Gill Fluke and Gill Parasite

[ivo]

hi all, i was wondering whether anyone could tell me how to distinguish a discus is having gill fluke problem or gill parasite problem without using a microscope? any info would be greatly appreciated. thank you.

[Eddie]

If your water is all in check, normally you'll find your discus using only one gill. Often, you'll find your discus flashing or rubbing on objects as if they are being irritated by something.

Eddie

[MSD]

Hi Basshead, I think he wanted to know which disease had what symptoms.

[Eddie]

My bad, I'd like to see who knows the answer to that one too. Once they answer, I'm gonna ask them for the California Lottery numbers too. I'll see which one has a better chance of winning.

;)

Oh wait, if I read about flukes I'd find out that they are a parasite.

[Graham]

Once you see a fish flashing, not using a gill or flaring it then you can check the gill itself. Catch the fish and gently lift the operculum. A healthy gill should be a bright red meat colour, without any heavy clumping of the lamellae. There should be no gray or brown rotting areas and no excess mucus coating the gills.

Unless less the fish has gill maggots or Ick, no parasites will be obvious as they're microscopic

G

[MSD]

Same here, I ask the most experienced people on here and they give me the answer. I am still a fan of the Huey Hung Meds, worked great when I recently used them, fish are eating and eliminating in textbook fashion. No flashing, darkening, or sulking. Of course with discus, its usually a matter of when the next illness hits. :D

[Roxanne]

.... Catch the fish and gently lift the operculum....
G

:D...Grah Master you make it sound so easy, when I hear the words "catch the fish", I break into a sweat & pace around in front of the tank for a while trying to work out the logistics!!!:D i have to overcome my fear of hurting them/them thrashing around, I get dirty enough looks just doing water changes on the biggies I can't imagine catching them!...I will just OBSERVE the gills until that time...unless you can come to Australia & give me some lessons!! ;) (I think I already owe you for a Uni Degree in Water Tech....)

When you say there won't be parasites visible to the eye, could you scrape a little bit of gill & scope it for parasites then?
Rox

[Don Trinko]

I don't have much problem with "catch the fish" for my big discus but when I have to catch a catfish or a small discus I end up removing everything in the tank! Don T.

[Graham]

LOL Needless to say the more ''stuff'' in the tank the bigger the problem it is to catch the fish. Then if the fish flopping around if a problem, then knock him out for a few minutes with clove oil or MS222.

To do a scrape of the gills or a gill clipping this would be a must.

G

[Roxanne]

LOL .... then knock him out for a few minutes with clove oil or MS222.

To do a scrape of the gills or a gill clipping this would be a must.

G

ooh, interesting, knocking it out, how?

All this talk about gills, now Calypso(my Rod Lewis Gold) has one closed:mad:!!

Rox

[ivo]

thank you all for your info especially a big thank to graham.

hi graham, i guess even if i lift up the operculum and discovers that the gill is not normal bright red which still does not tell me whether it has gill fluke or gill parasite then, unless i check it under microscope, correct?

also:
- discus will display the same sytoms for e.g., one gill closed, under both fluke and parasite?
- treatment for gill fluke and gill parasite is different, isn't it?

my vet can offer accurate identification of what type of gill problem service but he charges a lot. thanks.

[Moon]

Gill fluke is a parasite.

[Eddie]

Thanks Moon, tried to say that in my post earlier but nobody really picked that up. ;)

Take care,
Eddie

[ivo]

stupid me. thank you moon and basshead!

[Eddie]

stupid me. thank you moon and basshead!

No way Ivo, not stupid. Its fine and at least now you know how to handle the problem if you have one. ;)

Eddie