Amazing discus parasite video.

[Matt in Houston]

I have been fighting a parasite outbreak and white poop in my beloved 210g discus tank, and I decided to buy a USB microscope to see what I am dealing with. I have too many discus to treat in my small QT tank, so I am treating the main tank.

I still dont know what the heck everything is when I look in the microscope...I think I have identified spiro but they are mostly gone now after the metro treatments thus far...As for now, I am on day 4 of metro treatment and will back that up with a dewormer treatment of Levamisole in the water.

I hope I can kill these bugs and get my guys back eating again. I have lost two of my smallest guys last week, but since I have been treating with metro everyone is looking better already.

I also hope this information will prove useful when other members need to reference parasites in their discus. I have posted these findings on simplydiscus.com as well.


Here is a pic and a video of a parasite I found a few days ago...The pic shows two, side by side.



VIDEO --->http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJY7QWwxIgU

And here is the second video, amazing little creature who looks like he has buzz saws for hands...weird stuff...

VIDEO --->http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABGBJ1O0L3w

If anyone can help that would be great. I think the meds I have will kill them, Ill keep the thread posted as I progress.

[thomas]

oh, so sad to hear you're having this problem. Your set up is very beautiful, I hope you succeed with the treatment and bring everyone back to healthy fishes.

Love the video and microscopic images. Please keep us in track of the process.

[Darbex]

GL Matt

[Matt in Houston]

Well already some good news...the folks at simplydiscus mentioned that weird creature with the spinning cilia is probably a rotifer.

Rotifers arent parasites...so thats good. In fact many people use them for fry food.

I also didnt see much else in the poop sample I took other than the rotifer and a few spiro here and there. Im sure a few more days of metro treatments will have the spiro under control. I have a 500g bucket of metro so I wont be running out anytime soon lol.

I also have a 100g bottle of Levamisole I got today from a pigeon supply company.

[cichlid1409]

very nice vids! good luck on the treatment, sounds like you have it under control.

[fshfrk]

Very cool microscope. Keep use posted. Specially if you get a vidoe of the parasites.

[madugo]

sorry i dont know anything about it...
but the video looks really cool..

[wesleydnunder]

Good job, Matt. It's great to see folks go the extra mile to care for their fids.

Mark

[fshfrk]

fid's!!!

[wesleydnunder]

fid's!!!

Yup. Finned kids; fids.

Mark

[Matt in Houston]

Everyone still okay...did a large water change today and dosed with Levamisole tonight. Lots of different info about how long to let it stay in the water. Some say 24hrs, some say leave it in for 3-4 days. Its supposed to paralyze the nematodes and worms, and they fall out to rest at the bottom of the tank to be vaccumed up. I think the theory behind the 3-4 day before water change is that if they are paralyzed that long, they may die.

Ill do a little more research and figure it out...Im leaning toward 3 days then water change, and retreat in 1-2 weeks as directed. Very potent stuff by the way, one bottle should last a long time.