Argulus best friend!?! UGH!!!

ViperCLKGTR

Gambusia
MFK Member
Sep 22, 2008
310
1
16
Is it just me or are all Gar Argulus magnents? I mean seriously I have a huge Argulus problem and it's only affecting my Florida and Spotted Gar? Come on seriously! So today I'm out loading up on Copper Safe to fight the problem and come across an Alligator GAR!!! My favorite fish in the entire world I've been looking for one for 6 months now finally find one get up close to it and what do you know it's got a single Argulus speciman on it's tail fin and the guy still wouldn't move the price down but I had to buy him so I did for 50 big ones. Luckily I'm starting treatment right now for Argulus
 

E_americanus

Penguin Lover
MFK Member
Aug 14, 2004
3,790
28
68
45
Louisiana
primitivefishes.com
don't use copper for argulus with gars...copper isn't great with primitive fishes, and isn't as effective in controlling argulus in my experience either. i've always used jungle parasite clear (active ingredient being praziquantel) to get rid of argulus. it takes a few treatments, but it does the job. get enough to treat the whole tank as argulus moves quickly from one host to the next.

since gars are quite hardy, you could also do a formalin dip...using a small dose of formalin and giving the gars a dip in it for a few minutes. you can also do the same with saltwater (which may be safer if you aren't used to dealing with gars and chemicals).

gars are not natural argulus magnets, a large infestation is usually the result of negligent care at the LFS (an infected system) or even at the home aquaria. argulus should only be a problem for several days and then should be completely eliminated. good luck, and i would suggest not adding any other new fishes until the infestation is wiped out. also with new fishes, i would quarantine in the future as it's easier to treat this way--
--solomon
 

ViperCLKGTR

Gambusia
MFK Member
Sep 22, 2008
310
1
16
I want to do a dip of some kind... what's the procedure and will it harm my boys in anyways? What's the best way to get rid of these nasty little Satan bugs?

As for CopperSafe I only used it because after hours of searching the board it and some other chemical I couldn't find anywhere were the best bets I could gather.

Why I said Gars are Argulus magnents is because I have never seen a Gar at any LFS without Argulus except once, my Florida and my Spotted and I call them magnents because no other fish has a single sign of lice in the entire tank???

As for how it got there in the first place it must have snuck in on a meal of feeders that the LFS said were quarinteed before put out for sale.
 
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