Flukes or some red worms?

dudluk · May 16, 2024

I just finished ich treatment for my Citron Goby and Black Molly, 40 days in hypo-salinity followed by 28 days in copper in QT.
(original topic here https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/hyper-melanization-and-ich.1036912/)

Today I was planning to move them back to DT as molly was showing some signs of stress and I thought 28 is enough. While having molly in a container during the transfer I noticed two small red dots attached to the back fin of the molly. It dropped when blown with turkey blaster. The water in the container was from DT where I was feeding with frozen food a few hours before. Fish came back to QT.

Below the picture:

It has around than 1 mm in size. Any idea what it is? I tried to google what it might be without luck, the best thing that came to my mind was flukes, but I doubt after 40 days of hypo.

Molly was acting a bit stressed (swimming without "moving" from time to time), but I assumed it's because of the copper. I couldn't see any red spots on the goby.

Thanks

dudluk · May 16, 2024

Now when I took a closer look I see that the molly is rubbing against PCV pipes. At first I was thinking it's trying to get to food trapped there, but it doesn't seem to be the case.

QT is at 1.026 salinity, temp 26C. I dosed coppersafe to 2.5ppm 28 days ago.

Below video, where you can see rubbing (00:34):

https://1drv.ms/v/s!AsUPrr5SEeP_hKArqntkyOXMask_gg?e=D8ciji

And two more showing overall behavior:

https://1drv.ms/v/s!AsUPrr5SEeP_hKAstupmP3PtN2I4Iw?e=GbZNnx

https://1drv.ms/v/s!AsUPrr5SEeP_hKAqeWelSBUhrdpRaA?e=C6TRVA

Jay Hemdal · May 16, 2024

dudluk said:
Now when I took a closer look I see that the molly is rubbing against PCV pipes. At first I was thinking it's trying to get to food trapped there, but it doesn't seem to be the case.

QT is at 1.026 salinity, temp 26C. I dosed coppersafe to 2.5ppm 28 days ago.

Below video, where you can see rubbing (00:34):

https://1drv.ms/v/s!AsUPrr5SEeP_hKArqntkyOXMask_gg?e=D8ciji

And two more showing overall behavior:

https://1drv.ms/v/s!AsUPrr5SEeP_hKAstupmP3PtN2I4Iw?e=GbZNnx

https://1drv.ms/v/s!AsUPrr5SEeP_hKAqeWelSBUhrdpRaA?e=C6TRVA

I couldn’t get the first video to play, but the Molly does look stressed in the other two videos. The water seems really cloudy to me - does it look cloudy in person?
That red thing doesn’t look like a parasite to me, only one I know of is red, a nematode worm, and those are really thin and long.
Your quarantine process would have virtually eliminated external parasites, so unless you cross contaminated the tank some how.

dudluk · May 16, 2024

Thank you for the reply. Yes, water is a bit cloudy.

I thought about cross contamination, but not sure how likely it is as my display tank hasn't got any fish for last 80 days or so. However I added quite a few corals, so I guess it is a possibility.

My plan now is keep them in QT and do a few water changes to see if copper or poor water quality is causing stress. I'm also considering dosing prazi if wc doesn't help, to make sure it's not parasite.

Molly was doing great all that time I started noticing she's stressed maybe 3-4 days ago.

I re uploaded the video where you can see it rubbing the head against the PCV pipe, hopefully now it works:
https://1drv.ms/v/s!AsUPrr5SEeP_hKAtMGxts0QsnP2KmQ?e=uYRrK2

Screenshot from 00:34:

Jay Hemdal · May 16, 2024

dudluk said:
Thank you for the reply. Yes, water is a bit cloudy.

I thought about cross contamination, but not sure how likely it is as my display tank hasn't got any fish for last 80 days or so. However I added quite a few corals, so I guess it is a possibility.

My plan now is keep them in QT and do a few water changes to see if copper or poor water quality is causing stress. I'm also considering dosing prazi if wc doesn't help, to make sure it's not parasite.

Molly was doing great all that time I started noticing she's stressed maybe 3-4 days ago.

I re uploaded the video where you can see it rubbing the head against the PCV pipe, hopefully now it works:
https://1drv.ms/v/s!AsUPrr5SEeP_hKAtMGxts0QsnP2KmQ?e=uYRrK2

Screenshot from 00:34:

Fish can scratch from parasites of course, but also may scratch from excess particulates in the water. I would do water changes to get the clarity back. If it still scratches, then consider a praziquantel treatment.