FISH PARASITES

Myxobolus cerebralis, a myxosporean parasite, causes whirling disease in farmed salmon and trout and also in wild fish populations. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There are certain types of parasites out there that affect fish. They can become a very serious problem though. They can result in the fish not growing like they should. They parasites can become so bad that they result in the fish dying. This is a common issue in many areas. As a result, they can die off in a complete area without any way to survive. Other creatures that depend on the fish for food will not be able to survive in that location either.

These types of parasites tend to only be a problem in areas where freshwater fish live. There are ways to remove the parasites from the environment though but before you start to use chemicals to destroy them. You may end up doing more damage to the fish than helping them out. The biggest type of fish parasite is the protozoa classification. The good news is that they are the easiest form of a fish parasite to destroy.

There are several different species of fish parasites that fit into the category of protozoa. They can generally be eliminated by adding copper sulfate to the water. Some people add it on a regular basis in a pond of fish just as a precaution so that they don’t lose their valuable fish to parasites. 

If you find your fish in the pond are having more trouble then usual surviving you may need to check to see if parasites are the problem. Some indicators that you may have fish parasites to contend with include them losing weight, not eating like they should, and a high number of them are turning up dead. 

You can’t see them without a microscope though. You can get a specialist to come in and test for them. This will also help them to determine what type of fish parasite you are dealing with. Finding the best course of action to resolve the issue is going to be in your best interest. 

When parasites invade fish in a wild environment though it is more difficult to take care of. They can be more vicious too and they will destroy the fish population from the inside out. The local Division of Wildlife will have to evaluate the situation and decide what course of action to take. They want to do what is best for all of the creatures that live in that area. 

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