Sweet Jesus!!! Say it aint so!!! Isopods!

Drew · 08-01-2001, 03:10 AM

Quote:

I was! It has a hard back. I also showed the pics to Dr. Ron and he said they were (harmless) isopods too. Whew, you really scared me with the flatworms thing!

Give me flatworms ****it!!! Please!!! I don't care!!! I'll take flatworms!!!

Let me start by saying, darn!

There, I feel much better.

Remember that thread about the isopods? Remember that thread about me adding fish to a tank with isopods in it? Now look at these pics, taken minutes just ago. Please forgive the poor quality, these are after lights-off:

I tell you, when I turned on the flashlight a few minutes ago, you could have heard the profanity a mile away!!!!!!!!

So, I've got parasitic isopods, what now??? Oh BTW, Alice, I don't think I need to worry about me adding any more fish too soon

Drew

P.S.- Since the isopods I took pictures of a few days ago were identified as a harmless species (and I could see them eating algae) I can only assume that these were unseen by me. They must have stayed in the rocks until now.

ISOPODS

[ 08-01-2001: Message edited by: Drewman ]

[ 08-01-2001: Message edited by: Drewman ]

[ 08-01-2001: Message edited by: Drewman ]

slash7 · 08-01-2001, 03:52 AM

Drewman that really stinks. All my fish hide deep in the rocks at night so I can't see them. However, sometimes in the morning I notice a fish with a rough patch of skin and I've always thought it maybe rubbed on the rocks or got into a tiff with another fish. It's never really bad but I've seen it more than a few times. Luckily it always heals up in a day or so. Now you've got me thinking about some of the unseen little bugs in my tank.........

Drew · 08-01-2001, 04:44 AM

You bet it stinks! I would check your rocks, see if you can se any of these guys walking around.
Just for an update, things have gotten much worse in the past hour. The number of pods on my tang must have tripled. Take a look at this pic:

You can count 13 isopods on just one side of him. That makes over TWENTY on him total. It is so sad, I watch him shaking and swiming eradically trying to get these things off.

I came down to find my female perc covered with pods and stock to my overflow. This is incredibly sad, these are some of the first fish I had

In the words of Russel Crowe, "I will have my vengeance!"

So really now, I need to know any ways to try and save the fish, and get these things out! Trust me, I am open to any and all suggestions! Please!

Drew

horge · 08-01-2001, 06:53 AM

Always an advocate of cold turkey, here's how I nuked a whole batch of pod-infested fish a decade ago...

I put them all through a bug-spray (organophosphate only!) bath: 20mins in spritzed saltwater. Killed all attached pods.

Of course, that was an FO situation, and taking the tank apart for a fresh start wasn't as much hassle as a reef would be, but...

P.S.: I think Jesus would say whatever He would, no matter our most heartfelt dissuasions

Spanky · 08-01-2001, 07:54 AM

Drew,
The easiest way to get rid of parasites is don't feed them. Do you have a way to dip/treat the fish and then isolate them in a separate container for a couple of weeks to a month? A garbage can maybe? A formalin/M. green dip will work on the fish.

Quote:

Since the isopods I took pictures of a few days ago were identified as a harmless species

I don't see how someone can tell just by looking at them?

Have you ever considered a small hog fish for your tank?

Jerel

Alice · 08-01-2001, 11:14 AM

Bummer Drew!

I wish you good luck in eradicating the nasty little things.

~Alice

Drew · 08-01-2001, 11:45 AM

Thank you all for your replies, the lights come on in another hour (I like to sleep in

so I will see how the fish are doing).

Quote:

Originally posted by landescaper:

The easiest way to get rid of parasites is don't feed them. Do you have a way to dip/treat the fish and then isolate them in a separate container for a couple of weeks to a month? A garbage can maybe? A formalin/M. green dip will work on the fish.

Thankfully, I never actually bought any fish yet for this tank. The tang is from my 45 gallon, and the clowns have their own 20. I will try a bath for the fish in M. green or possibly FW.

Quote:

I don't see how someone can tell just by looking at them?

The Isopods the I originally took pictures of were visably eating algae. I hope that they aren't the same species!

Quote:

Have you ever considered a small hog fish for your tank?

Sure, do you think it qould take on some of these guys? Don't they get big? I have also heard that a canary blenny may help too. However, I SOOOO many of these bugs in my tank, I may just be sending them through unnecessary pain/death. I will give it a try if you think it would work.
I have also considered starving them out, but I have heard that this too, may not work. I may be stuck with a fishless tank

I just realized what a jerk I sounded like when I started this thread. Please accept my apologies

Drew

Triatik · 08-01-2001, 11:55 AM

Wow, I can't believe those pics. I would offer you my tank if there were some way to get the fish out and into it. Then again if the isopods came off the PA live rock, which we both got about the same time, I may have them too.

I will look for them in my tank.

Let me know if I can be of some help.

Homer

Spanky · 08-01-2001, 12:09 PM

Drew, I know nothing about canary blennies. I do know that Spanish/Cuban hog juvs. love these things. We keep a few around for these kinds of problems. You'll need at least two, to clean each other too. And yes they can get big. Just take them back when the work is done.

Didn't notice the jerk part! Just funny.
Jerel

Oh starving them out might not work. They may just go dormant on you. Or resort to feeding on algae.LOL

Drew · 08-01-2001, 12:19 PM

Hey Homer, thanks a lot for the offer! But luckily I have two other tanks (where these fish came from) that I can use. And I beleive that these pods are from my gulf-view LR, so you don't need to worry

Jerel, I may give the juv hogs a try, although I don't know how I could make sure I got small ones. FFE just has one size for them. Anyway, right now I am going to assume the worst, a fishless reef. Can anybody provide me with someinfo on this? It is often said that corals need fish to survive. Is there any way to duplicate what the fish give to the corals? TIA

Drew

PoorGirl · 08-01-2001, 12:29 PM

Drewman, sorry but I don't have any advice to offer I'm a rookie at this but I feel so bad for you. I've been fighting ich for about 4 or 5 weeks and I thought that was bad. I wish I could say something to help. Sorry!

Drew · 08-01-2001, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by PoorGirl:
Drewman, sorry but I don't have any advice to offer I'm a rookie at this but I feel so bad for you. I've been fighting ich for about 4 or 5 weeks and I thought that was bad.

It's kind of funny, I was afraid my tang would get ich from all the stress of moving.

Quote:

I wish I could say something to help. Sorry!

Don't worry, you did

Drew

DennisW · 08-01-2001, 12:54 PM

YOU'RE JUST GOING TO SETTLE FOR A FISHLESS REEF?????????????/ You are going to do something to try and save these fish right??????

Have you thought of a cleaner wrasse of some sort???????? I would try something QUICK!!!

buzzsaw · 08-01-2001, 02:02 PM

Hey Drew! Save some Hogfish for us! I commented on Reff Central in the Dr. Ron section, I have the same problem. You can always use your arm to get them out! That's how I found out I had the buggers. Let me say it is not an enjoyable experience.
If you find some place that has the hogfish let me know, that sounds like something I might try.
Thanks Jerel for the prescription. lol.
-Scott

Drew · 08-01-2001, 02:10 PM

Here you go Scott: http://www.ffexpress.com/setfish.htm

Good luck! And let me know if you find anything that works!