Please help

alddb · Jan 18, 2023

Been googling like crazy and just argh!!

had a fish that got injured going into a rock. Eyes both cloudy now with bacterial infection. Been treating with melafix and water changes every few days.

now this afternoon after the water change and melafix for first time I see these white things on his skin. They move. I’m thinking flukes now.

I treated with melafix earlier for 90 gallons but have 180 (1/2 dose). Can I treat with pazipro with melafix?

I do have my carbon running and skimmer last few hours.

I know freshwater dip but he is literally 13 inches so be a bit hard to do. The hyposaltinity would be hard to do also with inverts and coral. I’m ready general cure is not okay with coral.

please help

nuxx · Jan 18, 2023

Sorry not sure, have you tried to email or call the makers of each to ask?

I've used PraziPro religiously and love it, if that helps at all.

Jay Hemdal · Jan 18, 2023

alddb said:
Been googling like crazy and just argh!!

had a fish that got injured going into a rock. Eyes both cloudy now with bacterial infection. Been treating with melafix and water changes every few days.

now this afternoon after the water change and melafix for first time I see these white things on his skin. They move. I’m thinking flukes now.

I treated with melafix earlier for 90 gallons but have 180 (1/2 dose). Can I treat with pazipro with melafix?

I do have my carbon running and skimmer last few hours.

I know freshwater dip but he is literally 13 inches so be a bit hard to do. The hyposaltinity would be hard to do also with inverts and coral. I’m ready general cure is not okay with coral.

please help

Can you post a clearer picture under white light?

What species of fish is this?

Melafix is really just a tonic and not for treating multi-celled parasite (like flukes).
I don't use it myself, but both it and Prazipro can lower the dissolved oxygen of the water, so using both at once probably is a bad idea. With either one, you should add good aeration during treatment.

Jay

Sharkbait19 · Jan 18, 2023

It’s hard to make much of that image - what type of fish is this? Are the spots all over the whole body?
How is the fish acting?
Generally you cannot see flukes, only the damage from them.
Melafix is also very ineffective, so I wouldn’t be surprised that there was little improvement.

alddb · Jan 18, 2023

This morning, I checked everyone as always. I saw nothing. We did a 25% water change. Then added melafix. A few hours later noticed the one fish favoring the power head. I looked and seen these white worms on his body moving. I just got sick to my stomach. He allowed me to Turkey blast them and rub on his skin. They were actually moving. Just beyond gross.
We had the protein skimmer, uv light and carbon running for few hours while I researched. I had read flukes you normally do not see. But this is some type of worm. Ich resembles salt grain and these are longer. I don’t believe hook worms either.
So my husband said prazipro it. Leave skimmer going for oxygen. Convert the four Powerhead and outtakes to surface for more oxygen. Turn off uv and carbon.

since then, you can see thousands of these worms coming out of him. Just literally coming out. It’s just nasty.

more than half you see here is now gone. Those white things actually moving and dislodged from his body. The white light does not show them as well as blue

MnFish1 · Jan 18, 2023

Agree with the rest - IF the eye injuries are due to plowing into a rock, etc - they will likely recover with nothing. Melafix will probably do nothing. In the pictures it hard to see what type of fish it is - bilateral (both eyes) suggests an illness.

MnFish1 · Jan 18, 2023

alddb said:
This morning, I checked everyone as always. I saw nothing. We did a 25% water change. Then added melafix. A few hours later noticed the one fish favoring the power head. I looked and seen these white worms on his body moving. I just got sick to my stomach. He allowed me to Turkey blast them and rub on his skin. They were actually moving. Just beyond gross.
We had the protein skimmer, uv light and carbon running for few hours while I researched. I had read flukes you normally do not see. But this is some type of worm. Ich resembles salt grain and these are longer. I don’t believe hook worms either.
So my husband said prazipro it. Leave skimmer going for oxygen. Convert the four Powerhead and outtakes to surface for more oxygen. Turn off uv and carbon.

since then, you can see thousands of these worms coming out of him. Just literally coming out. It’s just nasty.

more than half you see here is now gone. Those white things actually moving and dislodged from his body. The white light does not show them as well as blue

It sounds like a weird - un-heard of situation. I agree - try the Prazipro - I could be mucus - but those would not normally be 'moving'

alddb · Jan 18, 2023

They look like this but parts of them are out moving. Like maggots. This says flukes.

90% is gone. Acting much better and no longer in powerheads. Now if he would eat again (day 2 of refusing)

vetteguy53081 · Jan 18, 2023

alddb said:
They look like this but parts of them are out moving. Like maggots. This says flukes.

90% is gone. Acting much better and no longer in powerheads. Now if he would eat again (day 2 of refusing)

These are the larger of the fluke grouping known as Neobenedenia flukes and often will get to the eyes of the fish. A freshwater dip for 5 minutes usually cause these flukes to dislodge and are the easiest to see especially in a dark container. Assure the water is same temperature as display tank.
Treatment of choice is PraziPro and while reef safe I prefer QT tank for treating but not necessary. If in dislay tank, remove your skimmer cup but leave the skimmer running as prazi-pro will make your skimmer go nuts. It will produce a truly amazing amount of bubbles so still have your skimmer running to keep the oxygen levels high in the water as some medications like praz-pro can lower the amount of oxygen in the water which is something you want to avoid so I recommend running an airstone in addition to treatment.
Also . . . remove any type of carbon that you have running to allow Prazi to run at full strength which will be 8 day interval, change water and treat again for one more 8 day interval.

Jay Hemdal · Jan 18, 2023

I still need a clear picture under white lights, and know about the fish - it’s history, what species it is, etc.

Based on the limited information at hand, these are Neobenedenia flukes. Tricky to control because they have adhesive eggs that withstand praziquantel. In a fish only tank, it is best to treat this with hyposalinity.
Jay

alddb · Jan 18, 2023

vetteguy53081 said:
These are the larger of the fluke grouping known as Neobenedenia flukes and often will get to the eyes of the fish. A freshwater dip for 5 minutes usually cause these flukes to dislodge and are the easiest to see especially in a dark container. Assure the water is same temperature as display tank.
Treatment of choice is PraziPro and while reef safe I prefer QT tank for treating but not necessary. If in dislay tank, remove your skimmer cup but leave the skimmer running as prazi-pro will make your skimmer go nuts. It will produce a truly amazing amount of bubbles so still have your skimmer running to keep the oxygen levels high in the water as some medications like praz-pro can lower the amount of oxygen in the water which is something you want to avoid so I recommend running an airstone in addition to treatment.
Also . . . remove any type of carbon that you have running to allow Prazi to run at full strength which will be 8 day interval, change water and treat again for one more 8 day interval.

I have skimmer on, no collection cup, four power heads and 3 return nozzles pointed to surface.

why would only one fish be infected out of 7? Why would it appear suddenly?

he must be feeling a ton better. I was able to pet him and rub his skin earlier and Turkey blast him. He was in power heads a lot which alerted me to something was wrong. But now he won’t come near me. He is swimming all over. 90% are gone.

vetteguy53081 · Jan 18, 2023

alddb said:
I have skimmer on, no collection cup, four power heads and 3 return nozzles pointed to surface.

why would only one fish be infected out of 7? Why would it appear suddenly?

he must be feeling a ton better. I was able to pet him and rub his skin earlier and Turkey blast him. He was in power heads a lot which alerted me to something was wrong. But now he won’t come near me. He is swimming all over. 90% are gone.

Neobendia are sticky and often adhere to a given fish, but once eggs present can seek new host.
One thing I forgot to mention as Jay stated, Please post pics and video under white lighting for confirmation as the recommendation are based on your pics from internet and not actual fish