Re: fish disease?
I recently treated the tank with Prazipro, this time making sure I followed the instructions to the tee. The Tomini tang is disease free and so are the clowns but the male trigger has numerous reoccurring spots on him.
<So... these marks not likely "worms">
The spots have been behaving the same as when the tank was not treated; they are appearing as specs then turning to smears and then disappearing and becoming new specs. The female trigger is looking a little better but she still has a few specs, but nothing like the male. I can tell the disease is not spreading because the rest of the fish are free of any blemishes.
Also, the triggers are behaving perfectly normal. The owner of the shop, in which I do business with, has suggested dipping the triggers in fresh water to get rid of the disease since it is only affecting them, and not
attacking the other fish. He recommended that I shoot you another e-mail to gain your input on this method of treating the triggers.
Thank you,
Chris
<Such dips/baths can be efficacious. Read:
http://wetwebmedia.com/dips_baths.htm
and the linked files above. B>
re: fish disease?
I did get the response. Thank you for your input. My last e-mail was a little like the first one, but instead I was wondering what you thought about dipping the triggers since they are the only ones in the tank being
attacked by the disease.
Chris
<... IF you have some other system to move them to after...>

White Face Tang Parasites, flatworm-city   8/12/09
Greetings:
<Salud>
I acquired a White Face Tang about a week ago. It is in a quarantine tank and is doing well, eating PE Mysis and Nori. A couple of days ago I noticed a string shaped white parasite near one of its eyes. This parasite is about 1/16 of an inch long with a diameter of about 1/3 that amount.
Today there are several more in the same area. Any ideas?
<Look for the two little eyes...>
It does not look like crypto or Oodinium nor does it seem to bother the fish. No scratching.
<Mmm, there have been a "rash" of flatworm parasites amongst this and other related species imported in recent months... A friend/tenant/LFS owner whom I traveled with last week to LA told me of travails with this worm... Can be sort of easily dislodged via simple/r FW dips (read here re:
http://wetwebmedia.com/dips_baths.htm and the linked files above) or the use of an anthelminthic... http://wetwebmedia.com/fshwrmdisflukef.htm>
I'm about to go with a freshwater dip followed by copper unless you advise against it.
Thanks,
Mark
<Not copper... Read, understand, then act. Bob Fenner>

Re: White Face Tang Parasites
Hello Bob and or Crew:
Thanks for the advice against the use of copper on what appear to have been some sort of flatworm or fluke. I mistakenly assumed that copper would eliminate any invertebrate
<Mmm, it will; but enough will eliminate all vertebrates!>
when in fact there are better medications for these parasites. I administered a freshwater dip followed by Prazi-Pro for 5 days. The parasites were eliminated.
<Ahh, good>
Now at three weeks in quarantine there appears to be another problem. The respiration rate of the tang seems to be elevated.
<May be simple stress here. I'd move this fish to the main display>
It eats PE Mysis and whatever it can find growing in the tank but is no longer interested in dried algae of any kind. Could this be indicative of stress due to captivity in a small tank or is there another parasite on the gills choking off oxygen?
<Much more likely the former>
The qt tank is 10 gallons, small for a 3"-4" fish and I plan on going to a 20 gal. Should I do this now or should I assume there is a parasite at work here and begin treatment with copper? There is no external manifestation of ich.
Thanks again,
Mark.
<I would "do this now". BobF>