I recently acquired 2 fish from 2 separate lakes in my area. One is a full grown green sunfish, and the other a white bass. While looking at them today I noticed the green had a 1/2 inch long parasite on it's fin. It looks like a clear leach with a grey stripe through it's core. I then looked at the white bass, and he also has many smaller white parasites on his dorsal fin. I know one of the two local lakes lost all fish over 20lbs or so to a parasite. The other lake had no reports of this parasite. As far as I can tell, the smaller ones on the bass look white, but they are much smaller than the one on the sunfish. The bass also has at least 15 or so on it's dorsal fin. These fish are in seperate tanks, and have not come out of decontaminiation yet. I have no idea how to deal with this kind of thing, and any help would be greatly appreciated.
Parasite help!
- Thread starter bill3969
- Start date
I still can't see the pics well. Anchorworms? If so, use the meds I recommended earlier. Most meds are too powerful and can cause issues when in contact with your skin too.
I did some digging around and found http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FA041 The sunfish defiantly has a leach. I think your right about the Anchorworms on the Bass. I took a closer look, and they appear to be white spots held on by a clear tube. The whole fish in the pic is only 3 inches long, so it is very hard to see something that small. Any recommendations on removing a leach?
For anchorworms and fish lice, tweezers will work. Destroy them as soon as you get them and do not leave them squirming around the drains, etc. Then treat the fish with proper treatments. As for leeches, start using the proper treatments so they can detach themselves and cross your fingers that they become extinct because external parasites are a bane of my existence.
Thank you for all your help. This is exactly why I caught my starter fish, rather than pay lots of money for them. Fast experience and little money out of pocket if they get something I can't handle. Plus i have fish that no others around even consider keeping.