# Rhom



## MarcusK408 (May 18, 2003)

Hi. I was wondering what these round sores are on my rhom. They kinda look like ringworms on dogs. There's also a little bump on his side that's noticeable only when viewed from the front. These sores appeared about 4 days ago and the rhom seems healthy otherwise. Anyone know what these are?


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## DonH (Jan 25, 2003)

Looks like argulus (fish lice). Get a Q-tip and dip it in betadine (or iodine, mercurochrome) and try to remove it. Careful not to get any near the gills or eyes. It looks like a tiny horseshoe crab without the tail. Usually physically removing them should solve the problem, but if it returns, you will need to treat the tank with dimlin or something that has diflubenzuron as an active ingredient.


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## MarcusK408 (May 18, 2003)

DonH said:


> Looks like argulus (fish lice). Get a Q-tip and dip it in betadine (or iodine, mercurochrome) and try to remove it. Careful not to get any near the gills or eyes. It looks like a tiny horseshoe crab without the tail. Usually physically removing them should solve the problem, but if it returns, you will need to treat the tank with dimlin or something that has diflubenzuron as an active ingredient.


 I don't think it's fish lice. I've seen fish lice before and they move if you touch them. I had to remove fish lice from my oranda goldfish once. 
The rhom has sores with raised, round edges. It kinda looks like something circular is buried under the scales. Something like roundworms or ringworms.


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## o snap its eric (Feb 19, 2003)

Possible bacterial infection from a scratch and with bad water chem and stress.


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## o snap its eric (Feb 19, 2003)

hey mac408, your fish is having a outbreak too? You know what weird too, mine is having an super outbreak also and we both have the same fish and almost got them the same time.


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## MarcusK408 (May 18, 2003)

o snap its eric said:


> hey mac408, your fish is having a outbreak too? You know what weird too, mine is having an super outbreak also and we both have the same fish and almost got them the same time.


 Hmmm. What's wrong with your rhom Eric?


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## DonH (Jan 25, 2003)

MarcusK408 said:


> DonH said:
> 
> 
> > Looks like argulus (fish lice). Get a Q-tip and dip it in betadine (or iodine, mercurochrome) and try to remove it. Careful not to get any near the gills or eyes. It looks like a tiny horseshoe crab without the tail. Usually physically removing them should solve the problem, but if it returns, you will need to treat the tank with dimlin or something that has diflubenzuron as an active ingredient.
> ...


 You basically described what fish lice are. They don't need to move around when you touch them. They can be perfectly content on being embedded in the fish and sucking its blood. Reason why I think it's argulus and not any type of bacterial/fungal infection is because they appear in random and *distinct* circular objects (tells me it's a parasite). The picture you took looks like they are grayish/brown flat helmets... argulus or fish lice. If you take the rhom out of the water and give the objects a firmer push with a cotton swab, you will notice that they do come off and the underside has a bunch of little legs. The betadine will disinfect the hole that the parasite left.

Ringworm is actually a fungus and it doesn't look like that. I'm not sure if it even infects fish. Advanced cases of internal nematodes (like roundworms) will lead to an open ulcer. Telltale sign is increased appetite but no gain in weight (eventual emaciation).

I still think it's argulus because that's what it looks like out of water. Give it a try, but ultimately it's your call... Good luck.


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## MarcusK408 (May 18, 2003)

DonH said:


> MarcusK408 said:
> 
> 
> > DonH said:
> ...


 Oh I tried pushing and scraping lightly on the sore and it's not a lice. The center of the ring is actual flesh. I hope these heal. I've added some salt to the tank just in case.


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## MarcusK408 (May 18, 2003)

My rhom is almost 100% healed! I used a salt treatment.


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