LYNDYLOO Posted June 25, 2009 Report Share Posted June 25, 2009 I have a problem with my Blue Turk He has been hiding at the back of the tank for the past couple of days, I thought he was hiding because of the new airstone I put in the Tank. His Gill's look very Inflamed and Red, really not quite sure what I should do with him or what I need to treat him with, any help would be really appreciated. What is Gill Flukes?? How do Fish get this?? Lynda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted June 25, 2009 Report Share Posted June 25, 2009 oh no. well if you're sure its gill fluke then, you have to qt the fishy. 3 days in salt water, 3 days in formalin mix. best not to add the salt and formalin. I dont know why. Droncit should help too Ammonium hydroxide has also been used in the past, but is a bit dicey as Ammonia levels may elevate. hope your discus is ok, i know how much you like em. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim r Posted June 25, 2009 Report Share Posted June 25, 2009 Discolouration of gills is usually a sign of poisoning. A sign of gill flukes is rapid movement " flicking" of gills. Droncit is a good medicine for flukes and is gentle on the fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYNDYLOO Posted June 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2009 I'm really not sure whats going on with him, he's not flashing on things in the Tank, only changes I can see, are his Gill's are very red, and he's abit lethargic just floating around the Tank, only swimming on the odd occassion. Will head to the Vets tomorrow and grab some Droncit. Any Idea's what the Dosage is?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYNDYLOO Posted June 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2009 My Blue Turk is the only Discus showing signs off something wrong :-? The other 6 Discus are all fine, so the only thing I can think of it being is Gill Flukes :-? if it was poisoning then surely all of my Discus would be poisoned and not just one of them. Might be worthwhile dosing with Droncit anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flosty Posted June 25, 2009 Report Share Posted June 25, 2009 I would pm ron and ask what he thinks. Flashing off things and rapid breathing or breathing from one gill can all be signs of gill flukes gill flukes are more of a problem on young fish than they are on adults It sounds more advanced than this and could possibly be a bacterial infection or maybe investigate jim r's claim of poisoning of some description My first line of defence would be water change, as long as this was not the cause e.g something in the water If you are sure it is just gill flukes It would be best to medicate the fish in a separate tank if you can 1 50mg droncit tab per 20 litres maybe read this ,it might help http://www.fnzas.org.nz/fishroom/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=38420 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYNDYLOO Posted June 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2009 Awesome, Thanks for that info Flosty I have PM'd Ron, waiting to hear back from him :roll: Should all of my Discus be treated for this, as they are obviously all in the same Tank, as the Blue Turk. Will get some Droncit sorted today Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted June 25, 2009 Report Share Posted June 25, 2009 Prazi is probably the best choice here because it’s safe for adults and young and definitely kills the flukes by rupturing the outer membrane (skin) causing then to be totally destroyed. The hooks they hold on with aren’t destroyed and will fall or decompose out on there own. Prazi won’t kill the eggs so at least 2 treatments are required with a full clean of the tank and large water change between. I would recommend at least 4 treatments to be safe. I have had success using PP for flukes as this will wipe out any organic cell but have to be very careful that it doesn’t burn the fish’s gills. Dosage is usually 50 - 100mg per 50ltrs. Prazi is usually only effective in the water for 3 - 5 days. IMO 1 Droncit tablet per 50 ltrs every 3 days with full wipe down of sides and bottom of tank and 100% water change between treatments. Leave lights off. Or 2ppm PP every 3rd day (every 6th water change) with full clean and 100% water change twice a day. Salt wont do anything if it is flukes and don’t use formalin unless you can correctly ID the problem and are sure it requires it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYNDYLOO Posted June 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2009 Thanks for that info Win, Ron (Discusguru) has advised I use Furan2, to treat for a Bacterial Infection, as my Discus isnt flashing against anything or flicking it gills, we're not 100% sure it's Gill Flukes or not. I guess I can always try the Furan2 and if not successful then treat again with something else. Will keep everyone posted as to how we get on, hoping like mad this wont KILL him. Lynda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim r Posted June 26, 2009 Report Share Posted June 26, 2009 "Flicking" is not the same as flashing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim r Posted June 26, 2009 Report Share Posted June 26, 2009 2 milligrammes per litre I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYNDYLOO Posted June 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2009 I realise that Flicking is not the same as Flashing Will treat with Furan2 If no luck with that, I have been and got some Droncit, so that might have to be the next step. Thanks for your help everyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYNDYLOO Posted June 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2009 Have put this poor Wee Fella into the Hospital Tank now. Treating with 2 x Furan 2 capsules for the next 24 hours, then doing a near total water change, then treating with 1 x capsule for the next 6 days, this is all under the recommendation from DR Ron (Discusguru) Fingers crossed Mr Blue Turk he will pull through Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYNDYLOO Posted June 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2009 YIPPEE Looks like my Blue Turk is on the mend, he's slowly swimming around and not breathing as hard now either :bounce: When I checked him before heading to bed last night he wasn't looking good at all, really thought he would be DEAD by this morning, but surprise surprise, he swimming around quite nicely. So here's hoping he's going to pull through Lynda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen Posted June 27, 2009 Report Share Posted June 27, 2009 Hi Linda Pleased to hear your discus pulled through. What dose did Ron suggest for the Furan 2, for future reference. I lost my Rose Red a couple of days ago and can't help thinking this may of helped instead of the droncit I used. The Rose Red was a discus I got from Ron a year ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYNDYLOO Posted June 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2009 Hi Karen, I too have a Rose Red that I got from Ron, he's a right little piggy, but for some reason has never grown as big as the other Discus I have in the Tank. He's the smallest out of the 7 Discus I have, but have to say he is the bossiest, he loves being handfed Tubifex Worms. Ron suggested I treat my sick Blue Turk with 2 Capsules of Furan2 in a Hospital Tank of 40 Ltrs of Water. Leave for 24 hours, then do a near complete Water Change, then doses with 1 capsule of Furan2 for the next 6 days, with near complete water changes in between. The normal dosage for Furan2 is 1 capsule in 40ltrs of water, for 4 doses, with big water changes in betwenn doses. I think because this Discus was on his last legs Ron decided it might be good to give him a good boost of Furan2 to begin with, he seems to be doing well this morning. Awful when you know you have done all you can for a sick Discus, then all you can do is WAIT. This sick Blue Turk was a replacement for the Blue Turk I lost not so long ago :roll: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYNDYLOO Posted June 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2009 Apparently if the Discus is not Flicking it's Gills or Flashing against things then it's not Gill Flukes, but something else Bacterial, so I'm assuming thats why Ron suggested using the Furan2, rather than the Droncit. Hard to know what's the best thing to treat with sometimes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen Posted June 28, 2009 Report Share Posted June 28, 2009 Hi Linda Thanks for the advice, my other 5 discus in the tank appear to be ok, if it had been flukes then I would have expected them all to be infected. Like yours my rose red never grew to the size my other discus did either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYNDYLOO Posted June 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2009 That seems abit strange that your Rose Red hasn't grown either. What symptoms did your Rose Red have?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen Posted June 28, 2009 Report Share Posted June 28, 2009 hanging out at the back of the tank with it's head towards the surface except for when I was doing water changes, it did not appear to be flashing. flicking or breathing hard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flosty Posted June 28, 2009 Report Share Posted June 28, 2009 Glad to hear that your turk is on the mend Its also quite normal for one discus to not grow the same as the rest, theres seems to be abit of a pecking order amongst discus and there always has to be one at the bottom of the ladder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYNDYLOO Posted June 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2009 Thought it was funny how my Red Rose is the smallest of them all but the Bossiest, so thought with his Bossiness he would have been the Biggest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadeusus Posted June 28, 2009 Report Share Posted June 28, 2009 Hi, I don't post much, but don't please treat what you read with some scepticism sometimes... quote: "Prazi is probably the best choice here because it’s safe for adults and young and definitely kills the flukes by rupturing the outer membrane (skin) causing then to be totally destroyed. The hooks they hold on with aren’t destroyed and will fall or decompose out on there [sic] own. " Praziquantel acts on the calcium channels in the parasites. It results in paralysis of the parasite, which in many cases, unless the fish has encapsulated the parasite in an exuberrant epithelial response on the gills, means that the haptors (hooks) that it uses to hold on relax and the parasite falls off. In terrestrial animals prazi causes gut parasites to fall asleep, and when they wake up the animal is no longer there :-). (i.e. they are in the poo!) Prazi does not cause the parasite to explode or disintegrate...in fact in aquaculture one problem with prazi is that at low doses the flukes can wake up again after the fish have been treated. Anyway, the statement after that about eggs not being affected is actually true and so repeated doses are indeed needed. Great to see peoples' experience being shared, but lets get the facts right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LYNDYLOO Posted June 28, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2009 Thanks for that info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted July 1, 2009 Report Share Posted July 1, 2009 I should do my own research :oops: I got that from a former Micro Biology lecturer from Massey and clearly it wasn’t accurate, I apologize. Recap....At low concentration, it increases muscular contraction causing detachment of the mouthparts (scolex) followed by paralysis. At higher concentration, causes damage to the outer skin of the tapeworm which activates the host immune system against it. Admittedly the route wasn’t correct the destination is the same, dead parasites. Nice to see the lurkers leap out of the woodwork to put right any inaccuracies, well done that person :roll: It would have been disastrous if someone had expected massive tank shattering explosions, and instead got flukes dying my some other means. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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