New Caledonia's multi-million dollar aquarium project has lost about 25 percent of its fish due to a parasite that has been discovered in the basin.
The small crustacean parasite was discovered about three weeks ago.
The aquarium's director, Richard Farman, says his staff have just begun a chemical treatment to get rid of the parasite.
"NCAL AQUARIUM TP"
We have one product which stops chitin production. Chitin is the stuff that the corpus of the crustacea is made of. It is a product that can be used at fairly low concentrations. 13
Richard Farman says they will continue this treatment for about three weeks.
Mr Farman says if this is not effective, they will need to exchange the water in the tank, which might kill most of the micro-flora and fauna inside.
