Help w/ Fish Parasite. Please ID.

[clockwurk]

Found this little guy dead today. He had this for a couple of days, but it didn't look this bad. Maybe 2-3. I thought it was a damaged scale, so I didn't think much of it.


I didn't realize it was alive until I took the fish out of the tank. They moved slightly. I put the fish in freshwater ( it was already dead ) and within 30 seconds, the white jelly like thing fell off dead.


I don't have any other fish in the tank at the moment, so I'm not too concerned. But i would like to add a fish sometime soon without fear of this parasite.


If anyone knows what this is, please ID and inform me a treatment.


Thanks in advance.

BTW, I did not find a fish diseases section on the forums. So if this is in the incorrect place, please feel free to move. Thanks.

 

[btkrausen]

They kinda look like flatworms.

 

[clockwurk]

Yeah they do. But as far as I know, flatworms only effect corals no?

 

[Lateral72]

They are flukes. Best treated with Praziquantel and/or Metrozonadole. I like API General Cure best, followed by PraziPro.

 

[Aquaph8]

Thats a great example too. I use prazi pro on all my fish.

 

[clockwurk]

Thx Lateral72, Aquaph8.

Any way to get rid of it without chemicals? Cleaner shrimp or wrasse?

 

[Aquaph8]

Not that I know of.

 

[boxer]

Thx Lateral72, Aquaph8.

Any way to get rid of it without chemicals? Cleaner shrimp or wrasse?

freshwater bath for no more than 10 mins.

 

[clockwurk]

Thx Aquaph8, Boxer.

I think I'm gonna leave my tank alone for a couple of months. Hope fully the parasite will die of starvation since it has no fish. I'll also add some cleaner shrimps for now. Then I'll introduce livestock again. If the flukes come back, I'll have PraziPro handy.

 

[Aquaph8]

I'm not sure about the life cycle of flukes, I would assume they would die without a host. Ive heard mixed opinions about using prazi in displays. I know a few that do it though.

 

[Lateral72]

PraziPro is very safe. I've used in the DT before (not for flukes, wanted to get rid of some type of hitchhiker). Not with SPS/LPS but with softies with little or no harm.

I would just get some, dose the tank properly, then within a couple days after the full treatment, you can stick fish back in.

 

[clockwurk]

Lateral72, I've read mixed reviews about PraziPro with SPS/LPS. But you're right, everyone says its ok with softies. The problem is that I have LPS galore...

Thanks for the advice everyone! This is my fault, I really need to setup a hospital/nursery tank.