Apisto Autopsy (Dactylogyrus Gill Flukes?)

[racoll]

I bought an L114 a month ago which refused to eat, and subsequently died, also killing an apisto which was quarantined with it. see this thread.

http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/view ... t=starving

i presumed that parasites of the digestive tract were to blame.

today i lost 2 apistos from my display tank. one was found dead, and the other i had to euthanise, as she wasn't going to make it.

over the last few days she had been hanging at the surface gasping, with quite inflamed operculum (gill covers).

i did a rudimentary autopsy before work (no time for pics), which revealed very pale gills and small soft whitish lumps (<0.5mm) attached.

i suspect these are Dactylogyrus gill flukes that may have been transfered from the quarantine tank and become infested.

does anyone agree?

i'm treating with sterazin.

[pturley]

Sorry for not replying earlier. Yes, gill flukes do appear as small white blobs. Most I've seen have been microscopic though (squash mount, low power)

Until they stopped the sale of formalin for aquarium use over here, a common treatment for gill flukes (all kinds) was a formalin dip.

The old Discus breeder's procedure is 15-30 drops 37% Formalin per gallon for 15-30 minutes under heavy aeration, or as long as the fish can stand it.

Details:
-Start your concentration at 15 drops per under heavy aeration.
-Add the fish(retained in a net so you can remove it quickly)
-Let the fish sit for 10 minutes under observation (DO NOT WALK AWAY, DO NOT LOOK AWAY!). If it shows signs of stress, remove it quickly to a clean aquarium. The fish will struggle and breath rapidly, but it shouldn't loose it equilibrium.
-Add more formalin dropwise every minute or two until either you reach 30 drops per gallon or the fish shows signs of undue stress.
-Leave the fish for up to an additional 10 minutes at max concentration.
-Place the fish in a quite, clean, well aerated aquarium to recover.

So can you still get 37% formalin in the UK?
Good luck with your fish.

[racoll]

thanks paul.

i'm treating the whole tank with a ten day sterazin course. i think that's probabaly the best idea, as i want to reduce backround levels of eggs, as well as trying to rid any other fish that may be suffering a more chronic infestation.

the trouble with treating individual fish is catching them! i would need to remove every piece of bogwood (a lot) to stand a chance. i had to do this a couple of days before the nijsseni got ill. i think that may have contributed to the stress that caused the outbreak.

i will try your method in the future, or if this treatment doesn't work.

i think i can get formalin in the UK. i found it on a mail order website.

thanks again.