Parasite ID - Microscope Slides

[adoptaspork]

I was under the impression that I could probably find an easy database of microscopic parasites online but am having a bit of a hard time trying to find one. Is anyone able to help? Or, does anybody know a fairly comprehensive database of parasites/bacteria/etc. with respect to marine fish?

A.

This I assume is the skin cells from the mucous layer...

B.

Marine Ich??

C.

More Ich??

D.

Some sort of fluke/nematode?



I could be way off, but I figure I have to learn somehow...

 

[Newsmyrna80]

There are some websites and books, like marine biology textbooks that have pics/info. What magnification were you using?

 

[mattcoug]

C. looks like an air bubble

 

[microlady]

C. looks like an air bubble

I agree. Something may be going on in photo D. Taking a gill or fin biopsy has been more effective in my experience, but that has been when the fish is already dead. Skin scrapes are hard because so many cells come off.

 

[mattcoug]

If you are taking these from a "freshly" killed fish, parasites will be moving around on the slide, so it is relatively easy to pick them out from all the other stuff on a skin scrape. For gill/etc biopsy you might not see them moving but it typically stands out. Keep in mind, that parasites don't just evenly attach everywhere to the fish's body - you can do a skin scrape and get nothing but easily find something in the gills.

The challenge, as you are finding, is that tank water itself is full of life forms - algae, bacterial, mold/fungus, non-fish pathogenic ciliates and dinoflagellates that can give you false IDs.