Help with identification please

[shrimp paste]

Thanks DF members, love the site, and yes I voted... :)

Tank Parms:
285l - Wet and Dry & JBW Canister Filter
UV \ C02
Bare bottom - potted plants & drift wood
Temp 28.5 (may fluctuate up to about 30.5 on consecutive hot days)
Ph 6.8
0,0 for Ammonia & Nitrite
<5ppm Nitrate
Have not done GH or KH for a while, but stable PH with C02 so I think Kh around 3-4.

2 Blue Turks, 2 Penang Eruptions, 1 Pigeon Blood - medium sized
9 cardinals, 6 priscillas, 4 black tails, 1 cory, 1 bristle nose

Do daily water changes at 10-20%
Every 4th water change is 50%
Water is aged & heated 24hrs.

Blue Turk is spawning every few weeks - two males vying for her attention.

Food is beef heart, discus dinner, frozen worms and dry food (I think tetra bits)
Output is healthy thick and dark. No white bits.

I have had the two turks & PB for a few years and the PE's for about 3months. All fish are showing good colour and eating well.
The two PEs do a lot of fighting, but it's evenly matched so not really concerned here.

What I have noticed is a bit of flicking. I am not sure what it is, as I do not know much on illness and diagnostics, but having read posts here I am considering flukes.
The breathing rate is pretty good I think at about 1 per second (although I noticed Proteus posted about 1 per 2sec). I think the flicking gets more aggravated if I am slack on water changes, or maybe it gets less when I am on the ball. At first I thought it may be shimmering, but having seen this on many occasions now I am sure this is fin related flicking & disease (mainly top dorsal and the two thin long anal fins. Don't notice it on the pectorals). Not frequently some may side up to an amazon sword or the pot and do a quick flick and dash against it. I have noticed the flicking ever since I have had the two turks, but I believe there immune system and water changes keep whatever it is in check. I am worried with the extra two Penangs that perhaps there has been an increase in the disease \ hosts and this may be causing an increase in the flicking. As I said, the fish all look healthy and eat well, fins are not clamped. The only other thing I have noticed is on 1 turk only a small split in her tail fin. No others have fin damage.

So I am not sure if I should be overly concerned about this or not, given it seems to have been present for some time. Good water changes seem to keep everything in balance, but I don't want to rely on this alone.

Should I be treating for something?
I am about to get my hands on a microscope for a short while. Would examining poo or a swab from the side of a specimen help in diagnostics and treatment?
Not sure how else I can diagnose and treat this. Your comments are greatly welcomed and appreciated.

I think I need to invest in a good book on disease and treatments. What would you recommend specific for Discus?

Tanks for your help - SP. :D

[Merrilyn]

Hi Shrimp paste. Sounds like e routine treatment for gill and body flukes is in order. You certainly don't have a serious problem, and your excellent water change routine is keeping things under control.

Even so, I routinely worm all my discus every 6 months, or more frequently if any kind of symptoms appear, just as an added insurance.

I guess it's just the same as worming your dog or cat. You want to get on top of things as soon as you see something unusual, rather than wait for an obvious outbreak.

Aquamaster make a good quality combined gill fluke and tape worm tablet. The main ingredient is praziquantal, and is very effective, yet still mild on your fish.

Waterlife also make an excellent product called Protozin which is available from your aquarium shop, or from some of the online retailers who sponsor this site.

Congratulations on your excellent fish keeping methods. :P

[shrimp paste]

Thanks Lady Red for your response. Ok I will attempt this again. Last time was a bit of a disaster but I think I have learnt form past mistakes. I have one question with regards to the schedule.I understand that 48hrs after 1st dose we do our water change, then redose after 7 days. Does that mean we do NO water changes between the 2-7th days on the first dose. And we follow the exact routine on the second dose??
Thanks again, have a great week.

[Merrilyn]

Hi shrimp paste. I just do normal water changes between the worm treatments. Cleaning the filter out is very important to flush away any floating eggs or parasites that have been picked up by the filter. You don't want those eggs hatching after the treatment :P

[shrimp paste]

Thank you so much Merilyn. Am aware of the other issues re removing Corys and BN and turn off UV. Ok so I will also do a good filter clean when I do the first water change, then again after the second dose. Too easy. :)