Need help IDing a parasite on my tang

[ESVAreefer]

It appears to be a round, flat and translucent worm that is at the very ends of my yellow tangs fins, they seem to irritate him and he will shiver and flick his fins. I've even seen him rubbing on rocks every now and then. It's hard to get a picture where he doesn't look like a happy healthy tang but I'm afraid that will soon change if I don't jump on it and nip this thing in the bud. Closest thing I've seen is a fluke... So fin fluke? If so how should I treat it?

 

[melypr1985]

Sounds like flukes. Here's how to treat for them. I'll get some pictures so you can compare them just in case.
Prazipro (praziquantel): Treats flukes, black ich, and some internal parasites (worms).

How To Treat - In either a quarantine or display tank, dose Prazipro at the rate of 1 teaspoon per 20 gallons of water. DO NOT OVERDOSE(especially with wrasses), try not to mix with other medications (for various reasons), and provide additional gas exchange while treating with Prazi. Wait 5-7 days, do a 20-25% water change and then repeat dosage. The reason for the second dose is to eradicate the “next generation” of worms before they can lay eggs of their own. Because while Prazi does kill worms, it doesn’t eliminate any eggs they might leave behind.

Prazipro is generally considered reef safe, although it may kill any tube worms/feathers dusters you have. It may also eradicate bristle worms. If you have mass quantities of these, the resulting die-off can lead to an ammonia spike. After treatment is done, activated carbon may be used to remove any residuals (if you need to use a different medication next). If using a protein skimmer post-treatment, be advised that it will “over skim” for at least a couple of weeks.

Pros - Reef safe, effective dewormer that is relatively gentle on most fish.

Cons/Side Effects - Mild appetite suppression, moderate oxygen depletion, wrasses are sensitive to overdosing.

 

[melypr1985]

On second thought, you can confirm with a freshwater dip. It's easy to do ..... I've done probably a hundred by now.

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”.

This is what you'll see afterward if it is flukes.

 

[ESVAreefer]

Looks like that's it, I'll try to capture him then I'll qt him then dip with fresh water and I'll get the meds tomorrow. This is why I don't have many fish lol

 

[ESVAreefer]

Thank you very much for the help it's been great

 

[Humblefish]

^^Great advice (as always) from Meredith above. If you confirm he has flukes, then ALL fish he shares water with need to be treated. Prazipro is reef safe and the best solution to the problem.

 

[ESVAreefer]

Thanks for the extra advice, gonna have to try to catch them all, because I like my bristle worms -_-

 

[Humblefish]

Thanks for the extra advice, gonna have to try to catch them all, because I like my bristle worms -_-

Odds are at least some will survive treatment. However, if you do decide to catch & treat in a QT ... the DT itself must be left fallow for 4 weeks.

 

[ESVAreefer]

This is why I never buy fish. Got my tang, my two clowns, a black widow Blenny and a spotted goby. That's all. Coral are way easier to keep and care for. This is a bummer, on the weekend of my friends wedding of all times too.

 

[ESVAreefer]

Sorry for the venting, I am very appreciative of all the help and advice, thank you.

 

[melypr1985]

It's ok to vent every now and then. These things can be frustrating and difficult. Luckily flukes are easy to get rid of and not too bad if caught early enough. I would really just do the prazi in tank. I've done it several times - at home in my own tank and ones at the LFS I work at- with no downfall aside from a little fading of my montis. They bounced back pretty quickly so there was no downside for me.

 

[ESVAreefer]

Sounds like I have no choice, might catch as many worms as I can and see what happens if I save them and then put them back in after I run carbon. Could I just shut off the pumps and run the prazipro in the DT not the sump?

 

[Humblefish]

Could I just shut off the pumps and run the prazipro in the DT not the sump?

Unfortunately no, as it is possible fluke eggs made their way into your sump as well. I don't want to say its impossible, but I would be shocked if Prazipro killed all of your bristleworms. How many bristleworms are we talking about anyway? If you have mass quantities of them, I would be a little concerned about an ammonia spike from the die-off.

 

[ESVAreefer]

Not mass quantities of bristles but tons of worms in the bottom as well as feather dusters. 75gallon tank 15 gallon sump. Been skimmer less awhile guess I'll put that in to capture some organics.

 

[Humblefish]

Not mass quantities of bristles but tons of worms in the bottom as well as feather dusters. 75gallon tank 15 gallon sump. Been skimmer less awhile guess I'll put that in to capture some organics.

If you decide to dose Prazipro in the DT, keep a close eye on ammonia and have some freshly mixed SW on standby just in case. Maybe pick up a Seachem ammonia alert badge for active monitoring. Unfortunately, using an ammonia reducer with Prazipro can be dangerous.