Look at the picture above you; not the fish, the thing on the fish. This animal is called the Argulus Fokiaceus, but its common name is the fish louse. A fish louse is a tong eating parasite that is very harmful to fish. The fish louse is located in the England fresh water areas, and fish stores all around the world. This essay is to inform you, describe, and to explain to you about the fish louse.

 

In this paragraph you will learn about the general description of the fish louse. Fish louse vary in size from just a few millimeters to over 1.2 inches long, but the females are usually somewhat larger than the males. The fish louse is one half dark and one half light colored. Some of the many adaptations that this animal has are, their antennas get all spiny like, which then grow suction cups and attach onto the fish. Fish louse are flat, egg shaped parasite that are divided into three regions. So as you can see how this paragraph described the fish louse.

 

In this paragraph you will learn about the habitat, the population, and the conservation of the fish louse. The fish louse is located in the European area of England, in fresh waters. The fish lice’s population is unknown because its population is rapidly increasing because; they could lay up to 500 eggs in a strip. The conservation status of the fish louse is least concern. So as you can see this paragraph has informed you about the fish louse.

 

In this paragraph, you will learn about the diet, the feeding habits, and the predators of the fish louse. The place that the fish louse is located in the food web is, towards the bottom near plankton. The feeding habits of the fish louse are, they eat fish’s tongs, and they do this when they get hungry. The places where they do this are in fresh water sources, and they do this by getting into the fish with their long needle, and then eat it with their teeth. Predators of the fish louse are other crabs, and plankton and other fish. The ways that they can avoid getting eaten is that it uses its body colors to blend into its surroundings. So in conclusion you can see how I explained the fish louse.

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So in this paper things that stood out were that it eats fish’s tongs, and that it only stays in fresh water sources. Another thing that stood out was that the fish louse can lay up to 500 eggs in one strip. My final thoughts on this paper are to avoid the fish louse, and to not buy one of them in a fish store.

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Author: Owen M.

Published: 4/2013

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Sources: http://animals.jrank.org/pages/1855/Fish-Lice-Branchiura.htmlhttp://www.bumblebee.org/invertebrates/CRUSTACEAb.htm http://ehn.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argulidaehttp://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Crustaceanhttp://www.padil.gov.au/pests-and-diseases/Pest/Main/140264http://www.springerlink.com/content/w22gl035190w4668/http://www.thefishsite.com/articles/319/fish-lice-in-the-uk

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Picture Credit: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a3/Argulus.jpg