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Possible parasite?


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#1 Guest_Qball914_*

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Posted 28 August 2014 - 10:08 PM

New to the whole native fish keeping. Been keeping tropicals for quite some time and decided the allure of native fish was too much for me to pass up. I currently have a 200gal setup with 3 juvenile largemouths and a small bullhead cat. They've been showing some obvious signs that lead me to believe that they have a possible external parasitic issue. My catfish has been flashing (scratching on rocks and sand) fairly often and one or two of the bass have been doing the same. Less frequently than the catfish, but still flashing nonetheless. Now I've dealt with external parasites in my tropical tanks and all were remedied pretty easily by a thorough substrate cleaning and sometimes using parasite meds (only in extreme cases). I don't want to use commercial parasite meds because they're obviously made for tropicals, and who knows how native fish react. Wondering if anyone had some insight.

Also on a side note.... Is keeping 3 largemouth together a bad idea? Even if raised together from a young age? I know they're aggressive but idk if they have any same-species aggression.

#2 littlen

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Posted 29 August 2014 - 08:16 AM

Have you thought about trying salt?
Nick L.

#3 Guest_jblaylock_*

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Posted 29 August 2014 - 08:48 AM

Also on a side note.... Is keeping 3 largemouth together a bad idea? Even if raised together from a young age? I know they're aggressive but idk if they have any same-species aggression.


I don't have an experience with LMB, but it doesn't sound like a good idea. Mainly, because of their potential size. I wouldn't think 200g is enough for 1 adult LMB. Not to mention 3 and a Catfish that can get very large. If they are small now, you have time. However, a day will come that you may have to remove some, if not all, of them. When that happens, please do not release them to the wild.

#4 Guest_gerald_*

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Posted 29 August 2014 - 12:30 PM

Native fish react to commercial fish medicines pretty much the same as tropicals do. Ich and fluke meds for tropicals should be fine for natives.

#5 Guest_Qball914_*

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Posted 29 August 2014 - 03:13 PM

Thanks everyone for the quick responses! Littlen, I have not thought about salt... I know so little about the tolerances of natives, I didn't know what to do.

I'm planning a several thousand gallon pond in my backyard with my father next year, so any fish that outgrow the tank will eventually make their way to the pond.

Thanks again everyone! I'm gunna do a substrate vac + WC and keep an eye on them. Maybe the WC will take some stress off and boost their immune system. If the problem persists I'll go ahead and try salt or med treatments.

#6 littlen

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Posted 29 August 2014 - 04:10 PM

Basses and cats are very hardy. 3ppt is what I would shoot for. They will be fine at that level. If you are interested in trying that (before any commercial meds) and need help dosing, you can either check the interwebs or I can give you a formula for dosing 200gal. Just PM me.
Nick L.

#7 Guest_Skipjack_*

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Posted 29 August 2014 - 06:58 PM

I would use salt. Start with 10 table spoons of non iodized pure salt. Make sure it does not have any anti caking agents. Look at Kosher salt at the grocery. The catfish can certainly take that much. Then up the salt as needed. The bass can deal with a higher amount than the catfish. So I would keep an eye on the catfish. 20 tablespoons will not bother the bass at all, but the catfish may or may not do well at that level. I have never taken catfish above this, so I cannot say. I have always kept a tablespoon of salt per five gallons in almost all tanks prophylactically.

Also like Gerald said, tropical fish meds work the same. Many have contraindications for smooth fish, so again, the catfish is a potential problem.

#8 PBK

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Posted 06 July 2020 - 04:08 PM

I’m guessing that the scratching is being caused by gill or skin skin flukes. I’d look up treatments on internet.




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