Need Identification for treatment

[Randy Freudenrich]

What I have is some new discus in a quarantine tank for about one month now and noted that some were scratchig themselves on the sponge filter. I just took a feces sample from the bottom of the tank and placed it under the microscope, and I know this was not the correct way to do it, but what I found was something that has the shape of a Paramecium without the cilia. It does have one long Flagellate at the most pointed end that it pulles itself along with at the tip end of the flagellate. I have seen this somewhere before in a web page or a book but at this time am unable to find it. I am thinking of treating with Metonidazole, what do you think?

[Jennie]

If it's a parasite, metro is of little help, as that's for bacterial infections

[Randy Freudenrich]

Jennie,
Well I am not one to just put some kind of a medication into the tank with out nowing what I am adding the medication in to the tank for. At this point I need to identify what this is, and it may be nothing, I am just not sure right now to what it is. Maybe some other members will have a clue to what it is i am looking at.

[Jennie]

can u post pic of slide..a couple mebers here can identify

[ZX10R]

Are they acting normal besides the scratching? I had a fish start scratching a few weeks back now I believe they have external parasites. Three fish of mine just started getting little white bumps on them which is what Eddie told me would happen. Darn that guy he was right!!!!

[jimg]

You can take a pic with a digital camera by putting the lens of the camera against the scope eye piece.

[Randy Freudenrich]

Well as for the pic, the slid has dried, and I have just vac. the tanks and done the 30% water change that i do every day. Will have to make a new slid to see if there is any in the next one and then try to get a pic. of it. Thay are acting fine other then some scratching and at this point it has seamed to have stoped for now after the water change.