View Full Version : water ticks?......
I'm about to freak out. There seams to be some kind of bug/parasite stuck on the top disc of my stingray. It's kinda triangular in shape and it's little legs move in a flowing motion. It is also about 3mm in diameter. I tried to push it off with my finger but the way it got so agitated so easily tells me that it is a painful spot.
"Argulus - commonly called Fish Lice. The small parasites attach themselves to the stingray’s disk and extract nourishment by piercing the flesh with a pointed organ called a style. The wound can cause bacterial or fungal infections. Although one or two may not cause a serious problem, a serious infestation can be fatal. To remove the argulus, one can carefully remove it with tweezers."
I just found this. I think thats it but has anyone removed one before? Kinda sketchy going at my stingray with tweezers.
Wild Turkey
06-28-2009, 11:32 PM
Sounds like youve found the answer. Sorry, not familiar with common problems with rays.
Honestly, most people who belong to this site who keep something special belong to this site (for the friendliness and quick responses) and another, more specialized forum for their special keeps. Just because, if I have a huge shark or something, there wont be many ppl on ac that have the same species.
Generally, I dont recommend other questions sites besides AC, but I think for rays it may be good to keep "www.raykeepers.com" on bookmark (i made that site up lol)
Generally, I dont recommend other questions sites besides AC, but I think for rays it may be good to keep "www.raykeepers.com" on bookmark (i made that site up lol)
Why would you reccomend a site that you made up?:hmm3grin2orange:
Wild Turkey
06-28-2009, 11:55 PM
Why would you reccomend a site that you made up?:hmm3grin2orange:
LOL:hmm3grin2orange: :hmm3grin2orange:
I knew if it didnt write that part in someone would come back with "that site doesnt exist!" lol
Im not familiar with the most popular ray keeping sites, im sure there are some though.
Today I found another lice. I got to go to the store to get tweezers pronto. Also i found smaller insects on him...!? Are these larva? I'm thinking I'm going to have to build a quarantine tank and chemically treat him. With the rays sensitivity, I'm a little unsure about what I put in there. Anyone know of a safe chem?
Thanks to a little research on this awesome forum I found that a product called Dimilin would solve the problem.:shappy:
So yesterday before I went into work, I couldn't stand to see those bugs on the ray anymore so I decided to operate. I cleaned a surface placed a paper towel down and grabbed the tweezers. I plucked one off the disc and one off the top of the spine.
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z86/icabod169/103_0863.jpg
Wild Turkey
06-30-2009, 11:23 PM
Did the product not work or have you not been able to procure it yet?
It's a pond medication that I havn't been able to find yet. I'm goin to try surrounding nurseries tomorrow. Also I found a couple more of them today. Two on the tip of the nose and one on the belly. I havn't been able to remove the one on the belly and I think it is the one they all originated from.
Wild Turkey
07-01-2009, 05:29 PM
Whats the name of the product? I may be able to find it for you online
Crispy
07-01-2009, 06:20 PM
pm sent...
Wild Turkey
07-01-2009, 07:26 PM
pm sent...
If you have info be sure to share itthumbs2: , we need more info on rays so questions like this dont go unanswered
Crispy
07-01-2009, 07:51 PM
Got the info from MFK... here it is...
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=137959
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showpost.php?p=2265842&postcount=45
Wild Turkey
07-01-2009, 09:19 PM
Ah ok, now I feel really stupid because Ive heard of fish lice but figured when i hadnt heard of fish ticks it was a ray problem. Doh!
Thanks for sharing, there are alot of good articles on that site but some are buried and hard to find
OP: Is this the product you are looking for?
http://www.petproductsonline.eu/p/881865/waterlife-parazin-p-pond-medication-200-tablets.html
Crispy
07-01-2009, 09:24 PM
Thanks for sharing, there are alot of good articles on that site but some are buried and hard to find
...very true! there is alot of buried info....
Thanks guys. I called every pond store aka nursery in the upstate and finally got my hands a bottle of the good stuff. It's called dimilin. It says I can't do and water changes for like 2 weeks...hmmm better do one right before I dose.
Wild Turkey
07-02-2009, 02:43 AM
Thanks guys. I called every pond store aka nursery in the upstate and finally got my hands a bottle of the good stuff. It's called dimilin. It says I can't do and water changes for like 2 weeks...hmmm better do one right before I dose.
Perhaps Dave or someone can tell you why they say not to do water changes, and if you can just do a water change after 1 week as usually, but replace the med you removed? I cant imagine why that wouldnt work.
Crispy
07-02-2009, 05:45 AM
You definitely have to keep the water clean as possible during this time. Even if you have to re-medicate, it's well worth it I'd say.
Also, I am running off a couple smart filters with built in carbon media. As all medications have to have the carbon removed, do I cut the bags open and pour the media out or what. right now my filters aren't running.
Wild Turkey
07-02-2009, 09:34 PM
Also, I am running off a couple smart filters with built in carbon media. As all medications have to have the carbon removed, do I cut the bags open and pour the media out or what. right now my filters aren't running.
Yup empty the pouches and put them back before they dry out
How long have the filters been off? you dont want them off for more than half a day or so, bacteria will die.
not to long. I'm cutting away!
Just to add...
The medication must be working. The last small louse I left on him seemed like it was having seizers and then fell off. I collected him of course.
Crispy
07-02-2009, 10:02 PM
...sounds like an improvement! Looks like you may have caught this just in time...thumbs2:
Wild Turkey
07-02-2009, 10:02 PM
Just to add...
The medication must be working. The last small louse I left on him seemed like it was having seizers and then fell off. I collected him of course.
thumbs2: thumbs2: thumbs2:
I'm still worried. I think the adult louse is somewhere in irwin's gills.
Wild Turkey
07-02-2009, 10:14 PM
I'm still worried. I think the adult louse is somewhere in irwin's gills.
Hopefully he suffers the same fate as the one you just witnessed, dont let up on the meds since they seem to be working well
do you think I can start dosing with melafix to help with bacterial infections or wait one med at a time?
Wild Turkey
07-02-2009, 10:23 PM
do you think I can start dosing with melafix to help with bacterial infections or wait one med at a time?
Personally, I prefer to dose one med at a time. Dosing several meds can weaken the fish.
Some people treat ich and dose melafix simultaneously, but I choose to treat after if its needed.
so sense last weak and start of parasite infection, Irwin has kinda grown weak. His hip bones started showing and the dip between the eyes. He also hasn't been feeding like he used to....:scry: On top of that, when he's just chillin(cause he dosn't move as much as he used to), the very back part of his disc kinda curls up.....:ssuprised:(bad sign) There seems to be these little white worms in my sand too! I'm soo sad. I think this might be his end soon. I kinda panicked and tried to vacuum the gravel the best I could. Only 25% though(still got meds in there).
can anyone tell me what the little white worms are?
Powered by vBulletin® Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved.