fish louse ?

[contender]

best way to rid them without drugs?


thanks in advance.

[guppy]

Forceps, if you caught them early and there are only a few you can pull them straight back away from their head end using firm, steady pressure so as not to break off the mouth parts, dab the wound with a tiny bit of iodine.

[contender]

how about salt?

[guppy]

Fish lice (argulus) are tough buggers, If they have had a chance to breed it is best to treat the tank. There are at least 150 species and most are salt resistant and can survive any temp that the fish can. Most meds for them are potent mixes of copper sulphate and organophosphates like trichorfon (Dilox), General Cure is one brand.

[Princley]

Forceps, if you caught them early and there are only a few you can pull them straight back away from their head end using firm, steady pressure so as not to break off the mouth parts, dab the wound with a tiny bit of iodine.


good advice here

[guppy]

Picture

[Big Business]

Fish lice (argulus) are tough buggers, If they have had a chance to breed it is best to treat the tank. There are at least 150 species and most are salt resistant and can survive any temp that the fish can. Most meds for them are potent mixes of copper sulphate and organophosphates like trichorfon (Dilox), General Cure is one brand.

would organophosphates hurt his channas?

[Deathcurl]

Using tweezers only eliminates the adults, not to mention how stressful to the fish the netting and picking off process is. Argulus also run so grabbing them could be tough. Smaller argulus usually are hiding in the gills and other hard to reach areas. Treating the tank is the best way of eliminating them. One thing that I used for argulus that was stingray and catfish safe (and we all know how sensitive rays are) was "Anchors Away" by Jungle Labs. It affects the moulting/growth patterns of the argulus. It doesn't contain copper and the argulus are gone in a few days.

[Big Business]

great info Deathcurl