Fish Parasite?

[bdare]

Been seeing these on my fish lately. Usually there for a couple hours at a time. Any ideas? They are white and kind of dangle off the fish.

 

[Blknovass]

Oh wow never seen that before. Is it only on the one fish? Is the fish acting any different?

 

[bdare]

Oh wow never seen that before. Is it only on the one fish? Is the fish acting any different?

The fish act normal. I've seen it on several of the tangs.

 

[35ppt]

Redacted

 

[Blknovass]

Some sort of parasitic copepod maybe. I'd try to catch a fish that has some and FW dip it.

/Do you have a microscope?


@Big G

Yea I was thinking same thing FW dip. Maybe think about adding a cleaner wrasse they are great at eating things like that.

 

[bdare]

I do have a microscope. Just getting over fighting dinos. I QT'd all my fish for 6 weeks before adding them. Chances of catching them are slim to none in a 220 with lots of rock, coral and hiding places.

Maybe a cleaner shrimp?

 

[35ppt]

Redacted

 

[Angelwolf21203]

I agree with all 3 solutions, however, go least-invasive first. Don't chase the fish around the tank to try to catch it for the FW dip, when the cleaner shrimp or wrasse will do it for you with far less fish stress.

 

[SandJ]

I think they are anchor worms.

 

[bdare]

Yeah this is the sort of thing cleaner wrasse and shrimp will eat up.


A flashlight at night will often times stun fish long enough to net them, or sectioning off the tank can sometimes work, traps. I'd be interested to see one under a scope if you manage it. Did you QT all inverts and coral? Could have come in on anything wet. I could see a cleaner shrimp eating them up, if the fish allow the shrimp to do it. Not all will, and that would be a management tactic. Won't rid the tank of them.

Agreed. I'm afraid a freshwater dip would be equally ineffective as they don't stay on the fish very long. Literally on 3 left right now (about 15 minutes later)I also have a melanarus and mystery wrasse.

 

[35ppt]

Redacted

 

[vetteguy53081]

Isopod would be right and although they are a food source, they are also known to swim up rapidly and latch on to a fish feeding off its' slime and also fins and tails. There are a few ways to eliminate them from your tank . . . using either chemical control, natural predators or manual removal.
Easiest is netting the fish and they'll usually release themselves Or you can blow gentle blast at them with turkey baster and then suck them up while releasing the bulb.
Cleaner wrasse or acclimated green spot puffer will eat them. last resort is a small trap with a spoiled piece of shrimp will attract them.

 

[Angelwolf21203]

So if you're seeing several of them on the fish, wouldn't that lend to the assumption that the entire tank is infested? How do you rid the tank of the rest of them? Would they be that responsive to a trap?