Description

Symptoms: rapid breathing, splayed gill covers, apathy and loss of color. Small numbers of gill flukes are not a problem, problems only arise when these flukes multiply massively. This only occurs in aquariums which are greatly overstocked or have inadequate hygiene. Another type of mucous production takes place in the gills, when fish are infected with gill flukes. The fish can feel the flukes in the gills, where they anchor themselves with hooks, and attempt to get rid of them by creating mucous. Unfortunately, this is not successful, and the fish suffocate on their own mucous. The term, 'monogenetic', means that the worms can multiply sexually in only one host animal. Digenetic worms on the other hand require at least two intermediate hosts to multiply.

Treatment

Please remove any activated carbon from the filter for the duration of the medication use. UV-C appliances and CO₂ fertilizing appliances also need to be switched off. Please also ensure that skimmers and ozonisers in saltwater are switched off. Change 50 % of the water prior to application of any medication. Aerate the aquarium using a diaphragm pump with airstone during the treatment. Feed the fish sparingly during the treatment. Treatment can best be done with a 10 to 30 minute bath in 10 mg per liter of potassium permanganate. Or treat the whole tank with 2 mg per liter, but this method is messy and dyes the water.

After treatment

After the treatment, please filter the aquarium water for 24 hours using activated carbon to remove the residues of medication. Afterwards the activated carbon should be duly discarded. The addition of a bacterial starter to the aquarium water helps to replace any purifying bacteria which may have been affected.