Parasites in weak fish

[optix]

Is it usually a really good chance that a fish being attacked by parasites is a weak one or highly stressed something of that nature?? My oscar keeps coming down with gill flukes and neither of the fish in there with him come down with it. I have treated him, he did fine. I put him back in the home tank and he came back down with them again. I put him in a quarantine for 2 weeks the first week adding salt and maracide on days 1 3 and 5, on days 2 4 6 and everyother day after that doing 25% water changes. He does fine and then I put him back in the main tank and he is right back to having them again. Its obvious they are in my main tank but my other fish in there aren't being infected. Why is this so and I do not want to treat that tank for them. If I have to I guess I just have too but I'd much rather not.

 

[ewok]

first off.... are you sure they are gill flukes? i was under the impression those are pretty small.....

what kind of symptoms are you seeing?

http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/health/trematodes.shtml

is a decent read.

 

[optix]

Oh I can't see them, I just see him doing the same things he was doing when he first started having them. I medicated him and now hes back to doing the same things but this time its worse. I have already discussed this same problem with wetman and read over his site. Its just that the oscar is once again showing his symptoms

 

[ewok]

wetman say they were gill flukes?

there are alot of things that will cause "flashing".

what kind of symptoms are you seeing?

 

[OrionGirl]

Hate to say it, but when treating in quarantine does not remove the parasite from the main tank, it's time to treat the main tank.

 

[wetmanNY]

I'm not a vet, remember-- but I think OrionGirl's got it, once again. Gill flukes-- if this is gill flukes-- have an egg stage that's resistant to medication. That's why you have to re-medicate for gill flukes and why they're so hard to get rid of.

When the oscar goes back in the tank, more flukes hatch...

...but why don't the tankmates also show the gill-itch and gasping?

How about spending the bux for praziquantel from www.pondrx.com as recommended by Dr Erik Johnson, DVM?

 

[optix]

Originally posted by wetmanNY
I'm not a vet, remember-- but I think OrionGirl's got it, once again. Gill flukes-- if this is gill flukes-- have an egg stage that's resistant to medication. That's why you have to re-medicate for gill flukes and why they're so hard to get rid of.

When the oscar goes back in the tank, more flukes hatch...

...but why don't the tankmates also show the gill-itch and gasping?

How about spending the bux for praziquantel from [url]www.pondrx.com[/url] as recommended by Dr Erik Johnson, DVM?

Im going for the prazi. Its defniatly gill flukes. Only using one gill, flashing, over abundance of mucus, clamped fins. It is definatly gill flukes.

 

[optix]

Just sent my order and its being processed. prazi is on its way.

 

[optix]

Prazi does no harm to the biological filter correct?

 

[Sumpin'fishy]

Supposedly it has NO adverse affects on the biological cycle, it's bacteria, or plants and fish! Sound's awesome to me. I, too, am saving up for some.

Let us know how things turn out, OK? I want to know how this product works, and whether your fish makes it.