sera guide - Healthy aquarium fish

6.5 Treating ciliate infections Diagnosis: page 14 Apiosoma sp. and Epistylis colisarum are very similar protozoans that settle on existing wounds on the fish skin and thus avoid their healing (they are not parasites in the original sense). In the further course, adjacent healthy skin areas can also be infected, and further pathogens – e.g. fungi and bacteria – may settle. Using sera aquatan and sera blackwater aquatan prevents small- er wounds being infected. In case of slight in- festations, using sera ectopur is usually suffi- cient. Treatment with sera costapur provides help in case of a stronger infestation by these ciliates. Apiosoma sp. Apiosoma (formerly: Glossatella) or Epistylis (formerly: Heteropolaria) Diagnosis: page 15 These ciliates are mainly so-called secondary para- sites. Mass multiplication usually only occurs if the fish has been previ- ously harmed by another disease, or if the wa- ter conditions are poor. The skin and gill dam- ages caused by the protozoan may be fatal. Quick action is therefore required. Be sure in particular to maintain good water quality and treat with sera costapur (freshwater and salt- water fish). Aftertreatment with sera ectopur is advisable also in this case. Trichodina Trichodina, Tetrahymena, Chilodonella, Brooklynella (in saltwater) 33