Flukes?

[Nyte]

Bad news. I think I introduced flukes into my community tank either through plants or new fish.

My fish have been flicking against the plants but without any other symptoms. One platy who flicks the most has made his skin bloody looking recently.

There is no visible spots or anything I can see on the fish. I have seen free floating tiny worms though. They are about the width of a thick piece of hair, white, and move sort of like an inchworm. My neons like to eat them. Water tests read - 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, 10-20 nitrates. I gravel clean and change 25% of the water a few times a week.

Does this sound like flukes? Is any anti-parasidic medicine ok to use? I picked up Maracide, but am not sure this is doing the trick. I live in Canada if that effects the medication reccomendations...

Thanks for any replys.

 

[wuvmybetta]

Maracide should work. Turn the heat up a bit as well,this will speed up the life cycle of the parasites. I doubt it's free swimming flukes that you're seeing. From my understanding of flukes they remain attached to the fish for their entire life cycle. You probably just have planaria as well.

 

[WILDER]

Also if you have no scaless fish add some salt to the tank.

 

[Nyte]

Thanks for the replies! I'm still not sure what exactly the parasite is that I have, but it's not ich for sure and it doesn't sound like velvet either.

I have neons and corys too. No salt for me unfortuantly.

Today I raised the temperature by one notch on the heater... I will raise it another few notches over the next few days. I also did a water change/gravel clean and put some more maracide in the tank. The package says to dose on day 1, 3, 5 and do water changes before doses if nessessary. I've read on various sites that I'll most likely have to medicate for a bit longer. Hopefully this will get rid of whatever little buggers I have in there.

 

[WILDER]

http/www.fishpalace.org/danscomments.html#Flukes

 

[WILDER]

http/ukdiscus.co.uk/microscope.htm