flukes maybe? help please

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kelly82

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Jun 1, 2007
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Lincolnshire, UK
i dont think my goldies are happy, well they seem happy enough with their fins out and normal behaviour most of the time, but they are starting to flash every so often, also they kind of wiggle and flick their fins really quick, and seem to gasp at the surface a lot.

there is no sign of any disease, no spots, patches etc, just the rapid fin movements like they have an itch and then the occassional scoot across the gravel on the bottom. its like they have itchy bellies as they arent flashing their sides much, they are sort of scratching their bellies. i now have a panic on they are ill. i have salt in the tank right now as i noticed a couple of ick spots last week on the tail of a newcomer (i know im bad i didnt QT but all were from the same tank and the same shop and he hasnt had any new deliveries since i purchased the first ones) the ick spots are now all gone and im just leaving it salted for a while to make sure.

tank is 150uk 180us gallons, 6x2x2, at the moment running a rena xp4 (will be fx5 next week) and 2 fluval 4+, with 3 airlines going in, 1 to each of the venturi on the fluvals and then 1 to an airstone. i have run out of nitrate test kit and right now cannot afford one, so im just making sure im doing a very thorough gravel vac and 50-70% pwc each weekend-this was keeping the nitrate levels at 10-20 so all i can do is assume they are the same as nothing else has changed (the new goldfish replaced the tail standing larger fantail i had who didnt make it)

ammonia and nitrite are 0.
p.h is 8.0.
temp is 75*/76*, i cant get it to drop any more this is where its at at all times.
stocking is 3 large fancies at around 6inches, 2 medium at around 3 inches and 4 smaller ones at about 2 inches. 9 altogether. the tank has live plants too.
diet consists of sinking pellets, peas, orange, cucumber, frozen bloodworm/mysis shrimp/brine shrimp and live daphnia.
 

Lupin

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Hi Kelly,

I am sorry to hear your goldfish are having health issues. It is possible flukes are involved. They are after all a very common ailment among goldfish and koi. What you can do to battle flukes is dose your tank with praziquantel aside from increasing salt dosage to 0.3% which is equivalent to 3 teaspoons per gallon by adding 0.1% solution every 12 hours which is one teaspoon per gallon.

Praziquantel does not come cheap but you could get Prazipro from your stores or online sites. Here's the dosing regimen suggested for goldfish.

Remove carbon.
Add 2.5 milligrams per liter of water.
If you are using the powdered version, it is difficult to dissolve. Predissolve in tank water by shaking it up in a small container.
Dosing
Day 1 -- remove carbon, perform water change with vacuuming, and add Prazi to tank
Day 2 -- add Prazi
Day 3 -- do nothing
Day 4 -- do nothing
Day 5 -- do nothing
Day 6 -- add Prazi
Day 7 -- add Prazi
Day 8 -- normal partial water change with vacuuming
Day 14 - normal partial water change, then add prazi
Day 21 - normal partial water change, then add prazi
Day 28 - normal partial water change, then add prazi
Day 35 - normal partial water change, add carbon, treatment is complete
 

kelly82

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Jun 1, 2007
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i dont think it is flukes now, i did a water change 3 days ago, and the test results were from just before i changed it. i did a 70% change, and gravel vac, and i had to use a different water conditioner as my usual is off the shelves as pond season is over. ive just tested my water again, and im showing 0.6 ammonia and a slight hint of nitrites, im guessing the new stuff didnt do its job and the fish are now suffering ammonia/nitrite poisoning.

i can do nothing until i can get hold of a different conditioner, i thought the API tap water conditioner would be good as its a good brand :huh: i dont know what to do. i did notice after i did the pwc the water turned like milk for around 24 hours which is very unusual.

my husband isnt home until very late tonight as hes at both jobs today, the very earliest i can do a water change will be tomorrow evening. im considering removing all but the black moor and putting all the oranda/fantail fish in my pond until i can do the change. the pond has 2 comets in there, and is 230 gallons or so. obviously the temps are much much lower out there though. what would you do :1zhelp:
 

Lupin

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Flukes don't have to show as soon as you buy your fish. They may take even weeks before they eventually show up which is why dosing praziquantel and salt from the beginning is very important to ensure flukes and other pathogens are destroyed.

Are the fish still lethargic after your water change?
 

kelly82

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Jun 1, 2007
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none are lathargic, all are very very active, yet another reason i am thinking it may not be flukes now. the tail standing goldfish was the only lethargic one, and even she didnt sit around much. the others are all very energetic, its the gasping at the surface, flicking fins and occassional flashing thats worrying me. and now the nitrite/ammonia results too. their gills appear normal, a deep pinky colour, they arent breathing rapidly, which is why the gasping seems so odd. the tank at the moment is at 3tsps salt per gallon still from the ick treatment, i didnt want to stop treatment too early so i added more, enough to treat the water i replaced. will the salt maybe stop them being damaged from the ammonia/nitrite showing in the water? the gasping isnt all the time, they all seem to start up and carry on for a couple of hours then all stop and act normal again :screwy: maybe they are just trying to screw with my head, but the results definately show ammonia at 0.6 and a hint of nitrite.
 

kelly82

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my hubby has gone out on his dinner hour from work and has picked me up a bottle of dechlorinator, different to last time, so il be able to do a water change tomorrow morning now,he wont be home until gone 11 tonight. the fish are gasping...again. they are all eating well and are full of energy, all fins are out and they seem happy enough, il do a 70-80% change in the morning with a decent gravel vac. fingers crossed itl be ok.
 

Lupin

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Hmmm...What are the water parameters right now? The salt should be able to neutralize the nitrite's toxic effects for the time being though.
 

kelly82

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Jun 1, 2007
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the readings are ammonia 0.6, nitrite just a possible hint of colour, and unfortunately i cant do a nitrate test as ive run out. im just about to do a big water change on them, hubby picked me up some interpet tap safe with aloe vera. im going to do a thorough gravel vac and take out around 80% of the water. the fish arent gasping at the moment, but they did start it up again last night. my little blue oranda isnt looking good, shes been really flicking her fins, nearly constantly, and where her front fins join her body she is really red, just like on the joint. ive put her in QT in the heavily planted 15 gallon i have tucked away under my main tank, hopefully she will look better soon. shes happy enough, or seems to be, shes eating well and energetic. sometimes i do wonder if the little guys are worth the hassle, then i go to the tank and they come swimming over to see me :goldfish: and i know they are :goldfish:
 

kelly82

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Jun 1, 2007
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Lincolnshire, UK
just finished the water change, i treated the water in a 10 gallon bucket before adding it to the tank (via a 1 litre jug as i couldnt lift the bucket!), i changed out 100 gallons and did very thorough gravel vac. all fish are seeming happy, but the waters white again. hope it settles soon. took me nearly 5 hours to do it, i hope my fishy friends are happy with my efforts :laugh:
 
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