Fluke treatment question.

[Australian_Reef]

The standard low salinity for flukes is 1.012. The issue is, if your hydrometer is off by a little, 1.013 might not then be low enough.

Flukes will drop off in a day or so and the scratching typically stops a few days after that. However, fluke eggs are not harmed by the hyposalinity, so you need to keep the fish in that for 30 days to ensure that the eggs die.

1.012 will not kill off all of the bacteria, you likely will not see an ammonia rise unless the tank had a lot of algae in it that died off.

Ok great. Will go to 1.010-11 unless this will cause any issues (angelfish, moreish idio, hawkish,clownfish). Will pick up some calibration solution for the refractometer too. I have a seachem alert in the tank and prime on hand just in case. Thanks for the help guys.

 

[Duane family]

Ok great. Will go to 1.010-11 unless this will cause any issues (angelfish, moreish idio, hawkish,clownfish). Will pick up some calibration solution for the refractometer too. I have a seachem alert in the tank and prime on hand just in case. Thanks for the help guys.

Great, good luck and I believe you will be successful. All it take is 30 days and then you can slowly bring them back to your preferred reef salinity and celebrate.

Just a word of caution on two points.
Refractometer calibration fluid is notoriously inaccurate depending on which brand. I would suggest that you rather verify a current sample between your unit and someone nearby who you trust if this is possible.
Then in addition, those seachem ammonia allert badges underdetect so always be cognizant of that. I personally still use them but knowing this point.

Keep the forum upto date and enjoy conquering flukes in a somewhat unorthodox method in today's times.

 

[Australian_Reef]

Fish are all in and have been at 1.011 for about 20 hrs. All seem fine and are feeding. However the angelfish has some fin damage. Particularly his right pectoral fin. Could have been net damage, I’ve not seen any aggression in the tank. Also has a bit of a raggy tail fin but this isn’t as bad. I wonder if it’s actually damage from the flukes that have done this. There were a number of them visibility before treatment started and I can still see at least two still attached.

Seachem alert is already showing a measurable amount of ammonia so water change on way plus prime.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Fish are all in and have been at 1.011 for about 20 hrs. All seem fine and are feeding. However the angelfish has some fin damage. Particularly his right pectoral fin. Could have been net damage, I’ve not seen any aggression in the tank. Also has a bit of a raggy tail fin but this isn’t as bad. I wonder if it’s actually damage from the flukes that have done this. There were a number of them visibility before treatment started and I can still see at least two still attached.

Seachem alert is already showing a measurable amount of ammonia so water change on way plus prime.

Flukes can cause fish to have "ratty" fins, but this is worse than I usually see. If you are certain that it wasn't from aggression, then it may be infected with bacteria.

Is the angel eating well?

 

[Australian_Reef]

Yes eating ok. Not as well as usual but it did have a pretty heavy infestation. Other side is basically normal. I had a video that showed better but can’t upload.
Developed very quickly. From slightly raggy to this in 24 hrs. Can’t 100% say it wasn’t aggression the moorish has been pushy before in the display but I’ve not seen anything in the hospital tank. I’ve added some pipes etc today so give more hiding spaces. I can still see a few flukes attached to the tail fin.

 

[Australian_Reef]

Woke up to the angelfish unable to maintain balance in water. Seems bright enough in itself, which is weird, just a slight positive buoyancy wanting to push him to the surface belly first. Hes definitely not stuck to the surface though.. yet. Seems either swim blander issue or possible intestinal problems. Doesn’t seem to be a huge amount of noticeable swelling. But diet has definitely been reduced in late etc since he’s been in QT. Will not be feeding today and have reduced flow to stop him bouncing around. Any ideas?

 

[Australian_Reef]

Checked a few hours later. Is now completely unstable. Possible bulging eyes, possible start of a prolapse.. swim bladder, bowl issues, acites? All other fish fine. Salinity steady at 1.011. Has been at this level for 7 days. Ammonia safe on seachem. Only did a 20% water change yesterday. Have moved to a bucket with fresh 1.011 water.

 

[Australian_Reef]

So I think that the most obvious cause is constipation. The fish at the surface is even squirting water out of its mouth like trying to purge the swim bladder. Makes sense as there one fibre he’s had has been hikari alage pellets in the hospital tank. Looking at potential cures again their few I can get in Australia I will try to feed some epsom salts and extra fibre but at this point he’s very hard to control and is now starting to wear himself out. Can’t see an obvious area of particular swelling.

 

[Tamberav]

So I think that the most obvious cause is constipation. The fish at the surface is even squirting water out of its mouth like trying to purge the swim bladder. Makes sense as there one fibre he’s had has been hikari alage pellets in the hospital tank. Looking at potential cures again their few I can get in Australia I will try to feed some epsom salts and extra fibre but at this point he’s very hard to control and is now starting to wear himself out. Can’t see an obvious area of particular swelling.

Oh man, sorry about your fish :( looks rough. Hope the others are doing better.

 

[Australian_Reef]

Oh man, sorry about your fish :( looks rough. Hope the others are doing better.

Cheers mate. Other are fine. He was 36 hrs ago though. He’s on his way out now. I mean the tree an even an outside chance of injury that’s done it. It has a close glass cover to keep salinity stable. Its seems less buoyant now. But it seems unable to control its movements.

Real unhappy tbh. Such awesome fish.

 

[Australian_Reef]

So the angel is now dead. The funny thing is the colouration is still 100%. No further issue with fins. Slight pressure on abdomen produced ALOT of faeces. So it was impacted. Whether from diet, infection or parasites I don’t know. Can’t feel any swim bladder enlargement.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

So the angel is now dead. The funny thing is the colouration is still 100%. No further issue with fins. Slight pressure on abdomen produced ALOT of faeces. So it was impacted. Whether from diet, infection or parasites I don’t know. Can’t feel any swim bladder enlargement.

Sorry to hear, I just woke up. I wouldn’t have been able to solve this issue anyway.

Intestinal infections can produce gas that mimics swim bladder issues.

 

[Australian_Reef]

Unfortunately this morning the moorish idol started showing strange swimming behaviour however it fed very well on mastic. This afternoon it’s seemed worse with increased breathing and a rigor like body, clearly agitated. no buoyancy issues but almost like it’s neurological behaviour.

50% water change done even though ammonia showing safe and ph stable at 7.9-8.0. Not looking hopeful. Bare bottom tank that has been kept extremely clean of any detritus. Well oxygenated and 10x turnover. Small fish seem fine. Just very strange that fish haven’t been affected all at once if it’s a water issue. But if it’s an infection I have no idea what it is this time.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Unfortunately this morning the moorish idol started showing strange swimming behaviour however it fed very well on mastic. This afternoon it’s seemed worse with increased breathing and a rigor like body, clearly agitated. no buoyancy issues but almost like it’s neurological behaviour.

50% water change done even though ammonia showing safe and ph stable at 7.9-8.0. Not looking hopeful. Bare bottom tank that has been kept extremely clean of any detritus. Well oxygenated and 10x turnover. Small fish seem fine. Just very strange that fish haven’t been affected all at once if it’s a water issue. But if it’s an infection I have no idea what it is this time.

So - it is possible the tank has more than one infection going on. I think there has been enough time to exclude secondary bacterial infection from the Neobenedenia infection, but maybe not?
What other fish are in the tank? I saw a clown in one picture. Any rapid breathing or not eating with them?

 

[Australian_Reef]

So - it is possible the tank has more than one infection going on. I think there has been enough time to exclude secondary bacterial infection from the Neobenedenia infection, but maybe not?
What other fish are in the tank? I saw a clown in one picture. Any rapid breathing or not eating with them?

2x small occy clowns (tank bred) and a small 2” pixie hawkish. No issue seen with these. Eating well no breathing issues. But 24hrs ago no obvious issue with the moorish and it fed really well this morning. Definitely no signs of any white spots at all. No signs of bruises etc. the only thing of note is the pinkish blush before the tail fin. I jump to uronema given the hypo. But it’s not a sore by any means. I did not see this on the angel. Varies from lethargic hiding behind pipes or rocks to short lived manic darts. Picture taken after lights out when fish should have been asleep, but it’s darting usually upright but agitated. I don’t expect it to survive the night

 

[Australian_Reef]

First thing I’d ask is. If my measurements are incorect and the salinity is lower than I’m measuring (1.011). Would these symptoms be consistent with this? I calibrated using RODI measures at 0 TDS.

 

[Duane family]

This is very unfortunate,
The Idol is extremely thin and I think that the fish has starved to death. I'm not saying he hasn't been showing eating behavior as I think you said he was eating but def not getting enough nourishment. This is often associated with a flukes as first suspected.

 

[Australian_Reef]

This is very unfortunate,
The Idol is extremely thin and I think that the fish has starved to death. I'm not saying he hasn't been showing eating behavior as I think you said he was eating but def not getting enough nourishment. This is often associated with a flukes as first suspected.

Tbh he was a lot fatter in the main tank. I don’t think he has starved though. He has fed to satiation every day. However it has been mysis and marine mix. It wasn’t eating enough fibre. I had to reduce feeding in this tank to keep water Params. The main tank btw has seen a huge growth in algae since the fish were moved. They were eating a huge amount of algae in the main tank which I obviously can’t provide in the hospital tank. I’ve given algae tabs and nori as much as possible. But not the same.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

First thing I’d ask is. If my measurements are incorect and the salinity is lower than I’m measuring (1.011). Would these symptoms be consistent with this? I calibrated using RODI measures at 0 TDS.

Moorish idols are good down to full hyposalinity, so 1.009

 

[Australian_Reef]

So the moorish idol didn’t survive the night as I expected. Looking back at the photos I had he had definitely lost weight. Despite eating extremely well. So flukes or internal parasites I don’t know. The two small clowns and hawkish continue fine a week on . Much less stress on the tank nutrient wise now.