Hi Folks,
I'm a relative beginner that recently set up/cycled a new 29G planted tank. Unfortunately, I cycled the tank with a Zebra Danio, Neon Tetra, Clown Loach and Wood Shrimp from a tank with an apparent Dactylogyrus infestation. I'm loathe to tear the tank down and toss $100 plus of plants and substrate, and from what I understand, treating for flukes in a tank with live plants is, at best, a crap shoot. Anyone have a good idea about how long the Flukes/eggs will live in the system WITHOUT a fish host? I've removed the fish, left the shrimp in the 29G (as I understand they aren't host to gill flukes), and I've bumped up the temp to 87f to help excelerate the fluke's life cycle. From the little bit I've gleaned, I'm guessing 2 weeks at that temp should do it, but I'm planning on waiting 3.
As far as the fish go, I've set up a 10G bare bottom hospital tank treated with Coppersafe and 1/4 cup of aquarium salt, well airated and heated to 86f, and I dipped the Tetra and Danio in a high concentration Formalin/Malachite Green combo for 1/2 an hour last night (left out the Loach as I understand form/malachite is almost always lethal to them - I hear mixed things about coppersafe). So far, they're doing well, eating and defecating regularly.
Thanks in advance for any help!
Tony
Hey all -
Thanks for the links.. got some good information from 'em I wasn't able to find googlin' myself. While I haven't been able to find any info about anyone attempting to rid they fine, fine fishies an' tank of an attempted hostile fluke takeover, I surmise (betta than "ass-u-me-ing" ;) that I'm probably headed in the right direction. I'll let you know how it all turns out in a few weeks when I add some Bushynose and Angels.
Best,
Tony
I'm sorry we couldn't do any better than a google, I just haven't encountered flukes that I know of so no advice was better than bad advice.