Help! Isopods on Scissortail Dartfish

[NatD]

Hi. I recently added fish to my tank with 200 lbs of fresh TBS rock. There are 2 scissortail darts who were in QT for two months, and a clown from my nano.

They’ve been in there just a few days, and one of the darts hasn’t been coming out as much as usual this afternoon. So I waited to get a look at her and she has at least two isopods and a wound. I observe them closely daily, so I know these are new today.

What is my best course of action to help this little one?

I already have two CB Kaudern’s Cardinals and 2 CB filefish in my QT, but could set another QT up really fast as I have enough water warm and mixed and another full 20 gallon setup.

What do I treat her with? Manual removal followed by RRR or Methylene Blue? Move all 3 fish to QT?

How do I eradicate them from the tank?

The photo is rushed and not great, but I’m sure of what they are.

 

[Ewok1]

Hi. I recently added fish to my tank with 200 lbs of fresh TBS rock. There are 2 scissortail darts who were in QT for two months, and a clown from my nano.

They’ve been in there just a few days, and one of the darts hasn’t been coming out as much as usual this afternoon. So I waited to get a look at her and she has at least two isopods and a wound. I observe them closely daily, so I know these are new today.

What is my best course of action to help this little one?

I already have two CB Kaudern’s Cardinals and 2 CB filefish in my QT, but could set another QT up really fast as I have enough water warm and mixed and another full 20 gallon setup.

What do I treat her with? Manual removal followed by RRR or Methylene Blue? Move all 3 fish to QT?

How do I eradicate them from the ?

The photo is rushed and not great, but I’m sure of what they are.

Maybe cleaner wrasse or shrimp? Not sure. Probably manual removal.

 

[NatD]

I could also move the fish to the sump after removal and bath. It’s quite big — the passive flow refugium would be plenty of space for 3 small fish and the isopods couldn’t access them.

 

[Big G]

From Humblefish's treatment advisory:

Symptoms - These are more frequently seen on shrimp, but some species target fish. They are nocturnal and difficult to distinguish from beneficial amphipods you may have in your aquarium. So, the best way to detect their presence is to watch your fish for evidence of their existence. You will notice bite marks (it’s most evident on any yellow fish), or even the alarming sight of some attached to your fish when the lights first come on. There are even “tongue eating isopods.”

Treatment options - First, remove all fish (except one easy-to-catch yellow fish). The yellow fish will be used as “bait” to draw out and remove the isopods from the fish’s skin (by using tweezers). Rinse & repeat until there is no more evidence of fish-attacking isopods in your tank.

 

[NatD]

Alright. I’m going in to catch her. Wish me luck.

 

[NatD]

Thank you. I should calm down and read. Whew.

I’m going to catch her, remove, RRR bath, and place them in the sump. I’ll get a yellow molly in there to help catch the rest. Sorry molly.

 

[Mikedawg]

This may be of interest: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/isopods-removal.342708/

 

[BrandoNy]

I had these in my first tank reef tank. I used gulf live rock and my first fish, a purple firefish goby was covered with them and died. I waited a few weeks then added a clown who also got them but survived. I had to pick them off the clown fish every morning. Lfs recommended a 6line wrass and I never saw one of those again after add the wrass to my tank.

 

[NatD]

Thanks all. Tiny dartfish + 180 gallon tank = bottle trap and wait.

I also think a wrasse will be next on my list after these other guys come out of QT.

 

[BrandoNy]

Here is an old pic of one on the back of my clownfish. Maybe she’s still mad at me, she try’s to bite the hell out of me every week when I clean the tank.

 

[NatD]

Here is an old pic of one on the back of my clownfish. Maybe she’s still mad at me, she try’s to bite the hell out of me every week when I clean the tank.

Ha. Totally. Mine has always done that anyway. Clowns are jerks.

 

[35ppt]

Great write-up on Cirolanids:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/bp/index.php

 

[NatD]

I was able to catch my favorite fish — the CB Ocellaris I’ve had for a year and a half since he was a tiny guy — by shining a light in his face in the middle of the night. Pulled these 4 little jerks off of him and now he’s in his ruby bath.
Tomorrow I’ll grab another critter keeper to turn into a better fish trap for the dart fish (I don’t know where they sleep).

 

[Thespammailaccount]

I have one in the tank well I hope just one. Both times I have seen it it was attached to my yellow tang the morning after turning off the light for the phyto culture and came off the fish later in the day. I tried to catch the tang to manually remove it but could not catch it with the rock structure and all my corals in the way. I am not sure but I think having some sort of light on at all times prevents it from swimming in darkness to find a host. Just an observation

 

[Thespammailaccount]

I have only seen one adult in my tank and no babies so I think the light method is working for me as of right now but I am not sure in your case since it looks like you have some babies

 

[Thespammailaccount]

I am not sure what their life cycle is but like any parasite it more than likely can only live so long without a host (fish) to feed on

 

[NatD]

I have only seen one adult in my tank and no babies so I think the light method is working for me as of right now but I am not sure in your case since it looks like you have some babies

That’s interesting to consider. Thanks.

Yeah, I’ve only seen babies so far. Since the tank is so young I’m holding out hope that’s all I have. We will see.

 

[Thespammailaccount]

That’s interesting to consider. Thanks.

Yeah, I’ve only seen babies so far. Since the tank is so young I’m holding out hope that’s all I have. We will see.

The light is just an observation I could be completely wrong