How to get rid of gill flukes once and for all!!

[Ben]

Hi peoples,
I am going to treat all my tanks with gill flukes,
what do people suggest?
I would like to get rid of them together and hopefully so
they dont come back!!!


What are the best suggestions on treatment
and Precautionary methods so i dont get them again!

Since my disater with my babies, i am at war with this flukes!!

Cheers,
Ben

[Bill T.]

Good luck Ben.
In my recent attempts to totally eradicate flukes, I nearly managed to totally eradicate fish. It may be useful to read the above sticky about rapid respiration. Also go to the emergency room & have a look at "not looking so good" & other discussions on this topic. Make sure you talk with ladyred.

[Bill T.]

Ben.
Also read "double dosing sterazine".

[Dee]

G'day Ben,

I was just looking over some sites about flukes and medications and found this ... http://www.akca.org/library/flukes.htm ... thought it may be of some intrest too you.

Cheers,

Dee

[flukes]

At war huh?? Bring it on

Nah they are a pain in the B-hide but there are some treatments out there..

[DR.V]

hmm why dont u try using UV sterilizer? doesnt that help ??

[flukes]

U.V's will kill anything in the water column, not sure if it kills flukes directly but even if it did there would still be the crysts on the fish and then they produce. Iam not sure if at anytime all the parasites are in the water column. I dont think so because thats why its soo hard too kill..

Might do a google on the cycle of flukes..

[flukes]

Ok first found this -

Skin & Gill Flukes Flukes are a parasite that attack the gills and skin of infected fish. Small numbers of flukes are pretty much harmless, but in bad water conditions, over crowding, or aquaria with high organic content, they can multiply at a fast rate. According to the fish doctor the only reliable way to diagnose is with a skin scrape.
Symptoms: Fish will flash or scrape its self against aquarium décor, rapid gill movement, at a more advanced stage, the fish will isolate its self and lie at the bottom with fins clamped. Also cloudy skin due to excess mucus.
Treatment: Flukes are hard to treat and complete eradication is virtually impossible. It is said that for individuals affected with flukes, consecutive salt baths over 2-3 days can be useful. There are commercial treatments avalible.

Doesnt really say much about the life cycle..

Also have a read of this -
http://www.fishdoc.co.uk/disease/flukes.htm

Still no answer on the life cycle..

Ok bit of hard one, i was reading some information that said Adult monogeneans attach them selfs too the fish and complete their life cycle there. Then it goes on too say they lay there eggs on the host but some other strains of flukes reproduce free swimming larvae..

So i suppose if a U.V did kill flukes then eventually it would eradicate them but it would take the life span of an adult, as only the larvae would be killed through U.V..

Iam really not sure now if it does, i dont use U.V so maybe someone could let us know if i can kill parasites..

[Merrilyn]

UV will kill the free swimming lavae that actually flow thru the sterilizer, but they cannot kill the flukes or lavae that remain in the tank, so there will always be a certain population of them in the tank.

[Ben]

Has anyone tried formalin to rid of these pests?
I just bought a bottle and will trial it soon on 1 tank only.
Any suggestions?

Cheers,
Ben