I'm Such And Idiot. ... Gill Fluke.

[snowflake311]

So I bought these 2 cute Keyhole Cichlids about 4 days ago. WELL I had a feeling they were not healthy but I just could not leave them. SO I took them home. Against my better judgement I put them in my 36 Gal tank.

They have adjusted well and are eating swimming and doing fine. Till I noticed the male was flashing on things even rubbing his chin on stuff. I thought maybe ich. I take a closer look and his gills are a bit inflamed. He is showing signs of Gill Fluke. I have been doing lots of water changes since I put them in. Thinking the clean good water would help them get rid of whatever they had. I have been using Rid Fungus this organic stuff to help with fungus and Ich. I thought they just had some fungus.

Now I am pretty sure it's gill fluke and I'm not happy. I am thinking of treating the tank with Coppersafe I have read it is a good med for this. What have any of you used? I am never going into the store where I got these fish ever again. GRRR

I am so disappointed with myself I knew this would happen yet I did it any ways. I just wanted to save these cute little guys and I was really excited to have Keyhole cichlids.

Can you give me some tips on how to cure them? It's not an advanced case, My other fish are healthy and hardy. So far it is not an epidemic so I need to act fast and now. I am continuing to do water changes daily I have to keep the others healthy.

Tips please?

 

[helterskelter]

I'll use protozin not sure if it's in the US though, anything formailin based, but make sure u have good aeration while using this. may allso kill some of the bacteria in the filters so make sure you doing small and regular water changes if you do.

 

[WILDER]

What are your water stats as red inflamed gills and flicking can also be caused by bad water quality.

 

[snowflake311]

What are your water stats as red inflamed gills and flicking can also be caused by bad water quality.

No I have told you before My water is good yes. I checked it and all 3 Nitrites ammonia nitrates are 0. I wish it was as easy as that. I know poor water can case fish to act funny I know the signs of that too. This is different.

I have been changing the water just about everyday since I got the new fish. They came to me like this. I knew they had something I was not sure what till now. They are new to the tank. The tank is fully cycled and Never has had any problems with water in the past. I keep on top of that. This is not my first rodeo but this is my first case of Gill fluke.

I'm 99% what it is, It is pretty clear what it is. I am trying to figure out what the best way to treat it will be. I could do salt baths but for some reason I don't trust salt baths.


Has anyone had success killing parasites using Coppersafe. It sounds like good stuff from what I have read.
I am going to have to by it off line because none of my pet stores have it. GRRRRRR.....


I AM NEVER ADD ANOTHER NEW FISH TO MY TANK WITH OUT QUARANTINE GOD I SHOULD HAVE ALREDY LEARNED MY LESSON. I guess I like to make things had for my self.

 

[snowflake311]

SO I did not want to wait for med to be shipped to me. I found some Parasite Clear by Juggle in my fish supplies. I did yet another water change I added the tank buddies and we will see it if helps. The Fungus clear helped my bettas once before so I am keeping my figures crossed.

My husband thinks I'm crazy he supports my hobby, but does not get it. Since I am on maternity leave my fish tank has become my job. I better get this under-control before my baby comes in Dec. NO MORE NEW FISH FOR ME! That's always what starts the problems for me. Everything is fine and wonderful till I feel bad for a little fish and take it home. I will say this I am learning a lot about fish problems. Now if I know a fish is sick I will walk away. Yeah that's easier said then done.



Always Quarantine that's what I am learning the hard way.


I will post how the parasite clear works in a few days.

 

[helterskelter]

What are your water stats as red inflamed gills and flicking can also be caused by bad water quality.

Wilder is correct that it's usually poor water quality and high suspended solids that cause this problem.
But anything formalin based will flush the gills of most bugs which is why i suggest protozin as a treatment.
Copper is more for a crustation infestation which may not help if it's something else.

 

[snowflake311]

What are your water stats as red inflamed gills and flicking can also be caused by bad water quality.

Wilder is correct that it's usually poor water quality and high suspended solids that cause this problem.
But anything formalin based will flush the gills of most bugs which is why i suggest protozin as a treatment.
Copper is more for a crustation infestation which may not help if it's something else.

I know it is poor conditions that can allow gill fluke to happen and then secondary infections happen too. I am never going back to that fish store again.

I am not the one that let them get gill fluke. Well I guess did let my other fish get it because I exposed them to it knowing these new fish were not right I am at fault there. Like I said I bought them knowing something was wrong about 4 days ago. Since I knew something was up I have been watching my tank like a hawk. Fully keeping up with the maintenance doing plenty of vacuuming and water changes. In hopes whatever they had would go away if I kept the water perfect and clean. Last night I was watching very closely and that's when it hit me that the new fish had Gill fluke. I did my research it all matched up.

The stuff I'm treating them with (Parasite Clear) has praziquantel in it so I am thinking it will do the trick.

It says you can treat 2 times within 48 hours after a 25% water change. After that it dose not say how long you should continue treating for. I read the eggs hatch with in 2 -4 days in 78-82 F. So I am thinking I treated tonight. Don't do anything tomorrow and then the next day do a water change and add another does. Repeat in 2 more days to make sure they are all dead??? Does that sound good? Or would just 2 treatment be enough?

 

[WILDER]

Inflamed gills can be bad water quality, bacterial gill rot, gill flukes.
its rare to have a nitrate reading of 0.
What is your tap nitrate reading.
Do you have live plants in the tank.

Signs of skin and gills flukes are.
Red inflamed gills or pale gills with excess slime.
Opaque body with excess slime.
Flicking and rubbing against objects in the tank.
Laboured breathing or gasping at the surface of the tank.
Swimming in a jerky movement.
Spitting out.
Weighloss sometimes.
Erratic swimming.
Sores on the body of the fish.

 

[snowflake311]

Inflamed gills can be bad water quality, bacterial gill rot, gill flukes.
its rare to have a nitrate reading of 0.
What is your tap nitrate reading.
Do you have live plants in the tank.

Signs of skin and gills flukes are.
Red inflamed gills or pale gills with excess slime.
Opaque body with excess slime.
Flicking and rubbing against objects in the tank.
Laboured breathing or gasping at the surface of the tank.
Swimming in a jerky movement.
Spitting out.
Weighloss sometimes.
Erratic swimming.
Sores on the body of the fish.

When you do lots of water changes Like I have been all your water levels stay at 0. I have been checking the water before I change it. Its perfect every time THAT IS NOT THE PROBLEM WHY CAN"T YOU EXCEPT THAT. I BOUGHT SICK FISH !!!!!!

I know the Signs.
Yes one of the keyholes has red inflamed gills
The other has a area on her skin that is slimy looking,
I notice them and a few others flicking off things "flashing"
One of the keyholes also has more labored breathing but does not go to the surface.

They still eat and get around.

Another sign is Swimming with one pectoral fin. They do this sometimes.
Also isolating them selves is a sign. The male is the one I am worried about. He is being less active he is the one with inflamed gills that don't fully close, he is starting to keeping his fins closed more too. I have seen this male the sickest one scratch just his chin and face on surfaces. His little chin is a big red. If that's not a sign of trying to get a parasite off I don't know what is.

DO YOU KNOW HOW TO TREAT IT OR NOT I Am getting really flustered with all the lack of constant information I am getting from sites. I have read just about every site that I have found on it. One site said salt will help the other said it will not do a thing. One site says malachite green does a good job at treating it. The other site says it does not work well. One site says you can never get rid of it the other site says you can't. GRRRR......

I JUST WANT SOMEONE THAT HAS SUCCESSFULLY TREATED IT TO HELP ME !!!!!

Thanks for trying to help. But if you have never successfully treated gill fluke you can't help me.


What med is the best for treating Flukes ? I could buy some PraziPro I read that was pretty good, or fluke tabs. I am not sure this Parasite clear is working or that it is strong enough. I am going to keep trying. I am treating as directed. second treatment will be tomorrow. I'm afraid this is something I am going to have to learn on my own.


I live in Lake Tahoe we have the best water. NO nitrates in our tap water.

 

[WILDER]

There a number of meds for flukes in the united states clout is one of them.

Some flukes are egg layers so have to retreat to kill the young as they hatch or the cycle continues.
After treatment you have to back up with a bacterial med as flukes cause bacterial infections.

Once fish labour breath with flukes they rarely make it.

Treatment:

Treat with Clout, Fluke Tabs, Paraform, Trifon, Paragon, Quick Cure, Formalin, orParasite Guard. Gill flukes are highly contagious, therefore, all fish in the same aquarium should be treated

 

[shelaghfishface]

no point in yelling mate!! we not the one who didnt quarantine the new fish, i have 100% treated flukes with advice from wilder, so if i was you i would drop the attitude and start reading, and a thankyou wouldnt be out of place right about now either

 

[helterskelter]

The reason flukes affect with poor water quality is, the fish is stressed and cant fight everything.
When you buy shop fish they have been stressed for several days, either taken from the wild or a farm breeder and shippend beteween a couple of wholsalers and then on to the shops.

This is amazing the fish survive this so good, so some will suffer.
So even if your water is good the fish will suffer......

NOW NO ONE LIKES IT WHEN EVERY THING IS IN CAPITALS, SO PEOPLE ARE EVEN LESS LIKELY TO HELP YOU.

Just a couple of things. Malicate is a antigungal treatment, this will not work, but mixing it with formalin will work great.
Salt is an old fashion way but it dose work. A 3% salt dip for 60-90 seconds may work, but this rearly dose stress the fish again which i would suggest you avoid.

 

[snowflake311]

Sorry if I sound like I'm yelling I am just not happy with the situation I put myself in. It is frustrating. I am venting my frustrations.

I live in the USA. I have never heard of Advice by wilder?? what's the active ingredient?

These fish had been at the shop for a week. I saw them a week before I got them. The store I got them from was a shady place. Oh well you live you learn I did not think they had this big of a problem. I will just keep fighting it the best way I can. Yeah I do not want to do salt baths that just does not sound fun for the fish.

Thanks for trying to help, I am on my own.

 

[minxfishy]

Your not on your own, we have all done it, bought fish without QT'ing them and ended up with a problem. Wilder is a member on here who is regarded as being one of the best people to ask to diagnose a fish infection, she isnt being awkward in the questions she is asking regarding water quality, its a standard set of questions to help in working out the problem.

If you can get any of the meds that she has listed in her post, then I would take her advice and get some.

Ive been in your situation, different disease, and it is very frustrating when you know what the problem is and despite your best efforts and taking all the advice given, you still lose the fish. Hopefully in this case, if you can get the meds required you wont lose too many fish.

Good luck and let us know how you get on

 

[snowflake311]

Your not on your own, we have all done it, bought fish without QT'ing them and ended up with a problem. Wilder is a member on here who is regarded as being one of the best people to ask to diagnose a fish infection, she isnt being awkward in the questions she is asking regarding water quality, its a standard set of questions to help in working out the problem.

If you can get any of the meds that she has listed in her post, then I would take her advice and get some.

Ive been in your situation, different disease, and it is very frustrating when you know what the problem is and despite your best efforts and taking all the advice given, you still lose the fish. Hopefully in this case, if you can get the meds required you wont lose too many fish.

Good luck and let us know how you get on

Thanks for being understanding. I did a large water change tonight and added the second dose. They all seem to be doing fine. None of them look like they are going to die. They seem to be slowly getting better. I think with fresh water and some meds I will beat this.