Anthias keep getting the flukes

[Javed Aman]

I have 4 juvenile bartlett's anthias that I've kept for a little over a month and half now. Naively, since I bought the fish from one of the more reputable stores in the SF bay area (where I am now) and my tank was pretty empty, I didn't quarantine them. For a week they looked fine, but soon after they showed some symptoms relating to flukes: 

 

1) Frayed fins (tissue between spines is gone)

2) bullying cleaner shrimp

3) scratching against rocks

4) random spasms of flashing across the tank (jumping out!)

 

I did a prazi pro treatment for 5 days and noticed improvements. The fins grew back and behavior was almost normal. Consequently a couple of the fish got secondary infections (red blotches), that I assume were internal bacterial infections that lead to hemorrhaging. After the first regiment, I fed 3-4 times a day, with selcon nutramar ova, pe mysis, and NLS Thera-A. The discoloration disappeared after about 3 days and all seemed well. A few days after that, I noticed again the fish were showing signs of flukes (this time frayed fins and hiding). I started a second  regiment of prazi pro (around 4 days after the first).  In between I had done 3 x 10% water changes, ran the skimmer again, and ran chemi-pure elite, but of course removed the carbon and took off the collection cup during treatments. During the second treatment, the fish started behaving normally again but showed lesions around the second day. I followed up with the same nutrition plan and the lesions went away and the fins grew back. I stopped the treatment last thursday, did a water change, ran my skimmer, and put the carbon back. Sunday I noticed again that the fish's fins were frayed and they were hiding again. So I started my third regiment that day. By Tuesday the fins were improved and one of the fish showed an infection.

Why is it that the anthias are dependent on the prazi-pro? Their behavior and  fins seem to be fine when I'm doing a treatment (but filtration is off outside of LR). Though I haven't been able to catch any of them and confirm that they have flukes by an FW dip, I'm almost certain that they do based on what I've researched so far and the fact that the prazi-pro seems to have some affect. They always seem to be getting secondary infections during or right after the treatment. 

I would like to have this cured before I bring in the rest of my corals (SPS) from MD. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to make my treatment more effective? I have ordered Seachem's Focus and Metronizadole to at least help with the secondary infections. 

 

My specs

 

60 gallon w/ 20 gallon sump

Bubble Magus curve 5 skimmer

 

Ammonia = 0, Nitrite = 0, Nitrate = 20 (a bit high); API Saltwater test kits, Salifert and Hanna are in MD...

 

Other Live stock:

1 Large Ocellaris clown (no signs of flukes)

1 female mandarin (also no signs of flukes)

1 blood red fire shrimp

1 halloween hermit

1 turbo snail

3 trochus snails

1 florida fighting conch

 

Thanks in advance

Edited July 31, 2013 by Javed Aman

[Coral Hind]

It sounds like a mild case of ich to me. If you did Prazi properly then I would rule out flukes and move to the next possible parasite which isn't bothered by prazi, ich.

[Javed Aman]

Thank you for the response. They don't appear to have ich. Or any white spots at all. I assume I'm not doing prazi properly. 

[Der ABT]

how old is the prazi?

pics will help as well.

[Coral Hind]

Ich doesn't always show as white spots. Fish can have ich only in the gill areas since that tissue is thin and pretty much unprotect there.

[Javed Aman]

I bought the Prazi new from an LFS here. The expiration date isn't until 5/2017. I've read that the solution should be pink, but mine is yellow.
 

I will get pics as the symptoms appear again.

Okay will look into treating for ich as well. Probably means I have to catch them now and QT them with some cupramine.

Thanks again!

[Javed Aman]

Well there seems to be a mistake on my part. My measuring spoons had the marking rubbed off and I may have been using the 1/2 teaspoon instead of the 1 teaspoon to do the dosing...I atleast made the mistake for this current regiment. 

[Javed Aman]

Well I stopped the prazipro on Saturday, since the Anthias seemed to be doing much better.  I upped the feeding to 4-5 times a day, mixing as much cyclopeeze as I could. Fins were fine, and spots were gone. I also have been feeding Seachem's Focus and Metronizadole, as well as prazipro. Unfortunately this morning I saw my pom-pom crab munching on the dead carcass of the largest female. I immediately pulled it out and did an fw dip; no flukes, nothing came off the fish. The fish was fat, color was good, and no strange behavior. The crab ate all of it's fins and one of its eyes. I'm even surprised how strong it was. For a crab so slow, when it wants something it moves fast even dragging an anthias 5x its size with it. I doubt it killed it. Should I be concerned? http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/167362-killer-pom-pom/ indicates that they can be mean. 

I don't get it. There aren't any flukes, the parameters seems fine (even more sensitive animals like the shrimp and LPS corals seem to be doing well). 

 

I've attached pictures of the male anthias and some video which shows their typical appearance and behavior. Keep in mind the fish was afraid of the camera. 

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/javisaman/9445045085/

 

 

 

 

[Coral Hind]

Sorry to here the bad news. Are they still flashing on the rocks or sand? Does their breathing look normal?

[Javed Aman]

No I haven't noticed any scratching or rubbing against the rocks. To be honest, I always thought their breathing was a bit high paced, they've been like that for as long as I've had them. At least compared to the clownfish/mandarin they breath twice as fast. I don't know if you can tell by the video, but does their breathing look normal?

[zygote2k]

yet another reason to leave Anthias in the ocean. 

[Javed Aman]

Well I hope I have better luck with the ones that are still here.