Is this black ich?

[LeftCoastRN]

Is this Black Ich (Paravortex turbellaria flatworms) on my Powder Brown Tang? He’s behaving normally and eating well. I don’t see anything on any of my other fish. If so, I plan to treat my DT with PraziPro. I don’t have another tank to use as a treatment tank. Thanks y’all!

 

[fishguy242]

@Jay Hemdal @vetteguy53081

 

[ariellemermaid]

Following to see what Jay has to say. Reminds me of spots on my tang when he had flukes.

 

[LeftCoastRN]

Following to see what Jay has to say. Reminds me of spots on my tang when he had flukes.

I’m hoping it is flukes. Then should be easily treated with PraziPro which Amazon is delivering to me today.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

There are three things that can cause black spots on tangs - two species of turbellarian flatworms, as well as melanin scars from digenetic trematodes. The latter needs multiple hosts in order to complete its life cycle, so those will die out in an aquarium on their own, no treatment needed. Let's assume it is a turbellarian issue -

Here is an excerpt from my upcoming book:

Turbellarian Infection (a.k.a. black spot disease, black ich, tang disease)
Turbellarians are a group of worms related to trematodes. They often go undiagnosed as a cause of active infections in fishes except for one group: Paravortex sp.

Cause and symptoms
Since this disease is often seen in newly acquired fish, the suspicion is that the fish bring the disease with them and become infected due to the transport stress they endure.

This parasite causes very distinctive black spots on some species of fish, most notably tangs and surgeonfish. Other fish that may become infected with Paravortex include butterflyfishes, angelfishes, gobies, and jawfishes.

The worm encysts under the fish’s skin, and the fish deposits black melanin pigment as a reaction to the infection. Since these spots are so apparent to even the casual observer, this disease is easily diagnosed, even by beginning aquarists.

Often self-limiting
The problem is that this sometimes causes the aquarist to overreact and begin a treatment that actually might be more harmful than the disease itself. It turns out that many cases of Paravortex infections are self-limiting; unless tank conditions are very poor, the worms often die out and the infection goes away on its own.

Only if the spots increase greatly in number (more than 20 spots on a fish) or the fish begin showing other signs of ill health should a treatment be undertaken.

Cleanliness counts
Some aquarists have reported that careful siphon-cleaning of the aquarium substrate and improving overall cleanliness in the aquarium helps to reduce this infection. It is possible that Paravortex has a non-parasitic, free-living form at one stage of its life cycle and that careful cleaning will remove the parasite at that point.

Some turbellarians are tougher to diagnosis
There are other turbellarians that do not cause melanistic skin changes in fish and are much more difficult to diagnose. Ichthyophaga is one type known to infect fishes and can cause significant fish loss in crowded conditions. Diagnosis of this parasite generally requires a skin scrape.

It’s also noteworthy that treatment with freshwater dips may contort the worm’s body shape so much that positive identification is difficult. In some cases, no real symptoms are seen until fish loss occurs. Under the microscope, look for an oval-shaped worm with a pair of dark eyespots.

Treatment options
Because turbellarians cause a fairly deep-seated infection, they are difficult to remove using freshwater dips or other topical treatments. Other treatment options that have been utilized with varying degrees of effectiveness include:
● Praziquantel at 2 mg/l is a safe, commonly used treatment for this malady, but for some reason, it is not always effective.
● A 45-minute formalin dip at 166 ppm can be effective, but then the fish must be moved to a non-infected aquarium.
● Chloroquine at 15 ppm has been shown to be an effective treatment, but some fish may experience toxic reactions at this dose.
● Organophosphate pesticides, such as Trichlorfon (Dylox), have been the treatment of choice for many years but cannot be recommended due to their potential toxicity to humans.
● Copper treatments are ineffective, at least at the concentrations well tolerated by fish.


Given that you don't have a treatment tank, Prazipro would be your best bet - dose according to the instructions, but increase the aeration in the tank during the treatment. You should repeat the treatment after 7 days.

Jay

 

[LeftCoastRN]

There are three things that can cause black spots on tangs - two species of turbellarian flatworms, as well as melanin scars from digenetic trematodes. The latter needs multiple hosts in order to complete its life cycle, so those will die out in an aquarium on their own, no treatment needed. Let's assume it is a turbellarian issue -

Here is an excerpt from my upcoming book:

Turbellarian Infection (a.k.a. black spot disease, black ich, tang disease)
Turbellarians are a group of worms related to trematodes. They often go undiagnosed as a cause of active infections in fishes except for one group: Paravortex sp.

Cause and symptoms
Since this disease is often seen in newly acquired fish, the suspicion is that the fish bring the disease with them and become infected due to the transport stress they endure.

This parasite causes very distinctive black spots on some species of fish, most notably tangs and surgeonfish. Other fish that may become infected with Paravortex include butterflyfishes, angelfishes, gobies, and jawfishes.

The worm encysts under the fish’s skin, and the fish deposits black melanin pigment as a reaction to the infection. Since these spots are so apparent to even the casual observer, this disease is easily diagnosed, even by beginning aquarists.

Often self-limiting
The problem is that this sometimes causes the aquarist to overreact and begin a treatment that actually might be more harmful than the disease itself. It turns out that many cases of Paravortex infections are self-limiting; unless tank conditions are very poor, the worms often die out and the infection goes away on its own.

Only if the spots increase greatly in number (more than 20 spots on a fish) or the fish begin showing other signs of ill health should a treatment be undertaken.

Cleanliness counts
Some aquarists have reported that careful siphon-cleaning of the aquarium substrate and improving overall cleanliness in the aquarium helps to reduce this infection. It is possible that Paravortex has a non-parasitic, free-living form at one stage of its life cycle and that careful cleaning will remove the parasite at that point.

Some turbellarians are tougher to diagnosis
There are other turbellarians that do not cause melanistic skin changes in fish and are much more difficult to diagnose. Ichthyophaga is one type known to infect fishes and can cause significant fish loss in crowded conditions. Diagnosis of this parasite generally requires a skin scrape.

It’s also noteworthy that treatment with freshwater dips may contort the worm’s body shape so much that positive identification is difficult. In some cases, no real symptoms are seen until fish loss occurs. Under the microscope, look for an oval-shaped worm with a pair of dark eyespots.

Treatment options
Because turbellarians cause a fairly deep-seated infection, they are difficult to remove using freshwater dips or other topical treatments. Other treatment options that have been utilized with varying degrees of effectiveness include:
● Praziquantel at 2 mg/l is a safe, commonly used treatment for this malady, but for some reason, it is not always effective.
● A 45-minute formalin dip at 166 ppm can be effective, but then the fish must be moved to a non-infected aquarium.
● Chloroquine at 15 ppm has been shown to be an effective treatment, but some fish may experience toxic reactions at this dose.
● Organophosphate pesticides, such as Trichlorfon (Dylox), have been the treatment of choice for many years but cannot be recommended due to their potential toxicity to humans.
● Copper treatments are ineffective, at least at the concentrations well tolerated by fish.


Given that you don't have a treatment tank, Prazipro would be your best bet - dose according to the instructions, but increase the aeration in the tank during the treatment. You should repeat the treatment after 7 days.

Jay

I appreciate all the info. I just dosed PraziPro and left my skimmer on with the collection cup off so it is overflowing into my sump and providing plenty of aeration. Plan is in 48 hours to use activated carbon and my skimmer to remove remaining treatment until next dose in 7 days. Thank you!

 

[LeftCoastRN]

Well, it’s been about 24 hours since I dosed Prazipro and everyone is still alive. Tomorrow evening I’ll consider the first treatment complete and put my activated carbon back in and have put the collection cup back on my skimmer and hope that the water is still not too foamy to have it work properly.