Flashing at gills - always a bad sign?

Jon! · Jun 7, 2019

Hi - maybe wishful thinking....

I've just come thru a massive quarantine process with copper in my DT. I've been taking down copper by water changes, carbon, etc.

With copper much lower (and on way to zero) I'm now having some occasional flashing (scratching) of fish in gill areas on rocks. Anthias, hippo tangs, damsels all doing occasional flashing.

I am really hoping i don't need to redo quarantine. I am watching out for spots (velvet or ich) and thankfully am not seeing definitive signs of infection infection.

So, is flashing always bad or could it just be gill irritation?

Thank you!

EmdeReef · Jun 7, 2019

It could be irritation. If the fish are still in QT I would keep them for a couple of weeks without copper to make sure no spots.

Have you checked for flukes?

Mariette · Jun 7, 2019

Can be irritation. Consider treating for Flukes. FW dip will only confirm regular Flukes. Not gill Flukes.

LAReefer4Life · Jun 7, 2019

EmdeReef said:
It could be irritation. If the fish are still in QT I would keep them for a couple of weeks without copper to make sure no spots.

Have you checked for flukes?

+1^ Agree you should rule out flukes by conducting FWD. How long did you quarantine with copper?

Hermie · Jun 7, 2019

one of my fish flashed a few times a couple months ago but I never saw it do it again. so IME, while it's usually a sign of illness, it's not always a sign of illness. it could be that a grain of gravel or sand could have gotten in their gill, like a person coughing.

edit: to respond to the OP's case, it's probably a case of something wrong since it's more than one fish exhibiting the behavior.

Jon! · Jun 13, 2019

Hi. I have treated with Prazi for flukes and will do so again - now i have carbon and cuprisorb in the tank as i strip out the copper. Once carbon is gone i will treat with prazi again.

As an update, I am still seeing some flashing here and there ... but no spots and not getting worse. Fish all look good and are eating well so fingers still crossed.