How To Treat Gill Flukes

[barb-e]

I just discovered that my cherry barbs have gill flukes. First of all (other than wilder(thanks!))can anyone tell me about gill flukes. The issue really is on a website I read about the following treatments:
Praziquantel (also called Droncit (USA) or Drontal (UK) PraziPro (Hikari)) - Now prefered over Fluke tabs as it's much safer for fish
Paragon - by Waterlife UK (Mild infections) (safe with shrimps and snails).
Sterazin - by Waterlife UK (Serious infections) (not safe with shrimps and snails).

I think that my fish have a serious infection so i'm considering Sterazin but I have pond snails in my tank and I really like them and don't wan't to harm them. Does anyone know of any other treatments in the US?

 

[*Fishkies*]

Is there any way you could isolate them? Then you wouldn't have to worry about your snails.

 

[Chrispixx]

Is there any way you could isolate them? Then you wouldn't have to worry about your snails.

That being said if you can isolate them (the fish or the snails) i've had success with a combination of Coppersafe (Mardel ) Maracyn-two (Mardel) and Melafix (API) on flukes but the Coppersafe will nuke the snails.

I like mardel products because they dont kill the bio filter.

Heres what Mardel lists for Flukes: Treat with Coppersafe, use Maracyn-Two or Maracyn or Tetracycline Tablets or Trisulfa to prevent secondary infections from bacteria.

So if you could move the snails and treat the whole tank that would be the best option.

The problem is though the Coppersafe will stay in the tank and can only be removed by water changes, (I'm not sure if carbon removes it) the best bet would be to get a "Copper" test kit to make sure it would be safe to add the snails back in.

http/www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsUS/ctl36...lscoppertestkit

Either way no matter what you decide use Melafix to help heal any damaged gill tissue.

Hope This Helps.

 

[jpedersen024]

I've been researching this same thing myself just over the last week. From what I gather, Praziquantel is safe for invertebrates and plants. (my concerns were shrimp) My issue has now become FINDING the stuff in pure form. Around here it seems to be packaged commercially as a combination of prazi and one or two other things. (which of course WILL harm the inverts).

Be careful in thinking that one will be more effective/ stronger than the other med.... I've generally found that the stronger the med, the harder it also is on the fish (which is already physically depleted anyways!). Plus you don't want to kill off your whole bio filter if you can avoid it...

Good luck!! Let me know if you find prazi in Michigan... I'm in Windsor - and visit often... it would be worth a quick trip.

 

[Chrispixx]

Plus you don't want to kill off your whole bio filter if you can avoid it...

I like mardel products because they dont kill the bio filter.

 

[barb-e]

I just went to petco and bought this stuff called Parasite Clear by Jungle fish care. On the package it says it will not harm biological filtration. They're these fizz tablets. The active ingrediants are praziquantel, diflubenzuron, metronidazole, and acriflavine. I hope all those other ingrediants won't harm my snails and I hope my fish get better soon. I took all the carbon out of my filter and when I cut the filter back on the water got really cloudy. That plus all of the bubbles and colored stuff coming out of the tabs, I think it freaked my fish out. They've been acting kind of weird but I hope they'll be fine. Thanks for the suggestions everyone!

 

[WILDER]

You will have to remove the snails parasite meds kill them.