Gill/skin Fluke Treatment?

[robyngunston]

Hi there!

I have finally come to the conclusion that my Cory's have skin/gill fluke disease...I am not sure whether it is skin or gill but I have been told "Sterazin" will treat both so I have bought some of that. I have been watching them very closely and I noticed at least three of them have be flicking and appear to be rubbing themselves against the gravel...this is why I have come to this conclusion as they do not seem to have any other symptoms...other than Pepper who has reddish skin near his gills...I posted a pic of him a little while ago....I was treating for bacterial infections but I have stopped this now (Friday) how long do I need to wait until I can go ahead with the next treatment? And should I do anything else....e.g. raise water temp? as the bottle doesn't really say anything other than what doses to use? I usually just pour the treatment in slowly near the aeration device to move it about, is this correct?

Tank stats:
Tank size = 15 gallons
PH = 7
Nitrate = 12
Nitrite = 0
Ammonia = 0

 

[WILDER]

I used that med for gill flukes they are very hard to get rid off, I ended up striping the tank down and medicating again, then in a few weeks after treatment i would retreat again.

 

[robyngunston]

I used that med for gill flukes they are very hard to get rid off, I ended up striping the tank down and medicating again, then in a few weeks after treatment i would retreat again.

Thanks for the advice Wilder

When I got home last night they were rubbing themselves quite badly so used the treatment, they seem much better this morning but will continue this as instructed on the bottle. Due to the fact that I am not sure whether it is gill / skin flukes should I give the tank a good clean out anyway? Someone recommended....that the only way to get rid of gill flukes 100% was to move all fish to a hospital tank empty the tank entirely give it a good clean - fill up with clean water wait until water back to normal then replace fish? Any ideas on what is the best method?

 

[The-Wolf]

IMHO the best medication for flukes, of any kind, is formalin (formeldahyde). Formalin can be found in a lot of meds as the active ingredient, so look at the lables.
I have found the best formalin based med is FMG by nt labs.

 

[WILDER]

I would move them to the hospital tank and strip the tank down, i had too, good luck.

 

[robyngunston]

I would move them to the hospital tank and strip the tank down, i had too, good luck.

When you say strip the tank down, what does that entail exactly?

 

[WILDER]

Sterlise the gravel or replace it, and plants sterlise them, sterlise the equipment, throw the sponges away or sterlise them in the micowave, clean tank in hot salty water, and let dry out.

 

[robyngunston]

Sterlise the gravel or replace it, and plants sterlise them, sterlise the equipment, throw the sponges away or sterlise them in the micowave, clean tank in hot salty water, and let dry out.

When I asked the lfs what he recommended to use for sterilisation he said just to put everything in boiling water? Is this correct? Is there anything else I can use to sterilise everything? Why clean the tank in hot salty water? Is salt not bad for Cory's? Although...I am assuming you rinse the salty water out after it drys or not?

 

[WILDER]

I bleach the plastic plants, but you have to rinse well, i don't use boiling water just quite hot with alot of salt on the tank, then rinse well, i boil the gravel though, put the filter in a bucket of hot salty water and let it run for a while, then i throw the salty water away and add some fresh, and let it run for a while again to get rid of the salt then usually let it dry out.

 

[robyngunston]

I bleach the plastic plants, but you have to rinse well, i don't use boiling water just quite hot with alot of salt on the tank, then rinse well, i boil the gravel though, put the filter in a bucket of hot salty water and let it run for a while, then i throw the salty water away and add some fresh, and let it run for a while again to get rid of the salt then usually let it dry out.

I have real plants not plastic, what to you recommend for them? To be honest the one is looking kind of scruffy as the Cory's have attacked it I suppose I could just bin them and get more? How come you use salty water does that kill parasites? I am assuming u just use normal water from the tap together with salt to clean out the tank....or should this water be treated first for chlorine and metals?

How to you recommend refilling the tank again...once it is clean? How long should I wait before I can return my fish?

Actually.....I have been thinking about replacing the gravel with sand as I saw someone posted that the gravel can wear down Cory's barbels....I suppose this could be a good opportunity for me to try something new - if I'm going to replace the gravel anyway?

 

[WILDER]

Will have to ask in the plant section how to sterlise them, never had real plants in my tanks, tap water is fine for cleaning,i use salt parasites don't like salt plus it's a good sterlising agent, two days before you can add the fish but if you have no other tanks you will have to start the cycle all over again.

 

[robyngunston]

Will have to ask in the plant section how to sterlise them, never had real plants in my tanks, tap water is fine for cleaning,i use salt parasites don't like salt plus it's a good sterlising agent, two days before you can add the fish but if you have no other tanks you will have to start the cycle all over again.

Still a newbie to this, so no other tanks
What do they mean by starting the cycle again?
Sorry for all the questions - you are just so full of good info

How'd you get so good at all this anyway?

 

[WILDER]

Where the tank has to go through the ammonia,and nitrite process.

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=10099

 

[robyngunston]

Where the tank has to go through the ammonia,and nitrite process.

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=10099

How do I do that?
Forgive me for my ignorance....but I took over a tank from someone else and have never had to do this myself?

Where the tank has to go through the ammonia,and nitrite process.

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=10099

How do I do that?
Forgive me for my ignorance....but I took over a tank from someone else and have never had to do this myself?

Ooops sorry......didn't see the link at first...will go check it out.

 

[WILDER]

If you totally strip the tank down and the filter you are losing the beneifical bacteria in the tank, I was lucky as i had a goldfish tank that i could take some mature sponges from so that cycled the tank.
You will be cycling the tank again.
I would maybe change the substrate that you want to do anyway, and leave it there for now and see how they get on with the meds.