Why aren't we as aggressive against flukes?

[swensos]

When reading about ich treatment, we see 76 day fallow periods and coral/invert quarantine. Additionally, hypo has fallen out of favor to ttm. This is because while hypo and 28 day quarantines (for inverts) will eliminate the majority of ich strains, there have been scientific findings of some that can survive extreme hyposalinity and have a prolonged life cycle.

However, we don't treat monogenea flukes in a similar way. We don't treat all fish as if they have praziquantel-resistant flukes. But why don't we? If you've ever had prazi resistant flukes, it's usually a while before you realize it and after a few deaths. Flukes don't present like ich; you have to suspect flukes, catch the fish, and then dip them in freshwater.

This is why I am proposing we treat flukes like ich: treat it as if it's the rare strain that will survive standard methods. Prazi resistant does not mean prazi immune. I think it has to do with a quicker life cycle of three to four days, which I've read some can have. Therefore, rather than do two treatments, six to seven days apart, we should do three or four treatments three days apart, thereby preventing any sexually viable flukes from reproducing. Prazi is safe, so why not do the extra treatment to make sure the buggers are all dead?

 

[GHsaltie]

You have a very good point. Thankfully I have never dealt with prazipro resistant flukes (knocks on wood) however I do treat prophylactically and have been trying to crack down on better QT. I think one reason why flukes are not treated more aggressively is that there don't seem to be very many people who actually know that there are prazi resistant strains. On top of that there is still a vast majority that do not even QT. For myself I know they exist, but I don't take it into consideration, probably because I've never had to deal with it before. Definitely something interesting to start thinking about.

 

[dealseer]

When we say resistant, are we really talking about egg layers? Or is there really a Prazipro resistant fluke?

 

[swensos]

When we say resistant, are we really talking about egg layers? Or is there really a Prazipro resistant fluke?

Both. From what I've been reading about "flukes", there are russian-doll species and egg-layers and some are even resistant to Prazi, but it is still somewhat effective in reducing their population. But I think, from what I've been reading, the most effective treatment is to have a more frequent dosing of Prazi.

These are the articles I've read (well, the second one I skimmed):

http://fisheries.tamu.edu/files/2013/09/Monogenean-Parasites-of-Fish.pdf

https://digital.library.adelaide.edu.au/dspace/bitstream/2440/60980/8/02whole.pdf

 

[Brew12]

When reading about ich treatment, we see 76 day fallow periods and coral/invert quarantine. Additionally, hypo has fallen out of favor to ttm. This is because while hypo and 28 day quarantines (for inverts) will eliminate the majority of ich strains, there have been scientific findings of some that can survive extreme hyposalinity and have a prolonged life cycle.

However, we don't treat monogenea flukes in a similar way. We don't treat all fish as if they have praziquantel-resistant flukes. But why don't we? If you've ever had prazi resistant flukes, it's usually a while before you realize it and after a few deaths. Flukes don't present like ich; you have to suspect flukes, catch the fish, and then dip them in freshwater.

This is why I am proposing we treat flukes like ich: treat it as if it's the rare strain that will survive standard methods. Prazi resistant does not mean prazi immune. I think it has to do with a quicker life cycle of three to four days, which I've read some can have. Therefore, rather than do two treatments, six to seven days apart, we should do three or four treatments three days apart, thereby preventing any sexually viable flukes from reproducing. Prazi is safe, so why not do the extra treatment to make sure the buggers are all dead?

Very interesting question.

I don't treat for Prazi resistant flukes typically. In fact, I don't treat for flukes prophylactically anymore. I've decided that it is better check for flukes prior to treatment since they will show up with a FW dip. It isn't like Ich or Velvet where the fish could be immune and carrying parasites. I do a FW dip on every fish in the first day or 2 prior to treating with copper. I then pick one fish at random at the end of my QT period to check again. Even though I break down my QT tank in between batches of fish I do worry about my systems developing a strain of bacteria that will rapidly break down Prazi and make treating with it challenging.

 

[melypr1985]

I dont treat for prazi resistant flukes either. They do exist and it does happen, but not all that often. I treat with prazi prophylactically on all batches of fish. You can actually adjust your prazi treatment schedule according to the temp of the water too, which will help you catch the babies right after they hatch. If you have prazi-resistant flukes you can always treat with two formalin dips instead.

 

[swensos]

Very interesting question.

I don't treat for Prazi resistant flukes typically. In fact, I don't treat for flukes prophylactically anymore. I've decided that it is better check for flukes prior to treatment since they will show up with a FW dip. It isn't like Ich or Velvet where the fish could be immune and carrying parasites. I do a FW dip on every fish in the first day or 2 prior to treating with copper. I then pick one fish at random at the end of my QT period to check again. Even though I break down my QT tank in between batches of fish I do worry about my systems developing a strain of bacteria that will rapidly break down Prazi and make treating with it challenging.

I don't trust my eyes or my skill at netting fish for a dip, so doing three three-day prazi treatments is easier for me.

I also didn't know there are prazi-eating bacterias. That adds a wrinkle for sure.