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- Thread starter Cody010493
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yote
In Memoriam
If what you are refering to are those 2 white dots on either side of the spot, then no.
Those are to big to be Ick. Flukes maybe, but Ick, no.
Those are to big to be Ick. Flukes maybe, but Ick, no.
Cody010493
Reefing newb
what are flukes and are they bad? how do i get rid of them ?
I had a fish with a similar problem and I was asked give a quick dip to fish in RODI fresh water by the lfs. I have no idea if this is right or wrong but worked for me. The fish stopped scratching itself against the rocks.
noy
Reefing newb
Make sure you know what it is before you start treating.
BUT, a freshwater dip is a good preventative measure and may even cure the problem. Works for ich and flukes. If its ich - the fish will be scatching itself fairly regularly. This is an effective 1st step and you can monitor the fish after.
Set up a clean bucket or tank (if you have it) or even a plastic container big enough to keep your fish. Fill it up with de-chlorinated water (either RO/DI or even tap water treated with water conditioner like prime). Get the temperature to the same as your tank - this is very important - you will need a heater for this. You don't want a difference in temparate as your fish will get shocked by the diff.
Put the fish in for 8-10 minutes and watch him. Don't worry if it sinks right to bottom and lies on its side - they will do that. Agitate the fish a bit so it moves - with ich the parasites will literally fall off due to the difference in osmotic pressure.
Put the fish back - and monitor it. If its still scratching and you see white spots after a few days - you will have to qt and treat your fish.
Freshhwater dips:
see option 6 in the link below for more on freshwater dips.
Marine Ich/Cryptocaryon irritans - A Discussion of this Parasite and the Treatment Options Available, Part II by Steven Pro - Reefkeeping.com
[i pasted the below from another forum so don't take credit for authorship]
The best means of identification of flukes is through skin scrapes and gill clips. The symptoms match many other conditions. The primary symptoms include:
rapid breathing
shyness or outright hiding
discoloration
The diagnosis of flukes is usually when all other pathogens and conditions have been eliminated. Not a very good method, but the best the aquarist has at this time, unless they have the means to perform the scrape and clip mentioned above.
Anyway. . .Flukes come in a variety of organisms. Flukes are a sub-class of the worm group. There are some 100+ common marine flukes out there. Fortunately for the marine hobbyist, most require other marine life hosts to go through their life cycle. We don't have those other hosts in our aquariums, so that limits our concern to those that can reproduce in our aquariums and that don't need non-fish hosts to go through their life cycle.
They are (speaking in generalities) not affected by copper treatments -- including Cupramine.
A general attack on flukes is to first perform a FW dip of extended time as I recommend for newly acquired fishes. Some flukes are killed outright by this treatment.
Other flukes require a more active medication. Those of the trematode and Trichodina group (often called in general 'gill flukes') are best eradicated by a Formalin dip process. Three consecutive dips of a couple days apart. (I can refer you to a specific procedure/process if you wish). This dip process is very much controlled and can't be performed 'haphazardly' lest the fish die from the 'cure.'
You may find some products off the shelf that claim to kill flukes. Just read the label. The most effective general chemicals that kills flukes are members of the quinine family. Usually that is quinacrine hydrochloride, aka: atabrine hydrochloride, atebrine, chinacrine, mepacrine, or quinacrine.
There is a debate as to how long a tank should go fallow to eliminate the flukes. Some claim 6 weeks is enough. I doubt that very much. Others suggest 16 weeks is needed. I doubt that very much too. Most of the troublesome marine flukes have a limited life without a host of about 8 weeks or less. I recommend letting the marine system itself go fallow for 10 weeks while the fish is/are being treating in one or more hospital tanks.
BUT, a freshwater dip is a good preventative measure and may even cure the problem. Works for ich and flukes. If its ich - the fish will be scatching itself fairly regularly. This is an effective 1st step and you can monitor the fish after.
Set up a clean bucket or tank (if you have it) or even a plastic container big enough to keep your fish. Fill it up with de-chlorinated water (either RO/DI or even tap water treated with water conditioner like prime). Get the temperature to the same as your tank - this is very important - you will need a heater for this. You don't want a difference in temparate as your fish will get shocked by the diff.
Put the fish in for 8-10 minutes and watch him. Don't worry if it sinks right to bottom and lies on its side - they will do that. Agitate the fish a bit so it moves - with ich the parasites will literally fall off due to the difference in osmotic pressure.
Put the fish back - and monitor it. If its still scratching and you see white spots after a few days - you will have to qt and treat your fish.
Freshhwater dips:
see option 6 in the link below for more on freshwater dips.
Marine Ich/Cryptocaryon irritans - A Discussion of this Parasite and the Treatment Options Available, Part II by Steven Pro - Reefkeeping.com
[i pasted the below from another forum so don't take credit for authorship]
The best means of identification of flukes is through skin scrapes and gill clips. The symptoms match many other conditions. The primary symptoms include:
rapid breathing
shyness or outright hiding
discoloration
The diagnosis of flukes is usually when all other pathogens and conditions have been eliminated. Not a very good method, but the best the aquarist has at this time, unless they have the means to perform the scrape and clip mentioned above.
Anyway. . .Flukes come in a variety of organisms. Flukes are a sub-class of the worm group. There are some 100+ common marine flukes out there. Fortunately for the marine hobbyist, most require other marine life hosts to go through their life cycle. We don't have those other hosts in our aquariums, so that limits our concern to those that can reproduce in our aquariums and that don't need non-fish hosts to go through their life cycle.
They are (speaking in generalities) not affected by copper treatments -- including Cupramine.
A general attack on flukes is to first perform a FW dip of extended time as I recommend for newly acquired fishes. Some flukes are killed outright by this treatment.
Other flukes require a more active medication. Those of the trematode and Trichodina group (often called in general 'gill flukes') are best eradicated by a Formalin dip process. Three consecutive dips of a couple days apart. (I can refer you to a specific procedure/process if you wish). This dip process is very much controlled and can't be performed 'haphazardly' lest the fish die from the 'cure.'
You may find some products off the shelf that claim to kill flukes. Just read the label. The most effective general chemicals that kills flukes are members of the quinine family. Usually that is quinacrine hydrochloride, aka: atabrine hydrochloride, atebrine, chinacrine, mepacrine, or quinacrine.
There is a debate as to how long a tank should go fallow to eliminate the flukes. Some claim 6 weeks is enough. I doubt that very much. Others suggest 16 weeks is needed. I doubt that very much too. Most of the troublesome marine flukes have a limited life without a host of about 8 weeks or less. I recommend letting the marine system itself go fallow for 10 weeks while the fish is/are being treating in one or more hospital tanks.
Last edited:
Greenman
Reefing newb
Careful with that Formalin dip... That stuff is VERY Strong!
