# Sea lice on Piranha?



## HOLLYWOOD (Feb 6, 2003)

Someone help me identify these critters. Im not positive but think that they came from smelt I caught from the columbia river. They are flat in appearance and cling on the the piranhas body.









[IMGhttp://home.1asphost.com/HOLLYWOOD/sealice2.jpg[/IMG]


----------



## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

I sent you an email w/image included. What it looks like to me is argulus.


----------



## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

heres a handy link
heres an even more handy link

I totally agree with Frank on this paracite, and the good news is it is easy to medicate


----------



## HOLLYWOOD (Feb 6, 2003)

Thanks for the quick responce. Hopefully this will help others with the same problem. I feed all my Piranhas smelt however this parasite only lives in the ternetzi tank. I have not found any in the caribe or natt tanks.


----------



## hastatus (Jan 16, 2003)

Could be 1 of 2 things, your pirana might have already been infected or one of your feeder smelt was infected and introduced it to that one tank.

That's what I meant about not using wild caught fish to feed piranas. If you insist on doing it, at least quarantine and med treat the feeders before giving them to your piranas.


----------



## Innes (Jan 13, 2003)

hastatus said:


> Could be 1 of 2 things, your pirana might have already been infected or one of your feeder smelt was infected and introduced it to that one tank.
> 
> That's what I meant about not using wild caught fish to feed piranas. If you insist on doing it, at least quarantine and med treat the feeders before giving them to your piranas.


 I second that


----------

