Gill Flukes...... :(

[Fawke]

was to late to get to my regular lfs, so ended up in pets at home spendeing £40 more for exactly the same tank

have run the new filter on the mature tank and will be putting the infected fish in the new tank tonight.

however, none of the meds you suggested were stocked. they had more types of water test kits than i have seen in one place but only 2 ranges of meds. also the active ingredients were not stated on the box and the "assistant" was not that able to assist. I have ended up with interpet anti finrot and fungus.

I have searched through the instructions, but nowhere is it listed what is actually in it, any ideas?

if anyone has used this before i would be interested to know how effective it is

thanks, will keep you posted

 

[Incitic]

I hope your fish has a fast and speedy recovery fawke

 

[Fawke]

thanks for that

me too! they cost me a fortune and stress me out, but i love them really

 

[Crookster]

Check this link outfish doc.

It tells you how to use treatments on here. If you click on the treatment it has more detail on each one.

 

[Fawke]

Thanks for the link, much appreciated.

I can still not find anything on the product i bought.... but will be using it 2nite regardless i think....

I also looked at so Methalyne Blue??? seemed to do the same, so i picked some up 4 good measure (i wont be using them simultaneously of course )

My blue Gourami has now developed a small red blotch on his head, so the sooner i can get him treated the better.... hop i works

What is the risk of this spreading to my catfish do you think? i really hope not, could do without forking out for specialist naked catfish treatment.... fingers crossed

Will keep you up2date

 

[Inchworm]

Hi Fawke

The first thing I want to tell you is not to panic, Ken is very knowledgeable about these things and can tell you which are the best products to get in the UK.

Now, no matter how good the medications are, they will only help if you administer them for the disease your fish actually has. I suggest you set up your hospital tank with nice fresh and clean water that is the same temperature as your main tank and put your gourami in it. Be sure that there is excellent air circulation in it. This alone will help him.

I suspect that your fish has a bacterial infection which is often misdiagnosed as a fungus. Flicking and white cotton-like growth which turns into open sores is a symptom. So is deterioration of the fins and tail. And yes, if it is this, catfish can get it too.

Please take your time and make the correct diagnosis before you medicate your fish. Then take Ken's adivice about which product to use.

 

[Fawke]

Hey thanks for that Inchworm....

Thats just it, it could be either of those two - fungus, flukes, bacterial infection??? i just dont know.....

iv put all 3 gouramis in the QT as they are also showing signs now (cloudy/cottony) patches and fin detioration.....

They are now in the QT awaiting any treatment.... i need to get an air stone in there as there is only a fluval power 1plus filter in there (its a fluval uno500 kit).

I have the following meds on standby....

Melafix
Methalyne Blue
Intepret Anti-finrot/Anti-fungus.....

As i dont know what they have (and i dont want to risk letting it develop further) what do you think i should do in the meantime?? a dose of melafix before i start and fully diagnose??

Its hard not to panic (i really do not want to put them through a cycle in a new QT tank, or let the meds get diluated by water changes).....

i dunno, i just dont

 

[R3GG]

Have a look here

When you see a fish with swollen gill covers, you can almost assume that Flukes are chronically present in the case. Examine the gills and see what they look like. Compare the condition of the gills to the cases above. If they gills are crimson and healthy, then it would be an odd case. A microscope biopsy would also shed light on the case. If you discover that Flukes are the actual trouble, consider their clearance using either Fluke Tabs or SupaVerm.

Might be helpful, there are some fairly good diagrams and descriptions on there but you've probably already seen them.

 

[Fawke]

hmmm, looked here, i have to say i am not confident in looking behind the fishes gills....
I think it cud be skin flukes as opposed to gill flukes... but as i said i dunno.... :\

 

[Fawke]

Ok, sorry to keep bombarding you guys with info, im sure you wont loose any sleep over it anyhow but here is an update....

I have dosed the Hospital tank with Methylene Blue by King British, i could not wait any longer they were detiorating (yet fed b4 very well) and this seemed the most most generalised med to use that i have as i am not sure on diagnosis...

Heres what the pack says it treats.....

Methalyne Blue:
Anti-fungal agent with antiseptic healing properties.
Effective against a variety of parasites including flukes.
Rapid aid to respiration in cases of distress.
Traditionally used to treat Slime dis, flukes, white spot, velvet and fungus on fish eggs.

When to use - Fish rub/flick against objects, rapid gill movement, clamped fins, cotton wool like growths on fish eggs, fish lying at bottom of tank, as antiseptic to wounds.

I would like to know what Ken (or anyone else) thinks of this product.
My tank is now BLUE, boy o boy is it blue...... really damn blue water...

Fingers crossed it helps.....

 

[Cian McLiam]

hi Fawke,

Methylene Blue is a traditional medication that unfortunately isnt very effective on its own. The only reason anyone I know uses it now is to stop fungus affecting fish eggs. Its not all bad news though, together with salt, it can be effective against fungus and bacteria. Its not going to do much to zap any parasites on its own however.

How are the fish behaving? Do you have any water parameters from the main tank and the treatment tank? We need to avoid chemical warfare and at the same time use an effective treatment. For a start, do 30% water changes daily in your treatment tank. Leave the new water overnight with a good conditioner in it and an airstone if possible.

I would start a salt treatment now, if the fish are in a treatment tank.
Remember to dissolve the salt before using it, and read this article for dosage and treatment guidelines:
http/www.fishdoc.co.uk/treatments/salt.htm

Ken

 

[Fawke]

Thanks for the prompt reply, you are clearly the guy to speak to about this and i wish i coulod of found the meds u recommended b4 i dosed the tank with M.Blue.

Ok, well the fish seem, surpisingly, calm with the med in the QT tank. I have used 1/2 water from main tank and 1/2 fresh w conditioner to fill the QT tank, but am worried that the tank will start to cycle, inevitably.

Params from main tank -

0.0 Ammonia mg/l
0.0 Nitrite mg/l
40ppm Nitrate

Tap water is around 40ppm also (25 with water conditioner)
Ph is 7.6 and Hard water

I am t work tomorrow, but my girlfried will be able to dose with salt if you recommend it?
Or do you recommend starting 30% water changes to reduce the med straight away, to put something more effective in there?
Its says to leave it 4days b4 re-treatment or a 10% water change....

Thanks once again, i cannot tell you how much i appreciate your (all your) advice..

 

[Cian McLiam]

I would do the water changes, they may do more good for your fish than the meds will You could add the same proportion of meds again, ie. remove 10 litres then add the dosage for ten litres after the water change, divide the dosage levels by two everyday though to avoid toxic build up

Go with the salt and water changes, your parameters seem fine. You would need to filter with carbon before using another treatment in such a small tank, so lets see how this goes. The salt and meds will calm them and take the pressure off their gills if they have been affected.

One treatment that I believe can be used with other medications is melafix, I used to add it to my Ich treatments to heal the skin after the parasites fall off and it worked great. Could be worth a try.

Ken

 

[Fawke]

hi

the fish are still with us

they are looking suprisingly well, if a little blue tinted. at the moment I have a builder finishing my kitchen, so have not been able to do a water change yet. this is top priority when he is done

I will also do a water change in the main tank (about 30%?) as I assume this may reduce the risk of infection to other fish.

from the link you gave me, I work the dose out to be 4.5oz for the small tank, if this sounds wrong please let me know,my brain is not the most mathmatical! I'll add the salt to the dechlorinated water before syphoning back in.

I feel like a chemist! anyone know where I can pick up a lab coat and goggles cheap!

I am so grateful for all your help and advice,

 

[Fawke]

sorry to be a pain with the endless questions but......

I dont have any aquarium salt, have read on other threads that regular salt can be used so was gonna use what I had in the cupboard, however, on the back of the tub it says that it also contains anti caking agents. they are listed as magnesium carbonate and sodium hexacyaoferrate ll. is this a problem? wont do anything untill I am sure it is ok,or if nobody knows then it will be another trip to pets at home tonight for aquarium salt.

just want to get this treatmant going as soon as possible

thanks