Parasite ID

manfish

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 27, 2021
Messages
28
Reaction score
37
Location
KAUAI
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Caught this little Hawaiian sailfin tang a few days ago.
Can anyone help me identify this parasite on its tail?
I’ve never seen one of these types of parasites before.
Gave him a freshwater dip but no effect.
#reefsquad

EA5C3E72-987B-4A59-A2EF-1465C0AAD75A.jpeg
 
Last edited:

ying yang

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 16, 2021
Messages
4,860
Reaction score
10,103
Location
Liverpool
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Aw seen something similar to this and can't remember name. Was something like a cling worm or something like this and has the 2 bits.let me try see if can google name for you
 
Upvote 0

ying yang

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 16, 2021
Messages
4,860
Reaction score
10,103
Location
Liverpool
Rating - 0%
0   0   0

Anchor worm look up.
Not saying what you got is 100% one
Let's tag @vetteguy53081 and @Jay Hemdal to get their verdict
 
Upvote 0

ying yang

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 16, 2021
Messages
4,860
Reaction score
10,103
Location
Liverpool
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Similar thread to yours .yours is on tail and not body so not sure if that means anything or not and sure I've read something about the part on back going into 2.

Good luck and hopefully someone more experienced in fish diesese/ parasites can advise you or someone who gone through it themselves.
All I can do is say from my research on reef related stuff,I've come across anchor worms and whats on your fish looks similar ^_^
 
Upvote 0

vetteguy53081

Well known Member and monster tank lover
View Badges
Joined
Aug 11, 2013
Messages
90,861
Reaction score
200,139
Location
Wisconsin -
Rating - 100%
13   0   0
Its a parasitic copepod referred to as sea lice. Best course of action is to net fish and place net and fish in a container of tank water. Having a toothbrush ready, gentle brush it off, give the fish then a freshwater dip for about 3 min in water the same temperature as tank water and return fish to display tank
 
Upvote 0
OP
OP
M

manfish

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 27, 2021
Messages
28
Reaction score
37
Location
KAUAI
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Similar thread to yours .yours is on tail and not body so not sure if that means anything or not and sure I've read something about the part on back going into 2.

Good luck and hopefully someone more experienced in fish diesese/ parasites can advise you or someone who gone through it themselves.
All I can do is say from my research on reef related stuff,I've come across anchor worms and whats on your fish looks similar ^_^
Thanks for the info.
Yeah it sure looks like that's what it is, with the little forked tail.
Apparently extremely rare.:confused:
 
Upvote 0

ying yang

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 16, 2021
Messages
4,860
Reaction score
10,103
Location
Liverpool
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Thanks for the info.
Yeah it sure looks like that's what it is, with the little forked tail.
Apparently extremely rare.:confused:
Your very much welcome.
And yeah reading that thread and few other things since you posted this thread,seems rare in saltwater and that reef2reef thread I posted above humble fish mentioned that their a " mystery diesese that tangs normally gets straight after a copper treatment that looks same as an anchor worm and he mentions doing a freshwater dip to see if anchor worm or not
I'm guessing from reading I just did that a freshwater dip WILL NOT remove an anchor worm
 
Upvote 0

ying yang

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 16, 2021
Messages
4,860
Reaction score
10,103
Location
Liverpool
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
There is a "mystery disease" that somewhat looks like this. Seems to happen to tangs sometimes following copper exposure, although a virus or something bacterial is also possible.

It's been "cured" on a few occasions by treating with kanamycin + metronidazole. (Also wouldn't hurt to add Furan-2 to the mix.) I've yet to actually get my hands on a specimen with this, so I can get a sample to examine under my microscope.
From humble fish in post 12 in thread I shared above and little about it in post 9 also.

Not sure if you know or not but humblefish used to be resident fish diesese expert on r2r and used to help lots people so lots of threads from him on r2r but now has his own forum.

Once again good luck ^_^
 
Upvote 0
OP
OP
M

manfish

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 27, 2021
Messages
28
Reaction score
37
Location
KAUAI
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Its a parasitic copepod referred to as sea lice. Best course of action is to net fish and place net and fish in a container of tank water. Having a toothbrush ready, gentle brush it off, give the fish then a freshwater dip for about 3 min in water the same temperature as tank water and return fish to display tank
Thanks for your reply.
Appreciate your help!
Aloha.
 
Upvote 0
Back
Top