Fish crabs (<i>Ergasilus</i>)

Symptoms

Gills white spots
Gills show very obvious white spots on and around them.

Abdomen sunken
The lower part of the fish's body is hollow and wasted.

Muscular atrophy
Muscles of fish show evident wasting away.

Parasitic copepod, which attaches mainly to the gills of the fish. Can also be found on the body in lesser numbers.

Not fatal if recognized in time and treated.

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DNA and RNA diagnostic references

From Phylogeny of the African genus Ergasilus
by Ruaan Schlebusch

University of the Free State of S.Africa Jan. 2014.

Very detailed and long
article about 5 species of Ergasilus, including methods for PCR and DNA
extraction ( Chapter 4).