Identification and treatment for PBT

[msorenson]

I've got a PBT that has been in QT since January. It eats like a pig but it has a strange parasite issue that I cannot identify or remove. I've tried everything I can think of, Copper, PraziPro, and Metro. Any ideas what this is? Internal? Ideas?
This is the most recent picture. These just appeared along the lateral line within the last day.



This is a picture from about a week ago. These have gotten smaller.


Thanks for any help. I'm not sure what to do at this point.

 

[oldsaint]

Not saying this is what you're dealing with. But, worth searching marine flukes, Gyrodactylus spp.

 

[user 26995]

I agree with it probably being flukes.

 

[user 26995]

Ellicott City, MD huh. That is such a cool little town. well it was last time I was there. Been a long time.

 

[msorenson]

This there a good way to verify they are flukes?

 

[spieszak]

Freshwater dip.. if its flukes you'll see them in the bucket. Freshwater dips aren't that hard, but match pH and be sure of what you are doing.

 

[msorenson]

Thanks! What does everyone use for a FW dip buffer? Baking Soda?

 

[oldsaint]

Thanks! What does everyone use for a FW dip buffer? Baking Soda?

Baking soda (Sodium Bicarb) or Sodium carbonate is fine. Also, make sure temp matches. I always calibrate my pH meter right before using it to test the freshwater for dipping.

 

[msorenson]

Thanks everyone. I will try a freshwater dip. If anything falls off I will put it under the microscope for identification.
Results to follow soon.

 

[user 26995]

awaiting the results.

And by the way! Welcome to Reef Frontiers. We would love to hear and see more about your tank. When you get a chance.

 

[Maxx]

Those don't look like flukes to me.
Read this thread:

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/threads/64820-Powder-Blue-Parasite-Help!

Some of the pictures are gone from it, but that looks like what you are dealing with, and what I have dealt with in the past, on angels.

If you haven't done anything to treat the fish other than leaving it in QT, and the "parasites" are getting smaller on their own, DONT DO ANYTHING....
The fish's immune system is working just fine, and treating an unknown disease with a shotgun approach can be hazardous to the fish.

 

[msorenson]

Thanks everyone. I will try a freshwater dip. If anything falls off I will put it under the microscope for identification.
Results to follow soon.

I planned to do a fresh water dip last weekend but decided to wait. Last Thursday, the PBT showed no signs of any issues. Everything was gone. It has now looked great for 6 days. About a week prior, I had given the fish an internal treatment of Praziquantel. I'm not sure if that cleared this issue or if it in the middle of a lifecycle and everything dropped off. Only time will tell.

 

[msorenson]

I planned to do a fresh water dip last weekend but decided to wait. Last Thursday, the PBT showed no signs of any issues. Everything was gone. It has now looked great for 6 days. About a week prior, I had given the fish an internal treatment of Praziquantel. I'm not sure if that cleared this issue or if it in the middle of a lifecycle and everything dropped off. Only time will tell.

I assume I should stop all treatments moving forward?

 

[Maxx]

If you only treated Prazi once, it did very little if at all to treat the issue.
Prazi has a short life with regard to medical use. It drops below useful levels rather quickly.
I would suggest not doing anything else and adopting a wait and see approach. The fish can handle being in QT for about a month longer to ensure that there are no further issues and it nothing further kicks up.

I would keep the fish in QT for 30 days AFTER the last incident of disease has shown.

 

[dawguy]

I had this same thing on my powder brown when I got it back in 2012. I described it as "popping zit" like. It was in QT for a total of 6 weeks. I treated it with prazipro for 4 weeks and had it in for an additional 2 weeks of monitor to make sure nothing relapsed and i haven't seen it since.

 

[NC2WA]

Prazipro needs a 5 to 7 day treatment to be effective....Praziquentel is better as it is ingested by the fish but still a 5 day treatment is needed to be effective..

IMO, not flukes..give the medication time to work.