FLUKES NOT GOING AWAY

[sal16cal1]

I have a fish only saltwater tank. I have a Trigger, Blue Spotted Puffer, Dogface, foxface and Bristle Tooth Tange. The Dog face has had flukes for two weeks and he doesnt look like he's getting any better. I did two rounds of Prazipro now I'm using General Cure. Is this normal to be sick this long its been close or over 2 weeks? Yesterday he looked the worse he has in two weeks. Curled up under a rock and consistantly scratching all day. I'm scared to remove him and put him in a QT tank because I heard if you take them out of water your always risking them dying by blowing up but at this point if he doesn't get any better I am going to have too. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have a fish only saltwater tank. I have a Trigger, Blue Spotted Puffer, Dogface, foxface and Bristle Tooth Tange. The Dog face has had flukes for two weeks and he doesnt look like he's getting any better. I did two rounds of Prazipro now I'm using General Cure. Is this normal to be sick this long its been close or over 2 weeks? Yesterday he looked the worse he has in two weeks. Curled up under a rock and consistantly scratching all day. I'm scared to remove him and put him in a QT tank because I heard if you take them out of water your always risking them dying by blowing up but at this point if he doesn't get any better I am going to have too. Any advice would be appreciated.

They dont always inflate out of water unless prolonged but to your question-
How did you arrive at or verify its flukes?
What behaviors are they showing?
Flukes can have/offer a resistance to treatment warranting additional doses but if all these fish Do have flukes, you may want to consider hyposalinity (1.009 level).
Neobenedenia flukes are more resistant to treatment and often take longer to treat.

 

[sal16cal1]

They dont always inflate out of water unless prolonged but to your question-
How did you arrive at or verify its flukes?
What behaviors are they showing?
Flukes can have/offer a resistance to treatment warranting additional doses but if all these fish Do have flukes, you may want to consider hyposalinity (1.009 level).
Neobenedenia flukes are more resistant to treatment and often take longer to treat.

The Tang got infected first then spread it around the tank, I did a freshwater dip. They're all healthy now besides the dogface.
Behavior lethargic, heavy breathing, laying on the sand behind a rock. Still eating.

I'm hesitant to do hyposalinity i've never done it before.

Only the Dogface still has flukes the rest either never got infected or are cured.

Sounds like you would QT the fish?

 

[MnFish1]

The Tang got infected first then spread it around the tank, I did a freshwater dip. They're all healthy now besides the dogface.
Behavior lethargic, heavy breathing, laying on the sand behind a rock. Still eating.

Only the Dogface still has flukes the rest either never got infected or are cured.

Sounds like you would QT the fish?

Here is the question - how did you diagnose the first tang? Out of curiosity. I would consider re-dosing Prazipro - the symptoms you describe do not sound good. Is there anything else you can think of?

 

[sal16cal1]

Here is the question - how did you diagnose the first tang? Out of curiosity. I would consider re-dosing Prazipro - the symptoms you describe do not sound good. Is there anything else you can think of?

I KNOW its not ich just trust me.

I did a freshwater dip on the tang. I mean all the symptoms point to flukes. I have no idea what else it could be. The fish has no secondary infection no spots nothing. Its just odd to see a fish two weeks into treatment have its worse day yesterday.

 

[Matt1997]

I KNOW its not ich just trust me.

I did a freshwater dip on the tang. I mean all the symptoms point to flukes. I have no idea what else it could be. The fish has no secondary infection no spots nothing. Its just odd to see a fish two weeks into treatment have its worse day yesterday.

Did you see flukes in the freshwater dip?

 

[MnFish1]

I KNOW its not ich just trust me.

I did a freshwater dip on the tang. I mean all the symptoms point to flukes. I have no idea what else it could be. The fish has no secondary infection no spots nothing. Its just odd to see a fish two weeks into treatment have its worse day yesterday.

I never said it was ich. I asked how you diagnosed the tang. So - what you're saying is you did a freshwater dip on the tang - and you saw flukes? What was the protocol you used for fluke treatment? (i.e. how much prazipro, for how many doses, how long)

 

[vetteguy53081]

The Tang got infected first then spread it around the tank, I did a freshwater dip. They're all healthy now besides the dogface.
Behavior lethargic, heavy breathing, laying on the sand behind a rock. Still eating.

I'm hesitant to do hyposalinity i've never done it before.

Only the Dogface still has flukes the rest either never got infected or are cured.

Sounds like you would QT the fish?

Yes and something doesnt measure - as if tang had flukes, and then gone and others are clear then dogface contracted it, flukes require a host for reproduction and generally wont confine themselves to one fish.
Can you post a video of at least 30 seconds under white lighting of all the occupants?

 

[sal16cal1]

Yes and something doesnt measure - as if tang had flukes, and then gone and others are clear then dogface contracted it, flukes require a host for reproduction and generally wont confine themselves to one fish.
Can you post a video of at least 30 seconds under white lighting of all the occupants?

To be clear 3 out of the 5 fish definitely had it. One I believe had it. The only one who hasn't is the fox. I will post a video later.

 

[sal16cal1]

I never said it was ich. I asked how you diagnosed the tang. So - what you're saying is you did a freshwater dip on the tang - and you saw flukes? What was the protocol you used for fluke treatment? (i.e. how much prazipro, for how many doses, how long)

Two doses of Prazipro for 8 days then I added carbon and polyfilter to remove the prazi for 2 days because of a bacterial bloom. Now its the 4th day of GC.

Correct I saw flukes from the Tang.

 

[MnFish1]

To be clear 3 out of the 5 fish definitely had it. One I believe had it. The only one who hasn't is the fox. I will post a video later.

I guess I'll try asking again - how did you diagnosis it in the first place?

 

[cdnco2004]

You are avoiding answering their questions. Did you see Flukes in the bottom of the container when you did the fresh water dip?

 

[MnFish1]

Two doses of Prazipro for 8 days then I added carbon and polyfilter to remove the prazi for 2 days because of a bacterial bloom. Now its the 4th day of GC.

Thanks. Curious - did you happen to know your parameters during the 'bloom' - and now?

 

[cdnco2004]

I don't know why he is avoiding answering that one simple question.

 

[sal16cal1]

You are avoiding answering their questions. Did you see Flukes in the bottom of the container when you did the fresh water dip?

I did see flukes in the bottom of the container at least I believe so I've only done it 3-4 times. I will post a video later. I mean lets say its not flukes. What other illness would cause those symptoms (i.e lethargic, consistent scratching, no visible signs of an illness.

 

[sal16cal1]

Thanks. Curious - did you happen to know your parameters during the 'bloom' - and now?

I did.

Ammonia
.08 using the Hanna device. Now its around the same .06. I've never gotten a 0
0.0 nitrite using API test kit before and after the bloom
20 PPM Nitrate using API before and after
8.2 PH using API before and after

 

[vetteguy53081]

I did see flukes in the bottom of the container at least I believe so I've only done it 3-4 times. I will post a video later. I mean lets say its not flukes. What other illness would cause those symptoms (i.e lethargic, consistent scratching, no visible signs of an illness.

What is your ammonia and nitrate levels? Im not seeing evidence of fluke symptoms, but video will tell otherwise.
With flukes you will see rapid breathing, fish acting lethargic or swimming near the water surface, hiding in the corner of tank or behind rocks, loss of appetite, shaking its head, flashing/darting, develop clamped fins, , or scratching against objects. They may also exhibit what looks like yawning from gill irritation develop, cloudy eyes and loss of color. Cloudy eyes very common with puffers that have flukes.
As they are messy housekeepers, can be low oxygen due to elevated ammonia-temperature-salinity or at times intimidation by other tankmates. Water appears somewhat cloudy.

 

[sal16cal1]

What is your ammonia and nitrate levels? Im not seeing evidence of fluke symptoms, but video will tell otherwise.
With flukes you will see rapid breathing, fish acting lethargic or swimming near the water surface, hiding in the corner of tank or behind rocks, loss of appetite, shaking its head, flashing/darting, develop clamped fins, , or scratching against objects. They may also exhibit what looks like yawning from gill irritation develop, cloudy eyes and loss of color. Cloudy eyes very common with puffers that have flukes.
As they are messy housekeepers, can be low oxygen due to elevated ammonia-temperature-salinity or at times intimidation by other tankmates. Water appears somewhat cloudy.

You just listed all the symptoms to a T. Besides cloudy eyes, anything on the gills and swimming near the top.

The water is cloudy because there's basically been no carbon/UV steralizer for two weeks.

 

[vetteguy53081]

You just listed all the symptoms to a T. Besides cloudy eyes, anything on the gills and swimming near the top.

The water is cloudy because there's basically been no carbon/UV steralizer for two weeks.

I would truly recommend hyposalinity.

 

[MnFish1]

You just listed all the symptoms to a T. Besides cloudy eyes, anything on the gills and swimming near the top.

The water is cloudy because there's basically been no carbon/UV steralizer for two weeks.

I really wonder if most of this is water conditions - as puffers can be picky?