Flat parasites--Beth

T

tizzo

Guest
Beth, I read in your resopnse to Pepi, that you asked it their parasite was flat. I was wondering, if it is an easy question, could you tell me what it would be if they were?
While back I got a 6 line. He looked great when I got him but about 10 days later his body got cloudy like. He was on the floor breathing very rapidly, and I had no idea what it was, so I did a freshwater dip. It appeared like he had blisters forming all over his body. Then I noticed that they were parasites. I got all of them off, but he didn't make it. I never could find out what they were.
He had one on his eye, they were in his gills and all over his body. I tried to research skin flukes but I didn't find any good descriptions and when I did, it said that it was a very rapidly progressing disease. Since he was in QT for 10 days before I saw them, I didn't think that's what they were. I am mostly just curious in case it happens again, I would know how to treat the fish.
 
beth

beth

Administrator
Staff member
Flatworms is what I was thinking. There are a few pics here if you will do a search. I have also seen them look translucent, but they are not necessarily.
 
beth

beth

Administrator
Staff member
Tizzo, 2 different subjects. What were the symptoms of your fish? Was the problem mostly in the gill area? From your description, it does sound like gill flukes. The FW dip would be a temporary relief, however the "shock" of the dip could have well contributed to the fish's dimise. FW dip, though, is a common "partial" treatment.
For flukes, you want to do the copper and the FW dip with a formalin/malachite green solution. Flukes does not have the same rapid contagiousness as you find with ich or oodinium.
 
T

tizzo

Guest
hmph, that kinda stinks, cause I remember you warned us about those earlier in the year. His only symptons were his hazy appearance. His appetite was hearty, his fins were not clamped, and he didn't show any signs of stress or fatigue... Until day #10! At that time he was resting on the bottum of the tank, no appetite, and breathing very rapidly. He didn't even try to run when I attempted to catch him. He was just listless. I knew he didn't have long, and I didn't know what I was looking for so that's why I did the FW dip. (It was the only time I had ever done it) I like to treat my babies properly, but I thought it was already to late for this guy. I guess my logic was that if it IS gill flukes, the FW will at least clear those so he could breath easier 'til I can properly treat him. Live and learn I guess.
Again though... Thank You!
 
beth

beth

Administrator
Staff member
BTW, flatworms can be fish parasites.....ie: black ich. They can also be aquarium pets. :D
Pretty Flatworms
Compare those lovely critters to the tiny black turbellarian flatworms [black ich] on the yellow tang in the Diseased Fish Thread.
 
T

tizzo

Guest
Ooooh, I don't hafta, my YT got bllack ick about 6 months ago. And yep, looked nuthin' like those.:D
 
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