Gill Flukes and Live Blackworms.

[Merrilyn]

We seem to be having a lot of trouble with gill flukes lately. It's not just discus breeders and keepers, but other fish varieties too.

I always believed blackworms carried gill and body flukes
I know Kev feels the same way, and we discussed this very subject about a year ago.

If you are finding an increase in gill flukes, ae you feeding live blackworms now, or have you done so in the past.

It would be interesting to get a bit of a survey on this.

Comments anyone?

[Ben]

Merrilyn hit the nail right on the head!
I used to be a full on blackworm feeder, spending 50 bucks on 1/2 a kilo each week! While they were a good supply and were clean i do NOW believe they carry flukes! and possibly instestinal worms.
I have changed the diet am feeding a huge variety just without the blackworms and my discus are looking and breeding 95% as good as when i was feeding blackworms.

I would like to hear what other think on the subject!


Ben

[kkiu]

Although my situation probably doesn't exactly fit the mould. Id just like to share my story.

I've only ever fed my discus blackworm once. I was for the purpose of administering Prazi to de-worm them (letting the worms eat the prazi up and then feeding the worms to the discus)

With this said, I too have had a problem with gill flukes recently. I treated with Prazi for 3 weeks with no avail.

But i was able to successful treat with one week of heat treatment (34C) and 1tbs/40L of salt. Its been about a week or two and no re-emerging signs of gill flukes so im happy.

hmm yeah, Ive always been wary of blackworms since you dont know where they have been cultivated and its too complicated to get them sterlized (if thats possible??).

I think theres cause to think there is a link between flukes and blackworms... very likely.

[flukes]

Yeah used too feed blackworms too, but just ends up in trouble..

And flukes for some reason to me is just a pain to get rid of. Just seemed nothing worked..

[chris]

Yer me to Im on the outer with blackworms, my troubles in my tank started when i gave the guys a treat with some blackworms. coincident I dont know

[ctvu]

Thatis what I have been thinking of, as you LD know I am having the problem with Fin Rot, the sick fish have been fed with BW purely, because they only eat BW. So I don't know if I should keep feeding them that or not.

ctvu

[flukes]

Well you wou'll want too get them onto different foods anyway, so know is a good time.. But dont just feed one food. Feed one if they dont eat it suck it out the vac and feed them later in the day.

This way they eat when they are fed and the realise that food wont always be laying around waiting for them....

Good luck..

[Ben]

We all need to put our heads together so we can find a way to rid our discus(and other fish) complety of gill flukes.

With some intensive reserach on these nasties we could learn more about them. Like exactly how are they infecting our fish and the best method used to kill them completly!

Ben