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Skin Flukes

	Symptoms: Skin flukes will cause your fish to present with a grayish discoloration of the skin and red, inflamed patches. Fin deterioration or fraying may also be present. Infected fish are often seen scraping against objects in the aquarium.
	Cause: Monogenetic Fluke of the genus Gyrodactylus. These flukes are too small to be seen with the naked eye, ranging in size from 0.05 – 3.0 mm in length. They adhere to the fish’s skin with hooks or suckers and feed on the fish’s flesh. These flukes have a very short life cycle, reproducing roughly every 24 hours. Newly born flukes must find a fish host within the first 24 hours in order to survive. In contrast, adult flukes can survive up to ten days without a host.
	Treatment: Skin Fluke infestations are highly infectious. All fish as well as the aquarium they inhabit should be treated. Effective medications include Clout, Fluke-Tabs, Quick Cure, Formalin, Paragon, Trifon, Parasite Guard, and Potassium Permanganate.

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