Scartching, rubbing.

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milkman407

milkman407

Peacock Bass
MFK Member
Jul 15, 2006
5,163
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My magrove snapper, are all scratching their selves against the bottom of the tank, i dont know if there just itching or what but they get real close to the acrylic, than flick so that there body rubs against the bottom.

I have clownloaches and Pbass seperated in the tank, and I know loackes are prone to medicine, is there anything I can give these fish to get them to stop?
 
Scratching can be a sign of several diseases such as ich and gill flukes. Are they scratching on their gills as well? Are they doing it too often?
 
they are doing it often, It might be the first stages of ich. But the tank stays at 85.7* and gets treated with salt every other w/c.
 
jloos1988;1185459; said:
i thought scratching was from parasites???
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Ich is considered a parasite and so are gill flukes. The case of parasitism where one benefits while the other does not.
 
milkman407;1185482; said:
they are doing it often, It might be the first stages of ich. But the tank stays at 85.7* and gets treated with salt every other w/c.
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Can't be ich if you are doing what the ich does not like. Are they scratching their gills frequently?
 
not sure, all i know is i see 2-3 fish do it every time i look over or walk by and take a glance.

Its possible it could be gill flukes
 
Scratching or flashing on gill area is often a sign of nitrite or ammonia too. It burns their gills and irritates some species tremendously. I would water test to eliminate this possibility and also add some salt which will thicken slime coating on gill membranes and skin mucosa (mucus layer on body). This will increase their natural tolerance and also help if they do have parasites or disease.

If you have eliminated water qualty, I would take a gill snip if you have a microscope.
 
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