Parasites?

EnchantedSea · 07-19-2001, 07:02 AM

Doug & Jerel, you guys are crazy! ha ha anyway, continuing on from sex change to parasites. I can't find a website on lifeguard (just keep getting swimming invitations) I'm still working on it. I'm going to contact my lfs where I bought the UV Sterilizer. The second fish died yesterday and before I had noticed, the coral banded shrimp was having a feast. I'll get back to you on the sterilizer. Thanks guys.

Spanky · 07-19-2001, 07:17 AM

I couldn't either. I did find out that it's Rainbow Lifeguard though. The max flow on a 25w is 700+ something, so I would think a 70gph flow would be about right.

Horge, where are you? Chime in here with garlic info.

EnchantedSea · 07-19-2001, 09:08 AM

ok, I have little white specs on my back wall, which I am sure they are either snails or tube worms. My question is that there is one on my flame angel (below is eye and in front of his gil). Is it possible for these to attach to a fish? If it isn't, its the biggest parasite I've ever seen in my life. Everything was perfect before I bought those chromis. Now I'm freaking out.

Drew · 07-19-2001, 09:17 AM

OK first of, I haven't been keeping up with the other thread so if I'm way off with this post just let me know...

Regardless, I don't think that tubeworms can attach to fish, so in my expert opinion (I can dream) it's a parasitic isopod. What do you guys think?

Drew

EnchantedSea · 07-19-2001, 09:40 AM

What is an isopod? This is really getting scarey. It looks exactly like what is on the back wall. Could all these be isopods? Am I doomed here?

Wrasse Man · 07-19-2001, 09:49 AM

Umm, ok.
I am not an expert either, but...it seems to me that any organism that would attach itself to a fish would probably not attach itself to the glass. My thinking is that the organism would probably be specialized in that it eats flesh or blood or whatever, and wouldn't get that from the glass. I don't think a tube worm can attach to a fish. I have litterly hundreds of them all over the tank, and never had them attack a fish or shrimp. They will attach to snails, but that is a different story.
Unless it is an egg of some sort, but I would imagine that the fish woldn't sit still long enough for a snail to lay eggs under it's eye.

Likewise, anything that attaches to the glass to filter or algae feed isn't going to get much from the fish.

So, long story short, I think they are different.

Again, this is just conjecture on my part, but it makes sense in my head. (Scary thought)

[ 07-19-2001: Message edited by: Wrasse Man ]

Alice · 07-19-2001, 11:38 AM

Hi ES;

Try these links to see if you can find the little nasty that's attached to your fish and/or on your back glass
http://www.reefs.org/hhfaq/

http://www.mwestermeier.com/underwat...e/isopod_2.htm
http://members.nbci.com/scibus/amphipod.html#
http://202.167.121.158/sardi/AacrabC.../isopogal.html

The second links shows a good pic of a large parasitic isopod on a fish in the wild.
HTH,

~Alice

Spanky · 07-19-2001, 11:47 AM

Ok that's it nuke the tank before they spread.

EnchantedSea,
There's a good chance you're seeing regular ol reef pods on the glass. Maybe a ick cyst on the fish. They're about the same size sometimes. It could also be a spec of dirt/dust on the fish too.
Something just occurred to me (yes it hurt). You're chromis died awful fast. Then now you're seeing what could be ick. Ick is usually brought on by stress. Is there any chance you had a ammonia spike? I'm thinking too many new fish too quick.

Just fishing
Jerel

EnchantedSea · 07-20-2001, 12:06 AM

Everything in my tank has been there for quite a while. The clown as been in there from day 1 and the angel has been in there for about 4 1/2 months. The corals and the rest of the crew has been in there for about 4 months. I haven't added anything new until the chromis. They were obviously ready to die when I bought them. But I did not see that when I purchased them. 2 of 3 very small chromis are dead. The 3rd one is showing no indication of being sick so far. He's breathing normally and seems to be healthy as far as I can tell. When I pulled the dead chromis out, I examined him for parasites, but with their irredescent coloration, it is hard to see.

So where do I go from here? Will my sterilizer help with this problem? If I lose my flame angel, I'll just cry. He has been so healthy and happy.

One thing I don't understand, he's not scratching himself at all. That seems strange to me if this thing on him is some form of ich or parasite.

Alice, thank you for the sites, but I couldn't find anything that even came close to what these look like. It looks like margarita salt. Looks the same on the glass as on the fish. I realize now its probably not the same thing, but they look the same.

[ 07-19-2001: Message edited by: EnchantedSea ]

Alice · 07-20-2001, 12:36 AM

FWIW, we've had so many problems with Chromis dying at the shop that we had quit bringing them in for awhile. We tried a few again just lately, we have one left, the others died. Fast breathing, sores on the body; likely ammonia burn but we've ordered them from two different suppliers, so I just don't know what's up.