Hi All, just looking for some advice on the use of Droncit to clear flukes completely. I've been using this, but my fish seem itchy again! Here's the background;
I have 4 fancy goldfish (2 adult, 2 babies) in 165L tank. Before you say it, yes, I know I'm overstocked, and this was kinda deliberate (PFK people, you know the story!). I had my 2 adult fish in the 165L, then I got 2 baby moors from Frances on PFK. I planned to take only 1 and keep to the correct stocking of the tank, but I couldn't resist a real cutie of a panda baby moor! I always did, and still intend, to upgrade the tank in the next few months. The tank is stable, the filter is coping fine, and I change 1/3 of the water in the tank twice a week. All fish healthly and happy.
However, since about the summer, and before I got the baby fish, the adult fish have been irritated by something, scratching, losing the odd scale etc. This was minor irritation, with no slimecoat changes at all. But at the start of December, things got much worse. They were almost jumping out of the tank with irritation and their slimecoat started to react leaving white patches all over them. I treated according to the Johnson and Hess book - added salt to the tank to 0.3% and left for 11 days. This had no effect apart from helping the slimecoat, so I treated for Flukes using Droncit. The fish had also been lethargic, fins clamped and gills clamped with rapid breathing, so I assumed I had a fluke problem when the salt didn't work.
Within a day or 2 of the first Droncit dose (2.5mg/L) the fish were like new! No scratching, slimecoat healing, no clamping and their energey levels were amazing! I added the 2nd dose on day 4, when the fish were beginning to scratch a bit again. That was about 2 weeks ago, and the fish were again brilliant. Scratching completely stopped, they were very lively and no fin clamping. Thought I'd cured the problem.
Now, since about a week ago, 2 of the fish have been scratching again (only the adults, the babies seem to have had little irritaion at all since they joined the big tank). It's really annoying that they seem to be irritated again now after such a drastic improvement in them after the Droncit. The moor is also starting to sit on the bottom of the tank again on occassion and not look too happy. It's making me sad.
So, my question is, is 2 doses of Droncit enough, or for a very bad fluke infestation should I have added a 3rd dose? I'm assuming now that some flukes survived and have started to breed again and irritate the fish. Should I re-dose with Droncit again, using 3 doses this time at 4 day intervals? Would appreciate any advice, if anyone has experienced this and can comment on the effectiveness of Droncit?
Thanks very much, and sorry for the huge message! :)