Parasites

Is there a parasite that resembles ich in symptoms but the fish can't fight off and is visible to the eye when the evacuate the host? I tried to get pictures of them and failed. I tried to record them on video and mostly failed. It is blurry except a few seconds here and there. Anyway...

I had two fish die from what I thought was ich. The first fish died went mia. Second died and was out in the open. I removed it and on the way to the trash I saw thing almost wriggling on the body. All symptoms seemed to be ich but I didn't think a mature parasite was visible to the naked eye. This fish was covered with these things and they are what killed it. I just have no idea what they are so I don't know how to handle it. This is my display tank and I can't copper treat it. I am figuring 9 weeks of no fish for ich, but like I said I don't think it is ich. I put the body of the fish in fresh water today while Im at work. Now, I'm curious what might show up dead in the bottom of the container by the time I get home.

Does anyone have the slightest clue what this is?

 

it still can be marine ich. corailline posted this a few week back on a different thread its a must read on ich.


Marine Ich - Myths and Facts


but let us know what you find when you get back home

 

The info says the only time you can see it with the naked eye is when it is in the pregnant for we see as white spots.

When i pulled the fish out of the tank its like all there tiny things came wriggling out of the fish. I think the few that came off on the plate i had were actually little brown like worm like creatures probably no larger than a millimeter or two. unfortunately i will not know for sure until i get home after work and can examine everything further. I was running late this morning or I would have had extra time to look closer.

 

It could be a type of Fluke. Try to get a pic.

 

I will defiantly try to get a pic when I get home. The only issue will probably be trying to photograph something so small. I will give a go though because I need to know what this is so I can take appropriate actions to assure that it won't reoccur in the future. I also would like to make sure my tank is safe again before I put any healthy fish in it. According to that link my original thought of 9 weeks wasn't even long enough. It claims Ich can live up to 11 months without a fish host and still be reproducing in the mean time. Now, that's interesting. Would say I will have an invert/coral tank for a while but I have come to the conclusion that it isn't ich. Either way, no fish for me until I know for sure, and if I don't know, I won't have any in this tank. Just the way I am. I'm not going to watch this happen all over again. I'm looking in to setting up a QT tank this weekend and being better prepared for the future. One problem at a time though...

If I have to dissect the fish to get the information I need... i will...