AboutJennifer Schanely Expertise I have worked for sixteen years in a pet store where I am the fishroom manager. I can answer most questions pertaining to saltwater fish and coral care, feeding and behavior. I am knowledgeable in setting up and maintaining reef and fish only tanks and can usually identify creatures that come off of live rock. I am only slightly knowledgeable on disease treatment with prevention being my specialty. My approach to the marine tank is that of simplicity. Keeping a marine environment is easy and I encourage anyone intersted in this hobby to give it a try!
Experience Besides owning various types of tanks,I have worked as a fishroom manager in a pet store for the past sixteen years. I answer questions to many fish related problems on a daily basis. At our store we have many fresh water tanks, salt fish tanks, corals, and other invertabrates. I also know alot about different products on the market and what works and what doesn't.
Education/Credentials I think sixteen years experience is far more education than any school could have taught me.
Expert: Jennifer Schanely Date: 7/24/2008 Subject: Disease/quarrantine
Question I have 2 sick fish 1 is a Black Zoster butterfly, the other is a double saddleback B.fly. The Zoster has what I believe to be fluke worms. The Saddleback has some spots of ich and a secondary infection on its side. My question is what should I use besides copper to treat? I have Napthaquione(Rid-Fungus), Kenamyacin, Melafix, Formaldehyde, and Possibly Methylene blue. Also should I treat the food itself with anything? The saddleback is eating anything and everything where the Zoster is eating sparingly. Thx
Answer Hi Randy. Flukes on a fish can be very difficult to treat. In some flukes the juvenile stage of the fluke will resemble white spot. Are you sure you are seeing white spot on the saddleback or could they be juvenile flukes? Flukes will often cause irritations on the skin and blood loss of the fish. This blood loss can cause the fish to become lethargic and it will often go off its feedings. With a light infestation, particularly if in a reef tank or a tank that houses invertebrates, biological control using cleaner wrasses may be successful. With a heavy infestation, this would be asking too much. The best immediate treatment is to do a freshwater bath. The flukes will turn opaque and drop off the fish very quickly. The fish can be left in the bath, under careful observation for up to eight minutes if necessary if all the flukes do not drop off in two minutes. The freshwater bath can be repeated every day or so whenever the flukes are observed on the fish, and the flukes will soon be exterminated that is if you can catch the fish to do this treatment. You can also use a formalin bath. Prepare the formalin bath by adding one ml of formalin for each gallon of saltwater in the bath. Aerate this preparation very actively because formalin tends to reduce oxygen. Net out the infected fish and place in this bath for one hour. If signs of stress appear discontinue bath. Do this as needed when flukes return just like the fresh water bath or every other day. You can use the kanamycin in the food to prevent or clearup any secondary infections. A 250 mg capsule should be mixed with 25 gm of food. Feed twice daily and keep up this treatment for 2 weeks even if the fish seems to get better. Melafix is completely safe to use in any tank and it would not hurt to add this to your tank as a preventative measure as well. Treating the tank is the best way to kill off this parasite, however if you have allot of invertebrates in there you may not want to risk the problems that may arise from treating the tank. You could also employ the use of a hospital tank. Keep the fish in there and treat them with Clout. You then leave the main tank free of a fish host for 2 weeks. It takes that long for the flukes to complete their lifecycle and without a fish to host upon they will not be able to complete this cycle and die off in the main tank. The baths will work as well but will take allot longer and cause more stress to your fish. The use of the hospital tank is your best bet!
