Treating Flukes

[HotRocks]

Ok. Has shown great improvement after first treatment however there is still something on his eye. I fear that I have run into a prazi resistant species of fluke. Does this sound right or am I seeing damage left after the fluke. Am thinking to go another round at least until refractometer arrives and I can properly go the hyposalinity route as I am ashamed to say I have always used the swing arm hydrometer and taken multiple readings.

Make sure to calibrate new refractometer. I made the mistake of not and mine was way off. Caused me alot of strife once.

You can use RO to zero it. Or purchase the calibration fluid.

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

Thank you for looking out.I am certainly planning on it. Ordered one that claims I should not have to calibrate for each use.We shall see as i have seen many people saying that quality has gone down over the years and they are having to calibrate for each use. I know I already said it but really thank you you guys are awesome have been a part of certain forums before this one and I have to say this is by far the best experience I have had.

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

P.s. my rodi unit exploded from being frozen when I was working with somebody on an agriculture venture and they didn't move it inside like I had asked was planning to use distilled water to calibrate it. I know distilled water normally has 2 thousandths ppm of plastic which has broken down into phyto-estrogen. Do you think this will throw my calibration off?

 

[deedubz]

P.s. my rodi unit exploded from being frozen when I was working with somebody on an agriculture venture and they didn't move it inside like I had asked was planning to use distilled water to calibrate it. I know distilled water normally has 2 thousandths ppm of plastic which has broken down into phyto-estrogen. Do you think this will throw my calibration off?

I don't remember where I read it, but I did read to used distilled water if you aren't using the calibration fluid. That's how I calibrated mine before I ordered the fluid. Turns out it was within .001, that or it was spot on and just needed to be recalibrated anyway

 

[deedubz]

Ok. Has shown great improvement after first treatment however there is still something on his eye. I fear that I have run into a prazi resistant species of fluke. Does this sound right or am I seeing damage left after the fluke. Am thinking to go another round at least until refractometer arrives and I can properly go the hyposalinity route as I am ashamed to say I have always used the swing arm hydrometer and taken multiple readings.

Is there any chance you can get a picture? This can help us rule a few things out, including a possible secondary infection from the fluke. If you've done one treatment I'd proceed with a second and third treatment on days 5 and 10.

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

Took picture and video but very hard to see as the eye is dark against a dark body color.

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

Best of pics

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

It is the eye on the right side of he was facing you head on

 

[deedubz]

I can't see anything. Does it look like there's still a fluke on his eye?

I'd still try the second round of prazi. If that doesn't knock it off of him I'd go ahead and proceed with hypo. While we generally don't advise mixing meds, especially with prazipro, if need be you can do antibiotics with hyposalinity if this turns out to be bacterial. Also, that first pic looks like internal parasites. Have you tried feeding metroplex/focus?

I know it's hard, but can you try to get more pics or even upload a video to YouTube and link it here?

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

I fed him prazi soaked mysis for 3 days during first round of treating tank. The eye looks like an almost invisible whiteish fleshy micro fuzz. Looks the same as when he first started a couple days before I started freshwater dipping him every second day. So small very hard to see he has not lost his sight. I will proceed as if he is infected with flukes long enough for spectrometer to get here. Should be MondAy. Run the whole display hypo and move the urchin to a 5 gallon for a while.

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

Do you think feeding the prazi won't work well enough to deal with internal parasites? Was under the impression this should do the trick. If feeding the prazi is a waist of time please let me know.

 

[deedubz]

I've never used prazi for internal parasites. When I've treated with metro/focus it has taken anywhere from 10 days to 3 weeks to clear up. I'd assume it would be the same with prazi, so I'd recommend feeding daily until you don't see stringy poop for 5 consecutive days.

 

[deedubz]

The eye looks like an almost invisible whiteish fleshy micro fuzz. Looks the same as when he first started a couple days before I started freshwater dipping him every second day.

Are you still seeing any flukes fall out during the dips?

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

I stopped the freshwater dips when I started prazi none where coming off anymore when I started dosing. Poop looked like white and stringy but compacted into pellets still. Not the textbook white string that I normally see. It turned a normal dark color and I quit dosing was planning on anther round with the second round of water treatment (today as I started second round yesterday). Will fw dip him today as well and see if anything comes off. Thank again for the guidance I've treated ich, fin rot, velvet, failed treating fish TB, bacterial infection, but never flukes yet.

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

Did the FW dip nothing that I could see came off including the small spot on the eye.

 

[HotRocks]

They eye spot may just be irritation from the infestation.

I would keep an eye on it for a couple days. If it doesn't improve you could dose some Epsom salt. It may provide relief. If you choose to use Epsom make sure it is USP grade and is unscented. No additives at all.

The fish could possibly be developing an infection as well which would require antibiotics.

 

[deedubz]

They eye spot may just be irritation from the infestation.

I would keep an eye on it for a couple days. If it doesn't improve you could dose some Epsom salt. It may provide relief. If you choose to use Epsom make sure it is USP grade and is unscented. No additives at all.

The fish could possibly be developing an infection as well which would require antibiotics.

Agreed. I was going to suggest you start with Epson salt depending on the results of the dip. Dosage is 1 tbsp per 5g. You can repeat 2 days later

 

[Lifelongaquaria]

Fingers crossed and not to jinx it but his eye shows great improvement. Almost nothing left on his eye at all anymore. Believe it is damage done by flukes and infection. Most people wouldn't even see it at this point but I check very obsessively. Thank y'all so much. Will keep you informed.

 

[HotRocks]

Good deal! Glad to hear it!

 

[deedubz]

That's great news man!