Hi everyone!
I'm new here, but I have been a hobbyist for about 16 years. Long story short, I brought in some very young green laser corys about a month ago for a breeding project and didn't quarantine. I know I messed up, but I've never had a problem with parasites other than ich and I only have one tank set up at the moment. I put them in my planted 55g with a lone ranger C. melanistius that's around 12-13 years old.
I would like to preface this with my water parameters are fine and nothing new has been added to this tank for at least 10 years. The issues started immediately after adding these fish with them displaying the symptoms ie: flashing, head shaking/spasms, excess muscous, lethargy, rapid respiration...
Without access to a microscope and after reading a large portion of the internet, I'm 95% sure they came in with gill flukes. I had some Jungle Parasite Clear on hand and put in a single dose intitally. It jacked up my plants but the fish improved a for a few days until the symptoms came back. I then did a 7 day/single dose of prazipro and salt which helped significantly, but a week later they have returned and now even the old cory is in a bad way.
I'm about to start a 21 day treatment, dosing prazipro every other day with 50% WC. Salt will be omitted due to stress on the plants. I want to change the substrate over to sand anyway so I'm also going to slowing siphon it out during water changes to reduce hiding places for eggs.
It would be a last resort, but if the meds don't work this time, I'm considering euthanizing the fish and turning it into a shrimp tank until whatever it is dies off without a host. I should mention there are no snails in this tank as I've read they can be a vector.
What I would like to know is, does anyone have experience with a fallow period for freshwater flukes? I can't find concrete info and at best conflicting time frames for egg dormancy. I've read anywhere from 4 days to 6 months. I really don't want to nuke everything and start from scratch.
Thanks in advance.