see, now we're getting somewhere. In the beginning you have been eluding to the [acronym="Freshwater"]FW[/acronym] dip as the cure
I never stated a
FW dip was a 'cure'. It's the only way to rid this parasite off the infected fish. Anything else from this infection still needs to be treated.
what does your company advocate as the cure? Formalin would be my guess as I indicated from the start but you repeated wrote that formalin had no effect? Please clarify!
I never mentioned that formalin doesn't have an effect as a treatment. It just can't kill this parasite. It can, however kill the bacteria left behind from the parasite, if any. So the same basic treatments used for other parasitic treatments can be applied with some success in treating for or preventing the infections of bacteria from the parasite.
Actually I was not suggesting the end consumer to take this approach. It was directed at the wholesale company you keep refering to. I would think the cost of identifying an ongoing nuisance would be quite beneficial vs the cost of losses. I am not familiar with US tax laws but I would also think it a deducatble operating expense.
The biggest thing with this approach for every fish that is suspected of having these parasites, is not economical at all...especailly for small businesses on a retail end struggling to stay afloat in this wonderful state of California which many companies have fled and I highly doubt it is tax deductible. Some wholesalers do have necropsies and scrappings done. Most do not because of the extended costs. Many wholesalers are here in California where the people here have been repeatedly and grossly ripped off by the state in energy costs. Takes a lot of electricty to keep these critters alive. Our warehouse is stricktly for our retail store and internet sales. Fish that are meant to stay at the warehouse for internet sales are also routinely dipped.
Since we have been doing the
FW dips, the death rate has decreased dramatically and being we have the knowledge of this parasite, we have it under control. We routinely dip new arrivals to prevent any outbreaks in our systems and that in turn helps keep the parasite out of our customer's tanks. We also routinely ask our customers upon their choice of purchase if they want the fish to be
FW dipped before they leave. At that point, we give the choice to them. Most do want the fish dipped. The dips are performed insight of the customer so they witness it. If any of these parasites do fall off the fish, it is shown to them and they are recommended to choose another individual. The fish that was dipped then goes into the back for further treatment, which always include second and third
FW dips over a period of about two weeks. They stay in hospital tanks with a formalin mix until they are healthy enough to go back in the main system.
Another reason is that by the time there are results, the fish are dead, so at that point, results would be useless. In just a fraction of the time, and at minimal cost, we can find out if a fish is infected with this parasite with a brief
FW dip. if the fish is infested, then we can start the proper treatment immediately, which again, does include a couple of more
FW dips.
The only time we've ever lost fish from dipping were wrasses when we first started the practice. We soon stopped dipping wrasses. Unfortunately, those that are infected die. We would love to know a way to help those that cannot be
FW dipped. So far, nothing. You can treat them with the same formalin mix, but if the parasite cannot be erradicated off the fish, then the problems persist and the animal gets sick anyway from being so chewed up and overwhelmed.
No arguement on the former but the one thing you need to realize about this type of diagnostic tool is it does not identify the type of parasite as a rule, only that a parasite is present
The parasite is big enough to make an
ID by eye and with all the photos of so many different types of marine trematodes of libraries on the net, I've yet to come across one as perfectly circular as this one. They are even rounder than the common greenish
FW fish louse that you see mostly on goldfish.
I will confess, the
FW dip initially is a diagnostic tool, but if the fish is infected with these parasites then more
FW dips are needed to insure erradication off the fish (I mentioned this in a previous paragraph).
If present, a healthy fish can quite often be left unscathed
This would be true if only this parasite behaved like most others. Most parasites rarely kill their own hosts...especially if monogenetic. They rely on the fish to be alive to ensure their own survival. If they annihalated their hosts, eventually there wouldn't be any to host. However, this parasite does kill it's host and may even be a problem for healthy fish in the ocean...not just an amplification due to captive life. I will note this is speculative, but after reading about similar parasite problems in places like Australia and the Gulf, it wouldn't surprise me.
poor water quality is definately a factor.
Absolutely and was never denied. In the case with this type of parasite, it's secondary. A fish with this parasite left untreated will die whether nitrates are under control or not...and can possibly take down all the healthy ones as well if it's in there long enough for the parasites to realize there's more food nearby. It's a vicious bug!! Though, even ich will take down a healthy fish if the infestation isn't brouht under control or erradicated. High nitrates make it happen all the more faster and more persistant. Like fuel for the fire.
