Unidentifiable parasite/disease?

[Zbutcher]

Hey everyone,

I have a 75 gallon tank with the given params below
Salinity: 1.024
Temp: 78
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite:0
Nitrate: 2.5
Phosphates: 0
Ph: 8.2
I think that's pretty much it if there's other stuff you wanna know let me know and I'll check.

Anyways, as I said it's a 75 gallon, I have 2 HOB filters, Coraline growth, I've built an aquaclear 110 into half a refugium with chaeto and my tank has pods.

Stocking list below
2 clowns
Tomini tang
Baby Mandarin goby
Lawnmower blenny
Springer damsel
Sharknose goby
6 trochus
1 cleaner shrimp
5 hermits
1 tuxedo urchin

The problem I am having is this, about 2 weeks ago I noticed on my Springer damsel these white spots or small pale white circles. I know immediately you are thinking ICH, but it's not and I'll explain. ICH normally is a raised almost perfectly round white ball, furthermore it tends to rapidly multiply. 2 weeks later my Springer damsel STILL has it but it also has not multiplied. This morning my tang should a couple symptoms as well and again it doesn't look completely like ICH. I have asked LFS and they have said it's not ICH either but they also don't know what he hell it is. I have attached photos as well and I've circled the spots I'm referring too. It is difficult to see especially in the Springer damsel as he actually has a few on his body but you can see in the pictures because of how much he glows.

All the fish are eating like fat pigs non stop so it must not be affecting them that bad.

Now, I have a bit of a theory here that I would like you to consider and let me know if it is plausible or you have experienced similar things. My sharknose goby is a cleaner obviously and you can see him occasionally try and hop on fish. Of course the fish get spooked and dash away, could it possibly be that the markings I am seeing are from the sharknose hopping on the fish and cleaning or attempting to and maybe cleaning a bit TOO much to the point he is hurting or scarring them?

Please help I am desperate as I am in Canada and the government banned over the counter meds so I got to try and figure out something. Thank you everyone all advice is welcome and I am greatful.

 

[Zionas]

Is it raised and cotton-like / fibrous?

 

[Zbutcher]

Is it raised and cotton-like / fibrous?

Hmm no not really it's pretty flat. Like when my damsel goes perpendicular to my view nothing really sticks out and I don't see any fibers or anything. If it is what would it be? How fast does that type of thing? The damsel has been pretty the same for the last week

 

[monti mike]

It’s hard to tell but it could be a fluke

 

[Zbutcher]

Is it raised and cotton-like / fibrous?

Also if it was like that it would be in top covering scales on the damsel and easy to see. It almost looks like a translucent scale in the damsel or under the scales type thing

 

[Zionas]

I’m not too sure so I’ll leave it to the experts.

However, I really sympathize being a fellow Canadian. Our government allows addictive drugs to be sold but not fish meds.....

 

[Zbutcher]

It’s hard to tell but it could be a fluke

Like a fluke as in the disease or a fluke as in a false positive scare and it's actually nothing type fluke lol

If so what can I do for flukes?

 

[Zbutcher]

I’m not too sure so I’ll leave it to the experts.

However, I really sympathize being a fellow Canadian. Our government allows addictive drugs to be sold but not fish meds.....

Yeah man absolute BS. Because we CAN still get the meds they just make us pay thousands at the vet now. Ridiculous.

 

[Josh Kraft]

Hybrid ttm with peroxide may take care of flukes. You can't can't get prazipro, metro, focus, or generalcure in Canada?

 

[Zbutcher]

Hybrid ttm with peroxide may take care of flukes. You can't can't get prazipro, metro, focus, or generalcure in Canada?

Nope. Unfortunately not.

Everything is banned and trust me I looked. I believe I might be able to get off eBay. If I can which do you recommend for dosing in the display tank that's safe for fish and inverts alike. I don't have corals or feather worms. Just fish inverts and copepods and charto

 

[Josh Kraft]

Here's info on prazipro. It says reef safe and what it may kill

Praziquantel

Praziquantel (de-wormer) What It Treats – Flukes (Monogeneans), Black Ich (Turbellarians), and intestinal worms. How To Treat – There are a few aquarium products which contain praziquantel: Prazipro, API General Cure and Thomas Labs Fish Tapes. Follow the dosing instructions for whatever...

www.reef2reef.com

You could check for flukes if you can catch a fish and give it a RO bath.

Freshwater Dip

Freshwater Dip What It Treats – Provides temporary relief for a wide range of diseases: 1) Marine Velvet Disease (Amyloodinium ocellatum) 2) Brooklynella hostilis 3) Uronema marinum 4) Flukes (Monogeneans) 5) Black Ich (Turbellarians) Can be used to confirm the presence of Flukes (see video...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Zbutcher]

Here's info on prazipro. It says reef safe and what it may kill

Praziquantel

Praziquantel (de-wormer) What It Treats – Flukes (Monogeneans), Black Ich (Turbellarians), and intestinal worms. How To Treat – There are a few aquarium products which contain praziquantel: Prazipro, API General Cure and Thomas Labs Fish Tapes. Follow the dosing instructions for whatever...

www.reef2reef.com

You could check for flukes if you can catch a fish and give it a RO bath.

Freshwater Dip

Freshwater Dip What It Treats – Provides temporary relief for a wide range of diseases: 1) Marine Velvet Disease (Amyloodinium ocellatum) 2) Brooklynella hostilis 3) Uronema marinum 4) Flukes (Monogeneans) 5) Black Ich (Turbellarians) Can be used to confirm the presence of Flukes (see video...

www.reef2reef.com

Yeah prazipro would be the way to go if I can get my hands on it.

FW dip is quick and easy BUT the problem is it's still in the system where prazipro will kill it right out if I understand it correctly?

What's your recommendation my friend?

 

[Josh Kraft]

The dip isnt for elimination. It's for seeing if it's flukes. Don't need prazi if it isn't flukes

 

[Zbutcher]

The dip isnt for elimination. It's for seeing if it's flukes. Don't need prazi if it isn't flukes

Doesn't prazi do ich as well? How long does it take for flukes to multiply and kill a fish?

So let's say it's not flukes? What's the next thing it could be? What could/should I do?

 

[Fernthereefer]

Yeah man absolute crap. Because we CAN still get the meds they just make us pay thousands at the vet now. Ridiculous.

As a canadian veterinarian, I may have to say a quick word:

The hobby has suffered the consequences of abuses that were done in other fields: including the sale of antibiotics, antiinflammatory drugs for small animals (cats, dogs) and farm animals without prescription by a vet. As such, the canadian vet association lobbied to have all drugs under veterinary prescription. A shame, because the hobby lacks specialized veterinarians in the field of aquarium and even culture fish (ichtyopathology).

This was not considered when tle law passed.

 

[Zbutcher]

As a canadian veterinarian, I may have to say a quick word:

The hobby has suffered the consequences of abuses that were done in other fields: including the sale of antibiotics, antiinflammatory drugs for small animals (cats, dogs) and farm animals without prescription by a vet. As such, the canadian vet association lobbied to have all drugs under veterinary prescription. A shame, because the hobby lacks specialized veterinarians in the field of aquarium and even culture fish (ichtyopathology).

This was not considered when tle law passed.

That's fair and I appreciate what you guys do. That's another thing I don't believe I have an exotic vet where I live.

By the by, as a vet, do you have any idea what this may be?

 

[Fernthereefer]

That's fair and I appreciate what you guys do. That's another thing I don't believe I have an exotic vet where I live.

By the by, as a vet, do you have any idea what this may be?

Sorry, I practice in small animals and lab animals. I believe the fluke theory is good. I would propose to take the tang out and do a freshwater dip (see examples on youtube, like Gallery Aquatica has a good one). Flukes will fall from the fish.

 

[Zbutcher]

Hybrid ttm with peroxide may take care of flukes. You can't can't get prazipro, metro, focus, or generalcure in Canada?

What is your opinion on PolyGuard by SeaChem?

 

[Fernthereefer]

I cannot give you professional advice on this particular tx, as I a not a specialist in the matter and even then, cannot use this platform to give prof. advice.

However, I would focus on diagnosis and precise treatment. Going with a general cure may actually hinder further treatment, and cause more harm on the long run (ie causes a microbiota shift in the fish and the tank). Just my opinion

 

[Josh Kraft]

Yea, just do the dip. It's free and you'll have peace of mind knowing you got the right thing. If no flukes fall off, back to the drawing board