unclenedsfishfactory.com

saltwater fluke info from one of our suppliers

How to Identify and Treat flukes.
Flukes are small external parasites that can cause lesions and tissue damage as
well as entry sites for secondary infections. Flukes have an array of hooks at one
end of their body which they use to attach themselves to the fish and move
around. The fish response to flukes is similar to most any other irritant. They will
rub and twitch, eyes become cloudy and as the disease advances the fish will become
lethargic. At a very advanced stage the fish will isolate itself and spend long
periods of time laying on the bottom of the tank with it’s fins clamped to it’s
body, they may also develop semi-circle markings on their body where the fluke is
wearing a pattern in the skin. Another sign may be skin cloudiness caused by increased
mucous production. The only definitive diagnosis is a skin scrape or gill
biopsy.
Flukes come in with fish in every shipment. This is one of the reasons we fresh
water dip our fish. Freshwater dipping removes the majority of flukes and other
parasites but it may not catch them all because they hide in gills and under scales.
Any successful retail store will take responsibility by further treating and taking
the necessary steps in preventing further damage.
Treating flukes: Use Prazi Pro made by Hikari. Prazi Pro treats both fresh and
saltwater fish. 16 oz. treats 1,920 gallons. We have experienced no harm to our
biological filter from this product. Use Prazi Pro in your system once a month for
best results.
Make sure to turn off UV and skimmers while treating. Your skimmer will go nuts
when it’s turned back on, be sure to set it on low.
Treatment for Fish:
Do a 4 to 5 minute freshwater dip for 3 days in a row. Make sure your temp, Kh
and Ph match your saltwater tanks for decreased stress on the fish.
Hope you learned something new!