It is better not to have this on your skin

Carp Louse. This highly flattened fish parasite is covered with a back shield. At the bottom of the head, the first lower jaws are transformed into suction cups with which they attach to fish. The chest piece consists of only four segments, each of which carries a pair of split-leg shaped swim legs. The abdomen is little developed and not externally articulated.

Argulus falls under the Branchiura class. They belong to the crustaceans. At least 50 species of Argulus are known. This native (NL) carp louse (Argulus Foliaceus) is a common pest on Koi fish, for example. The name carp louse is somewhat misleading, as it can also be found on many other fish, including brackish water fish. However, the preference is for cyprinids, including the goldfish.

With the help of the bushy legs, the carp louse is able to swim from one fish to another, in addition, it can move over the fish body. The animal is visible to the naked eye and can grow to about 8 mm in size. Argulus has a mean sting. It is located between the eyes and can kill a small fish in one sting. The carp louse attaches to the fish with two suction cups and many other extremities and pierces the epidermis of the fish with the sting. Poison is then injected and blood is drawn up.

The wounds left behind are difficult to heal and can be a source of secondary conditions such as secondary inflammation, bacterial infections, fungal growth, possible transmission of viruses by Argulus. Loss of skin function with massive infection.

Argulus is difficult to combat. On the one hand, this is because the animal can survive without a host for up to three weeks. On the other hand, because the eggs are resistant to many pesticides.