one of our baby gars has multiple bump like things that are popping and they look bloody. i don't know what to do and i don't know what they are. at first there was only one and it popped and then more came up. please help.
HELP!!!!
- Thread starter city_of_evil6661
- Start date
whenever a sore is present in a fish salt water is best for them. just get 1/8 of what a saltwater tank would take in your tank.
they look like some sort of blood-sucking parasite...perhaps a type of fish louse...i would add a small amount of salt to the tank and increase the temp to around 80-82 F. how big are the gars? i would go with salt first, but if they are large enough (at least 5-6"), i would also consider using tweezers to take them off individually. these parasites spread fast and will easily spread to other fishes in the tank.
you can also use a half dose of jungle parasite clear, but i would be wary with small gars. let us know how big the gars are and we can go from there--
--solomon
you can also use a half dose of jungle parasite clear, but i would be wary with small gars. let us know how big the gars are and we can go from there--
--solomon
E_americanus;1938704; said:
the gar (its only happening to one) is about 3 and half inches. i quarentined him with fresh water and did what i thought would be best for him until i got to talk to you or richard about what i should actually do. right at this moment it looks like the first one has skin growing back over it and a good bit of his skin is hanging from him. and it also looks like his scales and skin are rotting away. and i dont have any aquarium salt and cant afford any right now. will a small dose of regular salt work, i thought about it and wasnt sure. further help and advise will be greatly appreciated.
thanks solomon.
a7x_6661;1938756; said:
this does sound peculiar, and i would also proceed with caution given the size of this gar. if you could snap and post a few more pics it would be very helpful. gars have pretty soft scales/bodies at this stage, so it's easier for parasites to take hold along with infections. good job on separating the fish...i would go with the salt (whatever you can get a hold of) and do about 1 tablespoon per 20 gallons of water and see how the fish does. keep the tank well aerated as well. best of luck and keep us posted--
--solomon
E_americanus;1939106; said:
yes i know they are very fragile at this stage and require specail care. i think i found the culprit in this. me and my fiance were dipnetting for guppys and she got a deformed one which had an abnormally shaped stomach. then she told me that it looked like the stomach was moving. i will be getting salt tomorrow and going on with the treatment and i raised the temp in the water. do you think you can ID this worm/parasite.
E_americanus;1938704; said:
I have nothing more to add than what Solomon already did above..
Some more clear pics would definitely be helpful. If you have too.. take the fish out and put it in a white container to aid in focusing.
city_of_evil6661;1939214; said:
would need a much clearer picture than this to ID the worm, but if you can get a shot with a flash and/or a macro setting on a camera i could at least narrow it down for you. if it was in the stomach it could easily be a mono- or digenean, or even one of the more "primitive" tapeworms--
--solomon
Polypterus;1939437; said:
im trying to get better pics but all i have is a phone and they arent worth posting. so i guess the best i can do right now is describe it.
E_americanus;1939689; said:
we researched the worm and found out it's a leech. it didn't come out of him it was something that was in the bucket after we went dip netting.
and i think the guppy he ate was infected with them. right now the wounds have spread to his back and i can see the impression of his bones. and the red tissue under his scales and skin. the infesction inside of him looks bunched up around his tail. his skin is no longer hanging off and i saw him poop some red looking thing. but it wasnt moving.
thanks again solomon.