Deworming / de-fluking fish?

[FishyReef]

My fish are generally healthy and stress free, but I've periodically noticed that a fish will develop something that looks like a larger sized fleck of skin/scale that eventually falls off, sometimes white in color, sometimes colored how the fish is colored. No one has ever really seemed distressed or bothered by this, but I do notice several of my fish now using the cleaner shrimp more and one flecking off the rocks. I do not see any evidence of ich or tiny white spots. One of my wrasses has also always been on the skinny side and I wonder if I should deworm him. Anyhow, I know I can do freshwater dips for flukes, but I am wondering if deworming everyone on the tank would simultaneously take care of flukes? I've heard that there are some new foods or food soaks out there that are also dewormers to better target the fish rather than dose the entire tank and kill off feather dusters, etc. Anyone familiar with these or used these before? I don't have a quarantine tank large enough to treat all of my fish simultaneously and think that most will be impossible to catch to QT anyway, so if I treat I will be doing it in the DT. Just wanted to get some opinions here as to whether this is something worth pursuing and if so, what the best way to do it would be, keeping in mind that my fish are otherwise healthy with good appetites and so far seem to have fought off anything they might have on their own. If I do it, it would be more preventative to keep things in check.

 

[little_fish]

I don't think the meds we use to deworm fish will also get rid of any flukes, but you can safely deworm a DT. I don't think it would be a bad thing to do for the tank if you have the skinny wrasse. It probably won't get them totally out of the tank, but it could give your wrasse the edge in keeping the population under control.

 

[FishyReef]

Would you recommend just using prazipro, or is there something else that would be better through targeted feeding? For the flukes, is a fresh water dip the only option?

 

[little_fish]

I think i would just use the prazipro. Looking at my fish med book, it says that prazipro might also be effective against some types of flukes as well, but I wouldnt hold my breath on that one. But they also say that unless it is an overwhelming infection, flukes generally arent a big deal.

 

[FishyReef]

Thanks Hannah! I think I will just go ahead and use the prazipro then. I'm pretty sure the wrasse is the only one with a bad worm infection since he's so skinny, but if he has them, then I'm sure he's passed them along. As for the flukes, I don't think they are an overwhelming infection, but I also don't want them to get that way. Maybe the prazipro will get some of them, otherwise I'll keep an eye on it and figure something else out if they become overwhelming...

 

[BL1]

Prazipro is good for internal parasites (and according to the product details for flukes, tapeworms, and flat worms). I do know several people that have used it successfully for flukes. The medicated food seems to be getting better but still isn't as effective as treating the tank. Also the prazipro site warns about using it in tanks with feather dusters.