Fluke on my orchid dottyback?

[reeferdugong]

Hi everyone so my orchid dottyback has been in the QT for 3 weeks now, and one most noticable thing about its behaviour is that it dives on its side on the bottom of the tank occassionally.

Here‘s a video i caught:

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Is this behaviour normal? Or is it trying to "scratch" his body against the glass?

I havent put any medication so far. I was planning to medicate it for bacteria infection (there was another thread for it) but i waited out to be sure first. He‘s been eating well, no breathing problem.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Yes, fish will do that when they have gill flukes. I would suggest three Prazipro treatments, with good aeration, 7 days apart, with water changes before each one.

Jay

 

[old salt reefer]

Where is this other thread about bacterial infection. I'm on number 3 dottyback now. First one lasted 4 days-was fine when I left for work, come home white "scum" on fish. dead the next morning. Second one 8 weeks of quarantine-treated for ick,internal parasites and flukes. Goes into display tank and next morning tail is rotted away white "scum" on fish. Lives 2 months in tank(try, but can't catch)and dies. No other fish in tank affected. Bought 3rd one last Saturday. It's been at the LFS since I bought the 2nd one. Not treating it for anything yet-----

 

[old salt reefer]

Yes, fish will do that when they have gill flukes. I would suggest three Prazipro treatments, with good aeration, 7 days apart, with water changes before each one.

Jay

It's kinda cool to watch the flukes during treatment with prazipro, they just wiggle themselves to death.

 

[reeferdugong]

Yes, fish will do that when they have gill flukes. I would suggest three Prazipro treatments, with good aeration, 7 days apart, with water changes before each one.

Jay

Hi Jay, unfortunately prazipro or praziquantel genereally isnt available where i‘m at. Is it okay for me to do the hyposalinity?

 

[reeferdugong]

Where is this other thread about bacterial infection. I'm on number 3 dottyback now. First one lasted 4 days-was fine when I left for work, come home white "scum" on fish. dead the next morning. Second one 8 weeks of quarantine-treated for ick,internal parasites and flukes. Goes into display tank and next morning tail is rotted away white "scum" on fish. Lives 2 months in tank(try, but can't catch)and dies. No other fish in tank affected. Bought 3rd one last Saturday. It's been at the LFS since I bought the 2nd one. Not treating it for anything yet-----

This is the other thread which i was talking about:

light coloration near the tail on orchid dottyback

hi guys, my orchid dottyback has been in the QT for 2 weeks and i notice a slight light coloration near its tail. He was very shy in the first week and hid all the time so theres no way i could observe it. It got a little braver on the second week though, but it’s very hard to see clearly as it...

www.reef2reef.com

im sorry to hear that!

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Hi Jay, unfortunately prazipro or praziquantel genereally isnt available where i‘m at. Is it okay for me to do the hyposalinity?

Hyposalinity works for Neobenedenia, and some other flukes, but not all species. You can try it though - drop the salinity to 15 or 16 ppt over two days and hold it there for 35 days. No inverts in there of course. When coming out of hypo, gradually raise the salinity over 5 days. Note: if you are measuring specific gravity, not salinity, shoot for 1.012

Jay

 

[old salt reefer]

Since most dottybacks are captive breed these days, I'm beginning to think that they're swimming disease magnets. I'm hoping the 3rd time is a charm--like yours I have not seen much of the one I have now.