Marks on Sailfin

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Momo

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Hi,

Can someone help id this. and treatment.

originally thought ich was few spots on fin, but since have lost a few fish quiet quickly wondering if it's velvet. also fast breathing not eating as much.




 
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Could be velvet or even gill flukes. Gill or Skin flukes - The Free Freshwater and Saltwater Aquarium Encyclopedia Anyone Can Edit - The Aquarium Wiki and Marine Velvet Disease.
I would sway towards flukes as the fish doesn't look like it has a "velvety" appearance to it. Unfortunately symptoms are so similar that only skin scrapings and gill autopsy can identify the parasite 100%
If the fish is in Quarintine, fresh water bath will kill the flukes. Otherwise formalin dip, if the fish has no open sores. Dip fish for three days. With flukes, your Quarintine tank will need to be cleaned out as well.
 
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Agreed. I have extensive experience with monogeneans and this seems to be a capsalid specie - neobenedinia. Exact parasite can only be identified by obtaining a sample of the parasite.

Interesting fact - this monogenean(fluke) lives off the fish's mucus until that is exhausted, after that it goes for the blood stream hence the loss of color. Fish dies from complications of the damage caused to the fish.

Important question - where is the fish been held? Keep it on its own for as long as possible.

Do the freshwater bath like carlos said. (Remember ph and temp) if lots of little things fall off. It has a monogenean infestation. Get yourself some prodibio worms and parasites and follow the instructions carefully.

You must act quickly!
 
got all my fish in QT running hypo at the moment 1.009 since sunday (was treating for ich), and added the prodibio worms and parasites on monday already. will the hypo be enough or should i do the fw dips aswell?

rest of the tests, 0 amonia 0 nitrite ph 8.0 (struggling to keep this up), moved the bioballs from main tank to QT as i was going to remove them anyways so the QT was pretty much cycled.

edit: the sailfin not scratching against anything, but the yellow tang that died was.
 
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Hi @Momo​



Hyposalinity can be used for capsalid monogeneans. It was found that 15ppt salinity or lower for two days eliminated juvenile and adult Neobenedenia monogeneans.


However when 15 ppt was maintained for 5 days the hatching of the eggs was prevented. So yes it kills the parasites that are alive but the eggs are kept in "Suspended animation" until conditions are favourable again.​
 
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I have seen this on Sailfins before caused by poor water conditions.I would not assume this to be def flukes,what you are seeing is the stripping of the protective mucous layer of the fish due to some infection or parasite.
I would treat in QT with Cupramine which is broad spectrum...recovery is unfortunately the exception at this stage...
 
Hi Momo

I do not agree with cupramine it does nothing for monogenean infestations. It is a too complex an organism to kill with copper. Leave your fish in hypo and continue with the Worms and parasite treatments. PH is always a problem in hypo - just keep an eye on it ! Make sure your water quality is good. DO the water changes as point out on the instruction guide.
 
Treatment with Cu can also damage the fish as well. It attaches to haemoglobin damaging red blood cells and the liver as well.
 
Noticed this morning he has very runny poo is this normal, after the meds for probidio worms and parasites? He's eating again which is a good sign
 
also instructions say to only do a water change again on day seven but my amonia is creeping up so should i do a water change and dose again or use say prime to reduce the level until day seven?
 
That is great news!:thumbup:
 
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