Fluke treatment question.

[Australian_Reef]

Hi all,

I saw my Moorish idol with cloudy eyes last week and after some close inspection saw some clear flukes. Seemed to be on eyes, fins and lips which seems to narrow down the species. Had it asap in a 5min FW dip and well over a dozen flatworms came off the fish. That was a week ago and the fish is so much better now, even the eyes are clearer. It seemed to be a pretty heavy infestation. But given the lifecycle of the flatworms I know they will be back. Pics of the worms.. I only collected a few .. there were many more.

My question is about treatment. Given that they are actually flatworms. Will things like flatworm exit or flatworm RX work? I’ve read the threads here and humblefish’s threads and Prazipro seems to be the go to. But it’s very hard to get here but i have managed to get praziquantel 100mg tablets.

Treatment would be in main tank. Mixed reef but LPS dominated some sps . Only softies is some zoa frags. I want to make sure all fish are protected even though I’ve been told these flukes are very host specific. So.. prazi tabs or flatworm rx? Which is easiest on the corals given that my main target is the fish. Also taking the moorish out would be hard on it and risk reinfection when added back to the tank anyway.

Any help appreciated.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi all,

I saw my Moorish idol with cloudy eyes last week and after some close inspection saw some clear flukes. Seemed to be on eyes, fins and lips which seems to narrow down the species. Had it asap in a 5min FW dip and well over a dozen flatworms came off the fish. That was a week ago and the fish is so much better now, even the eyes are clearer. It seemed to be a pretty heavy infestation. But given the lifecycle of the flatworms I know they will be back. Pics of the worms.. I only collected a few .. there were many more.

My question is about treatment. Given that they are actually flatworms. Will things like flatworm exit or flatworm RX work? I’ve read the threads here and humblefish’s threads and Prazipro seems to be the go to. But it’s very hard to get here but i have managed to get praziquantel 100mg tablets.

Treatment would be in main tank. Mixed reef but LPS dominated some sps . Only softies is some zoa frags. I want to make sure all fish are protected even though I’ve been told these flukes are very host specific. So.. prazi tabs or flatworm rx? Which is easiest on the corals given that my main target is the fish. Also taking the moorish out would be hard on it and risk reinfection when added back to the tank anyway.

Any help appreciated.

While I prefer this is done in a separate tank, it can be done within the display. To be safe , dose at 85% of recommended and apply initial dosage known as an interval for 8 days, do a water change and do one more 8 day dose interval
Use airstone with prazi as it does reduce both oxygen and appetite. If running a skimmer, leave cup off first 24 hrs as skimmer will go nuts from the glycol solution in Prazi

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Hi all,

I saw my Moorish idol with cloudy eyes last week and after some close inspection saw some clear flukes. Seemed to be on eyes, fins and lips which seems to narrow down the species. Had it asap in a 5min FW dip and well over a dozen flatworms came off the fish. That was a week ago and the fish is so much better now, even the eyes are clearer. It seemed to be a pretty heavy infestation. But given the lifecycle of the flatworms I know they will be back. Pics of the worms.. I only collected a few .. there were many more.

My question is about treatment. Given that they are actually flatworms. Will things like flatworm exit or flatworm RX work? I’ve read the threads here and humblefish’s threads and Prazipro seems to be the go to. But it’s very hard to get here but i have managed to get praziquantel 100mg tablets.

Treatment would be in main tank. Mixed reef but LPS dominated some sps . Only softies is some zoa frags. I want to make sure all fish are protected even though I’ve been told these flukes are very host specific. So.. prazi tabs or flatworm rx? Which is easiest on the corals given that my main target is the fish. Also taking the moorish out would be hard on it and risk reinfection when added back to the tank anyway.

Any help appreciated.

Those are Neobenedenia flukes. They are difficult to treat because most treatments do not kill the eggs, which later hatch and reinfect the fish. I've never tried flatworm exit - it is levamisole. I've only used levamisole against nematodes at 10 mg/l.

Praziquantel in pill form is difficult to use because you need to calculate out any binders in the pill, and then crush up the pill VERY finely and disperse that in the water. Prazipro is easier because it is pre dissolved in a glycol solvent.

The very best treatment is tough to do - remove all fish and treat them at half salinity for 30 days.

 

[Australian_Reef]

Those are Neobenedenia flukes. They are difficult to treat because most treatments do not kill the eggs, which later hatch and reinfect the fish. I've never tried flatworm exit - it is levamisole. I've only used levamisole against nematodes at 10 mg/l.

Praziquantel in pill form is difficult to use because you need to calculate out any binders in the pill, and then crush up the pill VERY finely and disperse that in the water. Prazipro is easier because it is pre dissolved in a glycol solvent.

The very best treatment is tough to do - remove all fish and treat them at half salinity for 30 days.

Thank you for the help. Unfortunately i can’t get prazipro so the best I can do is try tablets (Australia based). Humble fish mentioned a horse product that helps to desolve the tabs ? I may even be able to buy pure glycerol from the chemist. That I may be able to source.

Thank you for the active ingredient in flatworm exit, I was trying to find it. I have flatworm rx on hand which I think is same active ingredient? I will look into levamisole.

I think I can effectively do the 30 day hypo given some time. I read that the lifecycle is around 6-7 days at 78 deg f from the threads on here? Hopefully this isn’t a fast killer.i don’t have alot of fish.. but they are of the sensitive disposition

Can you comment on the host fish specific comment? Is this true or can some fish live with a lower level infection?

 

[Australian_Reef]

While I prefer this is done in a separate tank, it can be done within the display. To be safe , dose at 85% of recommended and apply initial dosage known as an interval for 8 days, do a water change and do one more 8 day dose interval
Use airstone with prazi as it does reduce both oxygen and appetite. If running a skimmer, leave cup off first 24 hrs as skimmer will go nuts from the glycol solution in Prazi

I’d have to use the tablet form but may be able to source pharmacy glycerol to dissolve in. The prazi tbh was to be used as an in tank trt. If I have to try outside the tank I’d try hypo. But I want I make sure I have the ID correct and the fallow period correct. What coral wise is sensitive to prazi? The $ value of my corals vastly exceeds the fish value so I am very nervous about it !

 

[vetteguy53081]

I’d have to use the tablet form but may be able to source pharmacy glycerol to dissolve in. The prazi tbh was to be used as an in tank trt. If I have to try outside the tank I’d try hypo. But I want I make sure I have the ID correct and the fallow period correct

Yes it has to be dissolved and I would use this form in a separate tank in the event of dosing error

 

[Australian_Reef]

Yes it has to be dissolved and I would use this form in a separate tank in the event of dosing error

Many thanks. Any corals especially sensitive to Prazi?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Thank you for the help. Unfortunately i can’t get prazipro so the best I can do is try tablets (Australia based). Humble fish mentioned a horse product that helps to desolve the tabs ? I may even be able to buy pure glycerol from the chemist. That I may be able to source.

Thank you for the active ingredient in flatworm exit, I was trying to find it. I have flatworm rx on hand which I think is same active ingredient? I will look into levamisole.

I think I can effectively do the 30 day hypo given some time. I read that the lifecycle is around 6-7 days at 78 deg f from the threads on here? Hopefully this isn’t a fast killer.i don’t have alot of fish.. but they are of the sensitive disposition

Can you comment on the host fish specific comment? Is this true or can some fish live with a lower level infection?

Using any solvent to dissolve prazi is risky - they ALL will add carbon to the system. Bacteria then assimilate that carbon and that rapidly drops the dissolved oxygen level. You need to use as little solvent as you can, and aerate the heck out of the tank. I'm not sure what solvent he is suggesting, but I know he has been big on using DMSO. Never do that, it is relatively untested on fish. Here is some info:

Loading…

www.canada.ca

If you need to use a solvent, then grain alcohol is the best option (not denatured ethanol, use some strong liquor like vodka).

Here is a write-up I did on Neo:

Neobenedenia melleni (eye flukes)

These are relatively large (up to 8 mm), egg-laying worms that live on the skin or eyes of marine fishes.



Symptoms

Neobenedenia infections peak slowly; there may be no symptoms for weeks after you acquire a fish. Eventually, as the flukes multiply and grow in size, they begin to cause symptoms of disease.



The first obvious symptom may be slightly cloudy eyes, caused by the transparent fluke feeding on the eye tissue and eliciting a tissue reaction. This gives this worm the common name of “eye fluke,” although it is unknown whether these worms actually prefer to feed on eye tissue, or whether that is just where they first become apparent.



As the infection becomes more serious, the fish will “flash,” their skin color will become dull, their fins may become tattered, and they just generally get a “scruffy” look to them. Rapid breathing due to stress, possible secondary infection, and then death follow if treatment is not begun.



Diagnosis

The best means of diagnosis is to give the fish a five-minute freshwater dip. Not only does this knock back the infection by killing the adult parasites, but even a casual look at the bottom of the dip container afterwards will help to positively identify this disease. The worms turn whitish and fall to the bottom. Many aquarists mistake these for scales that were dislodged from the fish. However, looking at these “scales” under a dissecting microscope, or even a hand lens, will soon show them for what they are—dead worms.



Sometimes a fish’s history can help diagnosis at least the potential for this disease. Angelfishes and butterflyfishes are especially prone to Neobenedenia infections, so any of these fish that have been housed at an import facility that doesn’t prophylactically treat for trematodes stand a very good chance of being infected.



Angelfish, Pomacanthus sp. ++

Barrimundi, Lates sp. ++

Batfish, Platax sp. +++

Butterflyfish, Chaetodon sp. ++

Cichlid, Tilapia sp. +++ (when housed in seawater)

Invertebrates 0 (but may carry eggs)

Jacks, Caraganidae +++

Lionfish, Pterois sp. +

Lookdowns, Selene sp. +++

Pyramid butterflyfish, Hemitaurichthys sp. +++

Grouper family, Serranidae ++

Garden eel, Taenioconger sp. +

Remora, Echeneis sp. +

Sharks and rays, Elasmobranchs 0

Surgeonfish, Acanthurus sp. ++

Spadefish, Chaetodipterus faber +++



Aquarium hosts for Neobenedenia sp. 0=not infected, + = sometimes infected, ++=commonly infected, +++=very commonly infected (From Bullard et-al 2000 and personal obs.)



Treatment

Many people suggest using a freshwater dip as a treatment for all incoming fish. The two drawbacks to this are 1) the dips are not 100% effective (and do not harm the fluke eggs) and 2) newly acquired fish often do not stand up well to the added stress of a freshwater dip when they first arrive.



Neobenedenia eggs can take 14 to 30 days (or longer?) to hatch as motile larvae called oncomiracidium. Additionally, the eggs have sticky tendrils that attach them securely to all manner of objects in an aquarium. There is some merit to the idea of keeping a treatment tank free of substrate and siphoning the bottom regularly in order to remove some of these unhatched eggs. There have been reports that Lysmata cleaner shrimp feed on these eggs, rendering them non-viable. However, it is unlikely that in a normal aquarium, with many other food choices, that cleaner shrimp will markedly reduce their numbers.

Any successful treatment for these worms must be undertaken in stages. The first treatment kills off the adult worms (but this won’t kill the eggs), and the subsequent treatments kill off the juvenile worms after they have all hatched but before any of them have matured and begun to lay eggs of their own. Due to variables in timing, it is virtually impossible to accomplish this in only two treatments.



Whole-tank formalin baths at 166 ppm for one hour will eliminate the adult flukes from an aquarium but not the eggs. Because this type of treatment has no residual effect, the treatment may need to be repeated every two weeks for two or three more times. Experience in public aquarium exhibits has shown that this method rarely clears a tank completely of this pest.



A better alternative is a Praziquantel treatment at 4 ppm, followed by a 50% water change after 48 hours, then a second treatment 12 to 14 days later, followed by another 50% water change 48 hours later.



At the Toledo Zoo Aquarium, we noticed that multiple Praziquantel treatments on the same system, over months to years, required higher and higher doses, combined with increased frequency of the treatments in order to maintain effectiveness. Eventually, the praziquantel was simply no longer effective. One supposition was that the target parasites were building an immunity to the drug. That seemed unlikely as genetic change in multi-cellular organisms typically takes longer to happen (as opposed to drug-resistant bacteria that can develop resistance in short order). We wondered then, what could be rendering Praziquantel so ineffective on repeat doses?

Subsequent research indicates that bacterial degradation of the Praziquantel (Thomas et-al, 2016) is the process at work. Their study concluded that while Praziquantel is stable for over two weeks in sterile marine aquarium water, when dosed in working systems, it degrades below detectable limits in just nine days. A subsequent dose on the same system showed a reduction in Praziquantel in less than 48 hours. The presence or absence of fish in the system did not affect this rate of degradation. The natural bacterial population of the aquarium actually works to eliminate Praziquantel from the water.



Barrett L. Christie, a public aquarium curator, has researched a variety of treatment methods and has struck upon one that is highly effective. The treatment is relatively simple; in a quarantine system, the fish are exposed to hyposalinity (low salinity) for 35 days. Exactly how low of a salinity is the variable that needs to be controlled. Some species of fish do not tolerate lower salinities, yet if the salinity is not reduced enough, the parasite population is only reduced, not eradicated. Barrett has hit upon a workable value of 17 parts per thousand, a bit less than half the salinity of normal seawater (this equates to a specific gravity of around 1.013). Obviously, most invertebrates cannot be present during this sort of treatment. Sharks and some rays cannot tolerate it either. Assuming the fish are healthy in all other respects, you begin this treatment by lowering the salinity to the target value over 24 to 48 hours. During the low salinity treatment, water quality must be monitored closely, especially pH. Be aware that some other diseases, notably Uronema and Amyloodinium thrive at lower salinities. Luckily, another common scourge, marine ich, Cryptocaryon irritans, is also inhibited by low salinity. After 35 days, the salinity is gradually raised back to normal. It is imperative to perform this change back to normal seawater very slowly. While marine fish tolerate a drop in salinity very well, their kidneys have more difficulty adjusting as the salinity is raised. Never return fish to normal salinity faster than 72 hours, and don’t make large changes at one time.

 

[Duane family]

I wouldn't experiment with the tablet version if I were you. Getting the correct dosage of around 2.5mg per Ltr will be impossible without being able to separate other ingredients in the tablets. I feel that your best option is to do a hypo salinity period for 30days at 1011. Moorish Idols tolerate brackish water conditions very well, flukes don't. But you would need to run for 30days to cover the last eggs hatching.

So I agree with Jay's recommendation 100%

 

[Australian_Reef]

Using any solvent to dissolve prazi is risky - they ALL will add carbon to the system. Bacteria then assimilate that carbon and that rapidly drops the dissolved oxygen level. You need to use as little solvent as you can, and aerate the heck out of the tank. I'm not sure what solvent he is suggesting, but I know he has been big on using DMSO. Never do that, it is relatively untested on fish. Here is some info:

Loading…

www.canada.ca

If you need to use a solvent, then grain alcohol is the best option (not denatured ethanol, use some strong liquor like vodka).

Here is a write-up I did on Neo:

Neobenedenia melleni (eye flukes)

These are relatively large (up to 8 mm), egg-laying worms that live on the skin or eyes of marine fishes.



Symptoms

Neobenedenia infections peak slowly; there may be no symptoms for weeks after you acquire a fish. Eventually, as the flukes multiply and grow in size, they begin to cause symptoms of disease.



The first obvious symptom may be slightly cloudy eyes, caused by the transparent fluke feeding on the eye tissue and eliciting a tissue reaction. This gives this worm the common name of “eye fluke,” although it is unknown whether these worms actually prefer to feed on eye tissue, or whether that is just where they first become apparent.



As the infection becomes more serious, the fish will “flash,” their skin color will become dull, their fins may become tattered, and they just generally get a “scruffy” look to them. Rapid breathing due to stress, possible secondary infection, and then death follow if treatment is not begun.



Diagnosis

The best means of diagnosis is to give the fish a five-minute freshwater dip. Not only does this knock back the infection by killing the adult parasites, but even a casual look at the bottom of the dip container afterwards will help to positively identify this disease. The worms turn whitish and fall to the bottom. Many aquarists mistake these for scales that were dislodged from the fish. However, looking at these “scales” under a dissecting microscope, or even a hand lens, will soon show them for what they are—dead worms.



Sometimes a fish’s history can help diagnosis at least the potential for this disease. Angelfishes and butterflyfishes are especially prone to Neobenedenia infections, so any of these fish that have been housed at an import facility that doesn’t prophylactically treat for trematodes stand a very good chance of being infected.



Angelfish, Pomacanthus sp. ++

Barrimundi, Lates sp. ++

Batfish, Platax sp. +++

Butterflyfish, Chaetodon sp. ++

Cichlid, Tilapia sp. +++ (when housed in seawater)

Invertebrates 0 (but may carry eggs)

Jacks, Caraganidae +++

Lionfish, Pterois sp. +

Lookdowns, Selene sp. +++

Pyramid butterflyfish, Hemitaurichthys sp. +++

Grouper family, Serranidae ++

Garden eel, Taenioconger sp. +

Remora, Echeneis sp. +

Sharks and rays, Elasmobranchs 0

Surgeonfish, Acanthurus sp. ++

Spadefish, Chaetodipterus faber +++



Aquarium hosts for Neobenedenia sp. 0=not infected, + = sometimes infected, ++=commonly infected, +++=very commonly infected (From Bullard et-al 2000 and personal obs.)



Treatment

Many people suggest using a freshwater dip as a treatment for all incoming fish. The two drawbacks to this are 1) the dips are not 100% effective (and do not harm the fluke eggs) and 2) newly acquired fish often do not stand up well to the added stress of a freshwater dip when they first arrive.



Neobenedenia eggs can take 14 to 30 days (or longer?) to hatch as motile larvae called oncomiracidium. Additionally, the eggs have sticky tendrils that attach them securely to all manner of objects in an aquarium. There is some merit to the idea of keeping a treatment tank free of substrate and siphoning the bottom regularly in order to remove some of these unhatched eggs. There have been reports that Lysmata cleaner shrimp feed on these eggs, rendering them non-viable. However, it is unlikely that in a normal aquarium, with many other food choices, that cleaner shrimp will markedly reduce their numbers.

Any successful treatment for these worms must be undertaken in stages. The first treatment kills off the adult worms (but this won’t kill the eggs), and the subsequent treatments kill off the juvenile worms after they have all hatched but before any of them have matured and begun to lay eggs of their own. Due to variables in timing, it is virtually impossible to accomplish this in only two treatments.



Whole-tank formalin baths at 166 ppm for one hour will eliminate the adult flukes from an aquarium but not the eggs. Because this type of treatment has no residual effect, the treatment may need to be repeated every two weeks for two or three more times. Experience in public aquarium exhibits has shown that this method rarely clears a tank completely of this pest.



A better alternative is a Praziquantel treatment at 4 ppm, followed by a 50% water change after 48 hours, then a second treatment 12 to 14 days later, followed by another 50% water change 48 hours later.



At the Toledo Zoo Aquarium, we noticed that multiple Praziquantel treatments on the same system, over months to years, required higher and higher doses, combined with increased frequency of the treatments in order to maintain effectiveness. Eventually, the praziquantel was simply no longer effective. One supposition was that the target parasites were building an immunity to the drug. That seemed unlikely as genetic change in multi-cellular organisms typically takes longer to happen (as opposed to drug-resistant bacteria that can develop resistance in short order). We wondered then, what could be rendering Praziquantel so ineffective on repeat doses?

Subsequent research indicates that bacterial degradation of the Praziquantel (Thomas et-al, 2016) is the process at work. Their study concluded that while Praziquantel is stable for over two weeks in sterile marine aquarium water, when dosed in working systems, it degrades below detectable limits in just nine days. A subsequent dose on the same system showed a reduction in Praziquantel in less than 48 hours. The presence or absence of fish in the system did not affect this rate of degradation. The natural bacterial population of the aquarium actually works to eliminate Praziquantel from the water.



Barrett L. Christie, a public aquarium curator, has researched a variety of treatment methods and has struck upon one that is highly effective. The treatment is relatively simple; in a quarantine system, the fish are exposed to hyposalinity (low salinity) for 35 days. Exactly how low of a salinity is the variable that needs to be controlled. Some species of fish do not tolerate lower salinities, yet if the salinity is not reduced enough, the parasite population is only reduced, not eradicated. Barrett has hit upon a workable value of 17 parts per thousand, a bit less than half the salinity of normal seawater (this equates to a specific gravity of around 1.013). Obviously, most invertebrates cannot be present during this sort of treatment. Sharks and some rays cannot tolerate it either. Assuming the fish are healthy in all other respects, you begin this treatment by lowering the salinity to the target value over 24 to 48 hours. During the low salinity treatment, water quality must be monitored closely, especially pH. Be aware that some other diseases, notably Uronema and Amyloodinium thrive at lower salinities. Luckily, another common scourge, marine ich, Cryptocaryon irritans, is also inhibited by low salinity. After 35 days, the salinity is gradually raised back to normal. It is imperative to perform this change back to normal seawater very slowly. While marine fish tolerate a drop in salinity very well, their kidneys have more difficulty adjusting as the salinity is raised. Never return fish to normal salinity faster than 72 hours, and don’t make large changes at one time.

Ok seems to fit the problem exactly. Yes it was DMSO. I think the hypo is the best course of action. And after 35days we can assume the display tank is free of the eggs? Any use in a prazi dose during the fish isolation? I can increase the temp by a degree or so to help. Species to be treated is the moreish idol, an angel, hawkish, gramma and a small clown pair.

 

[Australian_Reef]

I wouldn't experiment with the tablet version if I were you. Getting the correct dosage of around 2.5mg per Ltr will be impossible without being able to separate other ingredients in the tablets. I feel that your best option is to do a hypo salinity period for 30days at 1011. Moorish Idols tolerate brackish water conditions very well, flukes don't. But you would need to run for 30days to cover the last eggs hatching.

So I agree with Jay's recommendation 100%

The tablet is specifically for use in aquariums… but how soluble it is I don’t know. The liquid version seems to just not be available. Learning a lot from this thread though.

 

[Duane family]

The tablet is specifically for use in aquariums… but how soluble it is I don’t know. The liquid version seems to just not be available. Learning a lot from this thread though.

Oh OK, thanks for the correction.

I also read your previous post about choosing the hypo option. Please keep the thread updated as you progress through the treatment.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Many thanks. Any corals especially sensitive to Prazi?

Most not but must be properly dissolved and dosed

 

[MnFish1]

Thank you for the help. Unfortunately i can’t get prazipro so the best I can do is try tablets (Australia based). Humble fish mentioned a horse product that helps to desolve the tabs ? I may even be able to buy pure glycerol from the chemist. That I may be able to source.

Thank you for the active ingredient in flatworm exit, I was trying to find it. I have flatworm rx on hand which I think is same active ingredient? I will look into levamisole.

I think I can effectively do the 30 day hypo given some time. I read that the lifecycle is around 6-7 days at 78 deg f from the threads on here? Hopefully this isn’t a fast killer.i don’t have alot of fish.. but they are of the sensitive disposition

Can you comment on the host fish specific comment? Is this true or can some fish live with a lower level infection?

Some fish can live with a low level of any parasite (i.e. its likely that an entire population will not be killed by a parasite) - however, a low level infection is extremely suboptimal when you can treat it. I would do the hypo salinity for the recommended time. - which you can also do in your display IF you can remove the inverts, etc

 

[Australian_Reef]

I’ve been disabused of the host specific theorem.

Neobenedenia melleni from reef ornamental fish species in a retailer of Southeastern Brazil and its possible role as a mechanical vector of bacterial infection

Annually, more than 2500 ornamental fish species are traded worldwide. Forty percent of these are from marine water. Some 98% of marine species are wild-caught from their natural habitat, and the majority subsequently exported. Wild fish frequently carry ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[Australian_Reef]

Some fish can live with a low level of any parasite (i.e. its likely that an entire population will not be killed by a parasite) - however, a low level infection is extremely suboptimal when you can treat it. I would do the hypo salinity for the recommended time. - which you can also do in your display IF you can remove the inverts, etc

It’s just the first time I’ve ever experienced fish flukes after many many years. . But maybe I’m just looking harder now and before didn’t notice it, or the info wasn’t readily available like now. I identified the issue purely due to r2r.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Ok seems to fit the problem exactly. Yes it was DMSO. I think the hypo is the best course of action. And after 35days we can assume the display tank is free of the eggs? Any use in a prazi dose during the fish isolation? I can increase the temp by a degree or so to help. Species to be treated is the moreish idol, an angel, hawkish, gramma and a small clown pair.

30 days is fine, Barrett days 21 days is sufficient, I just add 10 days for safety.
Raising the water temp isn’t required.
I wouldn’t run prazi at the same time, it just isn’t needed.

 

[Australian_Reef]

So I have an update.
I have bought and set up a 36G hospital tank that has almost all the fish in it. Two more to catch before I start the hypo.

It’s currently sat at 1.02 and I will bring it down to 1.013 over 36 hrs or so. Is this low enough? And will it quickly help with the fluke load already on the fish or do I have to wait until a certain point in their life cycle?

Just some quick question before I do start to lower the salinity. I have some rock and filter blocks from the display in atm to help with filtering. If I drop half salinity will these provide any biological filtration or will the bacteria just be killed and so best to take them out? Will be keeping a close on ph through the process. Should I try and maintain a dkh similar to the display?

Many thanks for all the input already.

 

[Duane family]

So I have an update.
I have bought and set up a 36G hospital tank that has almost all the fish in it. Two more to catch before I start the hypo.

It’s currently sat at 1.02 and I will bring it down to 1.013 over 36 hrs or so. Is this low enough? And will it quickly help with the fluke load already on the fish or do I have to wait until a certain point in their life cycle?

Just some quick question before I do start to lower the salinity. I have some rock and filter blocks from the display in atm to help with filtering. If I drop half salinity will these provide any biological filtration or will the bacteria just be killed and so best to take them out? Will be keeping a close on ph through the process. Should I try and maintain a dkh similar to the display?

Many thanks for all the input already.

Hi, no 1013 is not low enough. You should target 1011 - 1012.
Yes you rock will be just fine at this salinity. But just don't add any form or medication or additives while using anything that can absorb, such as rock and bio balls etc. Only plastic filter sponges will not absorb from the water column

 

[Jay Hemdal]

So I have an update.
I have bought and set up a 36G hospital tank that has almost all the fish in it. Two more to catch before I start the hypo.

It’s currently sat at 1.02 and I will bring it down to 1.013 over 36 hrs or so. Is this low enough? And will it quickly help with the fluke load already on the fish or do I have to wait until a certain point in their life cycle?

Just some quick question before I do start to lower the salinity. I have some rock and filter blocks from the display in atm to help with filtering. If I drop half salinity will these provide any biological filtration or will the bacteria just be killed and so best to take them out? Will be keeping a close on ph through the process. Should I try and maintain a dkh similar to the display?

Many thanks for all the input already.

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.