Help!! I think my fish has a parasite.

[Hugo Garcia]

Hello, so yesterday I’ve added my Royal Gramma to my Display tank, she has been in QT for over a week, and now I see a bunch of tiny semi-transparent things moving over her face!

I don’t honk it is Ich, but what could it be? All the other fish are okay!!

What should I do? Put her back in QT?

 

[S-t-r-e-t-c-h]

Ouch. Yeah, those look to be flukes. Pretty darned advanced at that. I think a freshwater dip is needed urgently and definitely would put in QT with prazi, not back in the display.

I wouldn't trust that the other fish are fine; flukes tend to attach to the gills before they move to the skin. Look for any rapid breathing, as you may need to treat others too...

Good luck!

 

[77railer]

never seen this before...was there a huge difference in water parameters between tanks?

 

[Hugo Garcia]

Ouch. Yeah, those look to be flukes. Pretty darned advanced at that. I think a freshwater dip is needed urgently and definitely would put in QT with prazi, not back in the display.

I wouldn't trust that the other fish are fine; flukes tend to attach to the gills before they move to the skin. Look for any rapid breathing, as you may need to treat others too...

Good luck!

So should i not use copper? Cupramine?

 

[S-t-r-e-t-c-h]

So should i not use copper? Cupramine?

Start with the freshwater dip, that will kill all of the flukes that are currently on the fish. If you see flukes dying and dropping off (looks like scales falling off fish) then you know it's working.

Copper isn't going to work for flukes, you need to use prazi as a treatement.

Here's a good link:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/flukes-–-general-guidelines.224423/

 

[Hugo Garcia]

Start with the freshwater dip, that will kill all of the flukes that are currently on the fish. If you see flukes dying and dropping off (looks like scales falling off fish) then you know it's working.

Copper isn't going to work for flukes, you need to use prazi as a treatement.

Here's a good link:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/flukes-–-general-guidelines.224423/

Is ParaGuard the same as Prazi or Prazipro?

 

[S-t-r-e-t-c-h]

Is ParaGuard the same as Prazi or Prazipro?

Different active ingredient. I've never used it before, so can't comment on how well it works...

 

[Humblefish]

^^ Agree with @S-t-r-e-t-c-h

Perform a 5 min FW dip to force some of the flukes to drop off: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/freshwater-dip.248898/

And then dose Prazipro in QT to finish the rest off: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/prazipro.247598/

 

[eatbreakfast]

I would prazi the dt too, though.

 

[Humblefish]

I would prazi the dt too, though.

+1 Good catch

 

[Hugo Garcia]

I would prazi the dt too, though.

Would it harm the inverts?

 

[Humblefish]

Would it harm the inverts?

Unlikely, although anytime you use medication in a DT you are taking a chance. There have been reports of anemones dying and SPS bleaching after using Prazipro.

However, the greatest risk is to bristle worms and feather dusters. You can even trigger an ammonia spike in your DT if too many of those were to die off all at once.

 

[Hugo Garcia]

Unlikely, although anytime you use medication in a DT you are taking a chance. There have been reports of anemones dying and SPS bleaching after using Prazipro.

However, the greatest risk is to bristle worms and feather dusters. You can even trigger an ammonia spike in your DT if too many of those were to die off all at once.

I only have 6 Hermit Crabs, should they be ok?

 

[eatbreakfast]

Hermit crabs will be fine.