Itchy fish

[Vez]

Hey all

I have something going on in my tank, as the fish seem to be very itchy? Let’s start from the beginning:

Last week Thursday, I did a normal 40-50 % WC, as I always do, I just did this one a few days earlier( I usually do this on a Sunday) but we had a wedding in Limpopo for the weekend.

I had someone look after the fish, and feed them for me, all seems to be fine, but I started to notice that the fish keep on “relieving themselves on Rocks and Driftwood’”. I did a small WC last night 20%, and dropped the temp, as the temp was a bit high.

According to the people in our house, we did not have any power failures, and the last fish I placed in the tank, was about 3-4 weeks ago?

So my question is, what will the best medication be? As I don’t see any white spots?

Thanks

Vez

[azurekoi]

Are your fish "Flicking" - swimming up to a rock and dashing themselves against it? Like they got an itch they want to scratch? Parasites mate - can easily take 3 - 4 weeks from last fishes introduction to build up enough numbers to affect all your fish

Get it identified under a microscope and treat according to WHAT parasite it is....

[Vez]

yip, thats what they do!

so who can do this?

[azurekoi]

I can...he,he - but since I dont live round the corner.... Doc Skelton and his team at Florida Vet clinic will sort you out quick sticks or take a fishy to any of the bigger koi shops - they will be able to help. you don't want to mess around with "over the LPS counter Anti parasite stuff" - most parasites just laugh at the old style chemicals used in them - long been resistant to them

[Vez]

thanks azurekoi! so i just take a fishy to them, and they will be able to ID the parasite?

[azurekoi]

Yup - take a scrape of it's slime layer and check it under microscope...Don't take a Neon.....lol - something a bit bigger...

[Vez]

Cardinal?LOL will take a Congo! thanks dude!

[oscar freak]

Any new vez I"m having the same symptoms looks like

[azurekoi]

@oscar freak (http://www.tropicalaquarium.co.za/member.php?u=922) - this one was a toughy - Vez eventually got hold of a microscope and with PM's flying between me and him describing what he saw and me asking him questions we narrowed it down to Chilodinella(this sounds MUCH easier than what it was....lol)...i advised a treatment that he followed... which sort of worked... Eventually he took a fish to Doc Skelton,who also couldnt identify the exact problem... Eventually @Vez (http://www.tropicalaquarium.co.za/member.php?u=1500) got the nunu identified by a Swiss Parasitologist... A parasite brought in by an infestation of Malaysian Trumpet snails in his tank...

This just goes to show how important(and difficult sometimes) proper ID with a microscope of the parasites affecting our fish is....
I can ID 50 to 60 parasites quite easily that commonly affect our fish ... but there are thousands more... You can take the easy route and just treat with a general anti parasite over the counter treatment from your LFS Athol...but if this doesnt work... spend the money and get your fish to doc Skelton - they know what hey doing(except this once....lol).....

[oscar freak]

Thanks azurekoi let me try heal thyself 1st