Fish Lice

[ricordea]

I have discovered that one of my highfin gobies (S nematodes) has a fish louce (or some sort of parasitic crusteacean) and it seems to be getting bigger. It is attached to the left gill. I am thinking of one of three options.

a) Do nothing, as long as the fish remains healthy.
b) Moving to a quarantine tank and treating with a copper treatment.
c) as b) above but lower the salinity to kill the parasitic pod.

I suspect c) won't work as the critter is probably adapted to changes in salinity...knowing my luck....and it might stress the fish too much.

Any suggestions on which option to take...or any other suggestions.


Best Regards


Nigel

PS: I suspect the lice is not contagious (like the peppermint ones)...but can anyone confirm this?

[Clarkii]

Posibly and Isopod of some kind.

Not sure on its removal... I will go and have a search around and see if I can find anything, I hope someone with experience in this field can help and see's this post.

[Clarkii]

As I said I dont have experience on isopods if that is what it is, below is a link to a page by Ron Shimek with may help you, I hope some one else will reply as I dont like to just cut and paste links, its better to get first hand advise really.

Here ya go anyway :-
http://www.reefs.org/library/article/clarke_shimek.html

[Horse29uk]

personally I would give it a freshwater dip. Adjust ph to match using a freshwater kit, match tank temp maybe add a drop of meth blue. Place fish in dip for 3 mins.
About fish diseases:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/mardisindex.htm

About Freshwater dips
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/dips_baths.htm

[Horse29uk]

I'd say about 75% of my fish I've dipped. I bought a skinny powder blue tang from my local LFS he had an uknown parasite on him . Anyway I noramlly use a low dose of copper for a week in a seperate tank along with a dip. Most of the parasites have dropped of him along with heavy feeding of all foods flake, frozen he is getting fat and very active.

Anyway here is a list of fish I have dipped,coppered that have gone on to be healthy following whitespot, fungus, blackspot, uknown parasite:

common clown
cleaner wrasse (didn't enjoy but was ok)
powder blue tang
clown tang
kole tang ( this guy was in a hell of a state when I bought him)
yellow tang

As well as adjusting PH, Temp, add and airstone to the bag before the fish is dipped to increase oxygen levels (IMPORTANT) then remove before you catch your little fella. Once the fish is in the bag of freshwater place on top of the aquarium and keep an eye on him, this will reduce stress. Ensure gill movement particularly if fish goes on his side.

[ricordea]

Thanks for your responses, fortunately the fish is in a small quarantine tank with two others.

Best Regards


Nigel

[Horse29uk]

Nigel,

Use a low dose of copper, I use cupramine as its is a complex copper bound to an organic and so is less toxic to fish. I have kept tangs in this medictaion for 2 weeks although 10 days is adequateat a dose of around 0.4 ppm. They have always got better

regards

[Wombat]

Yes copper or fw dips are the way to go. But they are nasty ecoparasites and can take such a large blood meal they can kill the host. They can multiply rapidly in a tank and have jaws capable of penetrating human skin.

You can physically remove them too, but some species the mouth parts are deeply embedded into tissue and can cause a serious wound when removed. Damaging them (by pricking with a needle) is a very effective way of getting rid of them as the let go of the host as they die and the mouth parts are not a issue then.

Also some species secrete hormone that stop the fish breeding to allow them to be parasitised for longer.