What parasite is this?

[DegaBird]

I just found on a purple tang a small, white oval-shaped creature. It is some sort of external parasite, maybe a few millimeters long. It is NOT ich.

I gave the tang a brief freshwater dip and the parasites fell off within a minute. Upon a closer look...they have an oval shaped body, with three round markings in the center of it (much like the markings on the top of a sand dollar). There is a small appendage where the creature attaches itself to its host. They are flat and I cannot see any sort of legs or antenna. They are pure white.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. The tang is now quaranteened and I do not see these things on any of the other fish. I'd like to keep it that way!

 

[hawk66]

do a search for neobenedenia(sp?)

 

[Percula9]

Could be a fluke parasite. Just as long it's not on the fish anymore. Observe for further problems.

 

[just dave]

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=10497685#post10497685

 

[hawk66]

Just dave, any chance of re-posting that pic you had of the neobenedenia. It is no longer showing in the original thread.

 

[just dave]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10504637#post10504637 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hawk66
Just dave, any chance of re-posting that pic you had of the neobenedenia. It is no longer showing in the original thread.

It wasn't my picture it was one from the Internet. If you click on the properties you'll see where it was from. Gordonious posted some good pics of it.

 

[LargeAngels]

I hate those nasty little things. I still get fish infested with these guys. I now treat EVERY single fish with Prazipro before I place them with any of the others.

Thanks to just dave's write up I have saved quite a few of my fish.