ABCDemily

As a few may be aware, I have a massive infestation of wee beasties in my betta's tank. My dearest boyfriend (He's studying microbiology...it fits in well) took home a test tube and took a photo under 100X magnification.
It's pretty horriblem, and has fur. EW!

Attached Images

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haedra

That doesn't look like a fish louse to me. It looks alot like an ostracod.

http://www.microscope-microscope.org...s/ostracod.htm (for a pic)

(video)

aquarist48

NOT pretty

KyWildFish

It does resemble an ostracod, but its hard to say with only one pic thats so out of focus.

haedra

I can agree with that. But I do feel there are distinguishing characteristics on both ends, some of which are either missing (in the case of an identification of fish lice) and present (in the case of identification of ostracod). There is a video of them moving in the water in the other thread that might help identify.

ABCDemily

WOAH! That's definately more like it! I told the LFS we thought it might be fish lice, so they'll be much happier to know that it's not too dangerous. Oh well, I got a new tank out of it

Martinismommy

Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww What the heck is that? lol Is it harmful to fish?

haedra

That's always an added benefit! *giggle*

Rather than repost: http://www.fishlore.com/fishforum/627073-post38.html

If it is an ostracod, they aren't directly harmful, no. They are however, like planaria in that a population explosion is an idicator that the tank might be a little uh, "messy" and need more thorough cleaning. Given that it was mentioned that the UGF that was being used wasn't hooked up right I thought it all meshed. Unless I read that part wrong.

ABCDemily

Yeah, my dad hadn't hooked it up right, so technically was just an airstone bubbling, there was no sucking or filtering going on. But now Galileo has a gorgeous new tank that I'll add him and TSS this evening. I did see a few swimming round in there, but I'll get my mum to bring in photographs to the LFS like they requested.

matt6765

ewwwww

eiginh

Burn the parasites, Burn!!!!

I'm glad you got a new tank out of it and I hope everything goes well

ABCDemily

Burn them all!

pepetj

I like having creatures like this in my tanks. Planaria, for example, scared the .... out of me the first time I saw one. After searching around I found out planarias actually help keeping the system clean. Mine live in dark places (e.g. in the are below bio-balls in my Wet/Dry filters) and my tanks are quite healthy.

Dragon fly larvaes are also good to have in planted tanks (they might attack weak or small fish fry but keep insects that harm the plants in check). And it's a beautiful experience when they turn into young dragon fly, posing in a floating leaf or by the canopy as they take their time to fly away.

Pepe
Santo Domingo
PS I would love to have a microscope!

jwokmuba2

looks weird

Butterfly

OH COOL!!!!! yep Pepetj would love to have a microscope also
Carol