Ardan
05-25-2002, 06:26 AM
Gill and Skin Flukes
The pictures below were “used with permission from “Handbook of Fish Diseases” by TFH Publications, Inc
Flukes are a parasite. There are two main families of flukes affecting Discus.
Gyrodactylidea is a fluke which usually attacks the skin. It reproduces with live offspring (no egg). It can have up to four live embryos total, each embryo can have another embryo in it. Thus four generations can be in one parent! Reproduction rates are very fast. Signs of them are small open areas on the skin which can lead to secondary bacterial or fungal infections. They can be as long as .9 mm.
Dactylogyridea family of Flukes is an egg laying fluke and live mainly on the gills. They can be as long as 2 mm. Egg development can take from several hours to four days (according to Untergasser). Eggs can fall to the bottom of the aquarium, once hatches the fluke can swim toward the fish, as it has small eyespots to see the fish as a shadow. Small hooks on the fluke help it attach to the fish.
Signs of Fluke infestation include, scratching against objects by the fish, rapid breathing due to loss of use of part of a gill, or even holding a gill shut and not using it.
Adult fish can usually tolerate a minor infestation of flukes, but if a fish is stressed or weakened the flukes start to overtake the fish.
Treatments
A. * * *formalin can be used, but will not affect the eggs of flukes so timing is important. * * * * Jack Wattley in “Handbook of Discus”(1985) suggests three treatments spaced three days apart *at three drops /gal for 8 hours. Then do a 50% water change. *Moving the fish to a clean tank can be done to make sure that hatching fluke eggs from the bottom of the aquarium do not reattach to the fish. Extra aeration should be used when using formalin. Do not use temps greater than 84 F as oxygen depletion can occur.
B. * * *(recommended treatment for safety of fish)Treatment with Prazi has been shown to be effective by Cary at GLD
*Routine = ¼ teaspoon / 20 gallons, wait 48 hours, change 50% water, wait 24hrs, change 50% water, repeat, continuing for a full 21 days(dose every 3 days) without interruption (prazi also eliminates tapeworm, do not be surprised if the fish have one, it will come out)
C. * * *Flubenzadol=(very effective)must be used for a full 21 days. (has been shown to be toxic to some fish) http://forum.simplydiscus.com//index.php?board=4;action=display;threadid=1080
Untergasser(1989) reports that flubenzadol also helps eradicate fluke eggs.(it also eliminates internal worms/nematodes) Usually the fish may start acting better after 4 or 5 days.
D. * * *salt dips at 3% may help according to Dr. Carrington(Maintaining a Healthy Aquarium, 1985, Salamander Books) = 7.5 tablespoons/gallon until the fish “rolls over” then transfer to clean water.
E. * * *PP dip has been shown to help on the live flukes.
Sources:
Handbook of Fish Diseases by Dieter Untergasser, TFH Publications, Inc 1989
Maintaining a Healthy Aquarium by Dr. Neville Carrington, Salamander Books 1985
1985 Handbook of Discus by Jack Wattley, TFH Publications Inc
Hth
Ardan :sunshine:
The microscopic photo below is of the Dactylogyridea family
The pictures below were “used with permission from “Handbook of Fish Diseases” by TFH Publications, Inc
Flukes are a parasite. There are two main families of flukes affecting Discus.
Gyrodactylidea is a fluke which usually attacks the skin. It reproduces with live offspring (no egg). It can have up to four live embryos total, each embryo can have another embryo in it. Thus four generations can be in one parent! Reproduction rates are very fast. Signs of them are small open areas on the skin which can lead to secondary bacterial or fungal infections. They can be as long as .9 mm.
Dactylogyridea family of Flukes is an egg laying fluke and live mainly on the gills. They can be as long as 2 mm. Egg development can take from several hours to four days (according to Untergasser). Eggs can fall to the bottom of the aquarium, once hatches the fluke can swim toward the fish, as it has small eyespots to see the fish as a shadow. Small hooks on the fluke help it attach to the fish.
Signs of Fluke infestation include, scratching against objects by the fish, rapid breathing due to loss of use of part of a gill, or even holding a gill shut and not using it.
Adult fish can usually tolerate a minor infestation of flukes, but if a fish is stressed or weakened the flukes start to overtake the fish.
Treatments
A. * * *formalin can be used, but will not affect the eggs of flukes so timing is important. * * * * Jack Wattley in “Handbook of Discus”(1985) suggests three treatments spaced three days apart *at three drops /gal for 8 hours. Then do a 50% water change. *Moving the fish to a clean tank can be done to make sure that hatching fluke eggs from the bottom of the aquarium do not reattach to the fish. Extra aeration should be used when using formalin. Do not use temps greater than 84 F as oxygen depletion can occur.
B. * * *(recommended treatment for safety of fish)Treatment with Prazi has been shown to be effective by Cary at GLD
*Routine = ¼ teaspoon / 20 gallons, wait 48 hours, change 50% water, wait 24hrs, change 50% water, repeat, continuing for a full 21 days(dose every 3 days) without interruption (prazi also eliminates tapeworm, do not be surprised if the fish have one, it will come out)
C. * * *Flubenzadol=(very effective)must be used for a full 21 days. (has been shown to be toxic to some fish) http://forum.simplydiscus.com//index.php?board=4;action=display;threadid=1080
Untergasser(1989) reports that flubenzadol also helps eradicate fluke eggs.(it also eliminates internal worms/nematodes) Usually the fish may start acting better after 4 or 5 days.
D. * * *salt dips at 3% may help according to Dr. Carrington(Maintaining a Healthy Aquarium, 1985, Salamander Books) = 7.5 tablespoons/gallon until the fish “rolls over” then transfer to clean water.
E. * * *PP dip has been shown to help on the live flukes.
Sources:
Handbook of Fish Diseases by Dieter Untergasser, TFH Publications, Inc 1989
Maintaining a Healthy Aquarium by Dr. Neville Carrington, Salamander Books 1985
1985 Handbook of Discus by Jack Wattley, TFH Publications Inc
Hth
Ardan :sunshine:
The microscopic photo below is of the Dactylogyridea family