fry hanging on surface

[dazzman]

Hi guys,

Has anyone experienced this before? I have some free swimmers for about 10 days now and some of them are on the parent's back but some of them are hanging on the top left corner surface of the tank. The water checks out fine. Could it be flukes? Could they be gasping for air and all. The others seem fine though.

Thanks
daz

[Ben]

Hi Mate,
This too I sound like Gill flukes!
I have had the same thing happen!

Can you put a UV sterilizer on the tank?
This will help enormously!

Cheers
Ben

[dazzman]

Cheers ben,

I suppose I could run out and get one but would it make the fish less resistant to diseases when you switch it off? I'm thinking of trying the Trichlorofon higher dosage treatment but not sure if the fry can withstand it. What do you reckon?

Thanks
daz

[Ben]

The theory i have is:

fry are like babies and have a very low immune system, by using a UV this will pasteurize the water and kill the water born flukes.
This will keep the infestation of flukes to a minimum; they will still have them but will not be over infested.

I have done a fare amount of research when it comes to gill flukes and have had the same problem you are experiencing now. By simply sterilizing the water this keeps the numbers of flukes down in the tank.

I have not used Trichlorofon on very young discus, so i am not sure what the consequences would be.

I take the UV off when they get to the 4 week mark, as i have found they have built up there immune system and this will make them more resistant in the future.

Ben

[dazzman]

Cheers Ben,

makes sense. I suppose I shouldn't risk it with the meds, it might kill them. Haven't got a UV steriliser so will just have to do large amount of water changes.

Thanks
daz

[Ben]

hi Daz,

keep up the water changes mate.
if possible try and do them twice per day, %75would be good using aged 30.c water.

Ben

[Merrilyn]

Drop an extra airstone in the tank too. Gill flukes cover all the internal membrane of the gills, and make it difficult for the fish to absorb oxygen from the water. The more oxygen in the water, the better.

I would like to second Ben's advice regarding a UV filter. You can buy a small internal UV for around $50 or $60 depending on where you shop. That's about the same value as two of those little fish, when you come to sell them. The UV will soon pay for itself at that rate.

Something to think about, anyway.

[dazzman]

Cheers guys,

Took your advice and went out and got one over the weekend. There's still bout 8 of them left and they seem ok. The pair has since layed again so hopefully more will survive.

Thanks again.
daz