preferably black) bucket so you can see if tiny white worms fall out of the fish (especially out of the gills) at around the 3-4 minute mark. The worms will settle to the bottom, so you can use a flashlight to look for them there as well.
Pros - Provides temporary relief for a wide range of diseases in a chemical free environment. Can “buy you more time” until a proper treatment can be done.
Cons/Side Effects - Not a permanent “fix” for any disease, as FW dips are not potent enough to eradicate all of the parasites/worms afflicting the fish. Some fish can have an adverse reaction to a FW dip by appearing unable to maintain their equilibrium once returned to the aquarium. If this happens, hold the fish upright (using latex, nitrile or rubber gloves), and gently glide him through the water (to get saltwater flowing through the gills again). It is also a good idea to place the fish in an acclimation box until he appears “normal”.
sawdonkey
Valuable Member
Sounds like flukes to me. I noticed my fish twitching their heads when I got flukes. FW dip will tell you for sure. The flukes that fall off will look like sesame seeds. A few treatments of prazi right in my sps display cured all of my fish without a single loss.
