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	Fantail has bug on its fin! HELP!
r8frazer Enthusiast Posts: 246 Kudos: 1 Votes: 0 Registered: 29-Mar-2001	My fantail goldfish has some little bug on its tailfin. I first saw the thing swimmin up the side of the tank, its round with two tiny little flappy things to swim, its only about half a centimetre across and its pretty much see through but a bit green in colour. Its also got a tiny body in the middle, really little water bug thing. Anyway I was lookin at it and it suddenly jus latched onto my fish!!! What should I do?
Posted 26-Jan-2006 12:00
Cichlid Kid Fish Addict Posts: 553 Kudos: 285 Votes: 34 Registered: 22-May-2004	Sounds like some sort of fish lice or parasite.i owuld reccomend going to the lfs and buying some melafix which kills fish lice and parasites and also repairs skin tissue, best to do it now before it gets worse or possibly multiplies,and you dont want that.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 12:00
r8frazer Enthusiast Posts: 246 Kudos: 1 Votes: 0 Registered: 29-Mar-2001	Its ok i got the fish out and removed the little critter, seems its some type of water mite its got like 6 tiny legs. Ive kept it in a little bottle cap hehe.. PS: Ive called him Super Cool Secret Agent lol
Posted 26-Jan-2006 22:18
So_Very_Sneaky Ultimate Fish Guru Posts: 3238 Kudos: 2272 Votes: 201 Registered: 10-Mar-2004	Melafix does not kill parasites. You are best to go with something like Metronidazole, or similar. You should treat the tank as there may be more bugs in it. Come Play Yahtzee With Me! http://games.atari.com Http://www.myleague.com/yahtgames
Posted 27-Jan-2006 22:41
r8frazer Enthusiast Posts: 246 Kudos: 1 Votes: 0 Registered: 29-Mar-2001	The little critter died today!
Posted 31-Jan-2006 14:48
longhairedgit Fish Guru Lord of the Beasts Posts: 2502 Kudos: 1778 Votes: 29 Registered: 21-Aug-2005	Edited by longhairedgit For future reference treatments like trichlorfon are good for killing argulus fish lice in coldwater fish like goldies and koi. If you have other fish in the same water I would track some treatment down, or worse will follow. Lice can also transmit other blood parasites like protozoa, so a treatment with protozin wouldnt be out of the question either.
Posted 12-Feb-2006 19:26
Calilasseia Ultimate Fish Guru Panda Funster Posts: 5496 Kudos: 2828 Votes: 731 Registered: 10-Feb-2003	Fish Lice 1 Fish lice 2 fish Lice 3 This should help you nail down your critter. Argulus fish lice are usually big enough to be removed physcially from goldfish using a penknife. Some species can reach nearly a centimetre in diameter. I've seen these blighters in a goldfish aquarium, and they look a bit like flying saucers with legs when they're swimming! Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002
Posted 17-Feb-2006 06:39
chelaine Big Fish Posts: 383 Kudos: 343 Votes: 78 Registered: 23-Jul-2005	EWWIE!! i've never seen a fish lice... now im all paranoid.. i'll be staring at my tanks for the next 6 hours if anyone needs me. Chelle _______________________________________________ I love the fishes cuz they're SOOO delicious...
Posted 17-Feb-2006 12:25
Calilasseia Ultimate Fish Guru Panda Funster Posts: 5496 Kudos: 2828 Votes: 731 Registered: 10-Feb-2003	I wouldn't worry unduly Chelaine - they're usually pretty obvious when they DO arrive, and like other invertebrates, they're killed off very effectively by copper based meds. They're usually far more problematic in Goldfish and Koi ponds than in aquaria. The only reason I saw them in an aquarium was because I tried raising wild caught Sticklebacks as a teenager, and found myself having to medicate the tank afterwards when one of the Sticklebacks brought a couple in. Moral of the tale: quarantine ALL wild caught fish before popping them in with existing stock! Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002
Posted 18-Feb-2006 01:13


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