Parasites on my Dwarf Gourami

[FroggyFox]

(Originally posted by PCON)

Hey Everyone,

A few days ago, I noticed that my Dwarf Gourami has parasites. I think they are fluke worms. Two of them are hanging on his mouth. I just bought him about 4 days ago. I am debating weather to take him back to fish store, and get my money back, or to keep him and medicate him.

My fear is that the parasites are now in my tank, and going to get to my other fish.

My question is what should I do?

When I use to work at Petsmart, we would treat our Gold Fish w/ Flukeworms by pulling them you and yanking the worms off of them with tweezers, then using Copper Safe and isolate them in a sick tank. We would then do a gravel clean, so it wouldn't contaminate the other fish? Is the the wise thing to do? Any sugguestions?

Thanks!

 

[Lotus]

Well that's really weird. I read this post a few minutes ago, and it was by pcon, and now it has Froggy's name on it.

I would say CopperSafe would be the right thing to do, but what other fish are in the tank? I think you will have to treat the entire tank.

There is info here on them, too: http://www.fishpalace.org/danscomments.html#Flukes


Edit: now I see Froggy reposted or moved it or something

 

[FroggyFox]

Yeah...my bad lol I made a booboo with a double post and then realized they were both gone so I had to do a repost SORRY! lol but the thread still has pcon's name on it!!

 

[pcon]

Hmmm. So you think I would have to treat the whole tank, just in case? Right? Should I just use Coppersafe? Or team Coppersafe with Maracyn?

I have a 50 Gallon w/ Built in Wet Dry...Is Coppersafe going to kill the biological filtration portion of my tank?Mardel also sugguests that I use Maracyn as a secondary treatment. But I KNOW that is gonna kill the biological filtration portion of my tank. I've been through that whole drama.

Also about the flukes, do I have to physically pull them off the fish before I treat the tank?

Let me know. Thanks.

-Philippe

 

[Lotus]

** Note I have never treated for gill flukes. **

I avoid anything that kills the biological filter unless absolutely necessary, there are a number of other antibiotics on the market that you can use for secondary infections that don't kill your bio filter. I believe Maracyn II is one of them, but check the label carefully. CopperSafe won't kill your bio filter.

I think you do have to treat your whole tank.

CopperSafe is bad for inverts, and when I have used it, I start with 1/4 dose, then add another 1/4 every 4 hours, as some fish are sensitive to it. Having said that, I have never lost a fish to CopperSafe.