Formalin Question

[roger]

Hello Everyone,

I have the sneaky suspicion that my wild tank is having problems with gill flukes. Not all of the fish display any problems but a few do.

Things like rubbing up against things, only breathing through one set of gills.

Most everyone eats well so I dont think its gotten to that point yet.

I have a couple of questions before I add formalin to the tank.

1. I have a few otos and plecos and ghost shrimp in the tank, any known issues with them getting the formalin treatment.

2. I have a bunch of floating watersprite, any reason to take it out during treatment

3. I have 2 sponge filters and a cannister filter (no carbon) with temp at 86. Any reason to think that the formalin will trash the bacteria in my filters or reduce the oxygen in the tank.

Thanks
Roger

[Francisco_Borrero]

Roger;
i haqve not used formalin, but I have used formalite II, although in an altum tank. There were several plecos, cories and 2 huge amazon sword plants. Formalite II is formaline + malachite green.
The plecos + cories did not experience any difficulty. The plants suffered tremendously, with many leaves "melting". Eventually I cut off older leaves and they grew new ones. Water sprite is fairly indestructible, but I don't know how it may respond to formalin.
I don't think your filters may suffer, but I do often leave the water level a little low when using medicines, so that the tank gets more agitation/aeration.
The symptoms you describe do sound like gill flukes, the gift that keeps on giving. They are not often a bid problem, but come and go with time. I have never used formalin for them, but prazi.
Good luck and cheers, Francisco.

[roger]

Thanks Fransicso

There is a good thread about the never ending gift .. I expect to treat a 2nd time in a few weeks to see if I cant stop that gift.

Ill probably lower the temp to 82-84 and if the plants die, well I have a 55 that puts out a ton of watersprite.

I dont like using dyes in the tanks if at all possible, especially something that is green. Just what I need is green silicone :)

[fcdiscus]

Roger, the formalin will kill adult flukes, but have no effect on the eggs! A single treatment is not advisable. Better every other day for three or four treatments, to kill off most of the hatching eggs. Frank

[roger]

Thanks Frank

I was trying to find where the recommended treatment frequency was. You just saved me a few hours of digging around :)

[Ardan]

Hi,
Use good ventilation and keep it off skin, it is a carcinogenic. I used it at 3 drops per gallon, after 8 hrs a 50% wc. DOn't use it if its outdated or whitish looking.
I think prazi is safer for flukes IMO for a 21 day treatment, every other day.
Flubendazole is another option for 21 days.

hth

[roger]

If I had any prazi left I would be using it :)

I just happen to have a large container of formalin though. So formalin it will be. I dont know if its outdated, but its still crystal clear.

Ill be doing a big water change tonight of about 50%, I have just enough RO water made up to handle that :) 120 gal tanks are rough to do big water changes on.

Ill be doing another treatment saturday night and the water change sunday morning.

Roger

[yogi]

I just want to mention a few other things about the use of formaln. If I'm treating at 2 drops per gallon and the tank is a 55 gallon, I add 110 drops. If I'm treating at 3 drops per gallon I'll calculate what the tank holds which is closer to about 47 gallons. So at three drops per gallon I'll use 141 drops. The reason is formalin is some strong stuff that can cause damage. I use a syringe when I use it 1cc or ml is 20 drops.

There will be some filter die off so don't be surprised if the tank is a little cloudy after 8 hours. Also formalin can cause your ph to drop a little. Watersprite are tuff plants. There might be a little die off, but the plant will bounce back. Some people add an extra airstone during formalin because it depletes oxygen.

In the April 2003 TFH, Jack Wattley talks about using fresh garlic to combat gill flukes. He says it must be fresh garlic puree. Take some garlic from a clove and then peel it. Then run it through a citrus squeezer and mix it with there food. When the discus eats the garlic it goes into there system. The flukes don't like it and detach from the discus. You might want to ask Gabe for more information.