FWWormDisFAQs

Featured
Sponsor:

FAQs on Freshwater Worm (Flukes, Roundworms...) Parasitic Diseases

Related FAQs: Freshwater Worms of All Kinds (Platyhelminths (Flukes, Planaria, Tapes and Leeches), Acanthocephalans, Nematodes, Annelids... & FAQs, Anchor "Worms": See FW Crustacean Parasitic Disease, Aquarium Maintenance, Freshwater Medications, Freshwater Infectious Disease, Freshwater Fish Parasites, African Cichlid Disease 1, Cichlid Disease, Ich/White Spot Disease,

Possible Camallanus worm infestation 5/22/08
Dear WetWebMedia Crew:
<Allyson>
I have a 20 gallon freshwater tank, (originally with an angelfish,
<Need more room than this>
4 platies, 2 mollies and 4 white cloud minnows) and am having fish die at the rate of about 1 per month (getting thin, listless, then refusing to eat, and then dying). Since the water parameters were good, I thought it might be a parasite infection and gave a couple of doses on Jungle Parasite Clear (fizzy tank tabs with Praziquantel, Diflubenzuron, Metronidazole and Acriflavine),
<Good shot gun approach here>
but it didn't help. I am now down to the angelfish, 1 platy and 3 minnows. I did email WetWebMedia a couple of months ago and Bob Fenner kindly suggested a good aquarist in my area since I live in San Diego. They were very helpful and suggested that the fish might have been weakened by the extreme hardness of our water and I started to used deionized water. No luck. Over the past week I have noticed tiny, red, stick-like things protruding from the anus of my angelfish, whom I have had almost a year; he is otherwise behaving normally. A WWM search causes me to believe I have a Camallanus worm infestation
<Agreed... very likely>
and I went to the aquatic suppliers and they have sold me Metronidazole, along with polymer to help bind the medication to the food, and a garlic additive to make it taste palatable. Is this the correct medication?
<Mmm, no... need a vermifuge... not a protozoacide>
Your site suggested Levamisole, Piperazine or Praziquantel,
<Yes>
but if you think that the Metronidazole will also work,
<... no>
I will start using it. I don't want to weaken the fish by giving them the wrong medicine, especially since they are all behaving normally (for now)
Thanks so much for your help and your great site,
Allyson
<See WWM re Camallanus... Vermifuges-anthelminthics... Bob Fenner>

Re: possible Camallanus worm infestation 05/23/08
Dear Bob:
<Allyson>
Thanks so much for your reply, especially since you seem to be on a different continent. Was loathe to pester WWM about his but I really want a healthy tank. This is so frustrating; I actually did read the faq on Camallanus (the whole thing, very carefully) prior to going to the fish store (Aquatic Warehouse fyi) with the information from your site in hand. The staff swore up and down that the Seachem Metronidazole was the right medicine. I will go back and try again.
<Please do...>
I am sorry to hear that my 20 gal tank is not big enough for my beloved angelfish, I do have an aquarium book, and did do some compatibility research before buying him/her, as well as asking in the fish store (specialty shop, not big box place) if it would be a good choice. I am trying very hard to buy appropriate livestock and maintain the tank properly, but it is becoming a disheartening endeavor. I am not used to creatures under my care dying. My half- barrel water gardens have platies in them which breed like crazy, and I do nothing but top up the water and put in a little dechlorinator, yet the pampered indoor aquarium is a death trap!
<Mmmm...>
Thanks again, and I will let you know how things turn out,
Allyson
Mira Mesa, San Diego
<Please do... ! We live off Menkar Rd... 92126... on the Penasquitos Cyn. BobF>

Molly Question 03/26/2008
Hi I've got a 160ltr tank which has been going for about 10 months now, it's got mollies, platys, Endler's and guppies in it. I've had a issue before with platy's dying from the skinnies, but I've never had a problem with mollies before until now.
<What's the "Skinnies"?>
I have 6 second generation marble mollies, and over the last few days they have been feeling poorly with the shimmers and tail fin clamping. Today they seem much better, they are swimming around happily, eating and I haven't seen a shimmer in over 24 hours.
<Do check temperature and salinity, both key factors with Mollies. Given you're keeping all livebearers together, adding salt to this tank is easy and safe. I'd be going with 6 grammes per litre of water, and use MARINE SALT MIX, not "aquarium salt". The Mollies will be altogether healthier in every way, and the other livebearers will appreciate the extra alkalinity. If you have a hydrometer, what you're aiming for is a specific gravity of SG 1.003.>
However on 3 of them I've noticed what appear to be 2 red spikes coming out of them. It's not fecael matter, it's different to that, one of them it's coming from it's anus, but the other two has it coming from higher up their bodies towards their stomachs. Is this a normal thing? I've never seen it before.
<These are Camallanus worms, seemingly quite common among livebearers in both the US and UK. So I'm guessing there's an issue here with breeding and transport. In any case, you need an anti-helminth medication. See here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwwormdisfaqs.htm
>
I'm sorry if I'm being really stupid about this, I've have raised them since birth and I really don't want to lose them now!
<Indeed!>
Any help would be appreciated.
Annabel
<Cheers, Neale.>

What is best treatment for flukes in goldfish? 3/26/08
Hello,
I was wondering what your recommendations are for treating body flukes in goldfish at least I think that's what they are. I have noticed from time to time that my goldfish will quickly rub themselves on aquarium decorations.
<This could be a variety of things, not just flukes. Whitespot/Ick often manifests itself as scratching behaviour. Rapid changes in pH will also cause this behaviour. So you need to be a bit more open minded, or at least look for other symptoms that might pin down the problem>
At one time I put in Live Bearer by Aquarium Products and that seemed to stop their behavior, but unfortunately I can't find it anymore in the local pet stores.
<Do see here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/gldfshdisease.htm
>
I mainly want something that I can use as a preventative and not have to take out the carbon in my filter, etc.
<Treating with a "preventative" is counter productive, and says more about how we sometimes view healthcare than what is actually useful. Most medications cause some degree of stress or harm to fish, and in some cases some fish simply get killed by them (loaches and copper-based medication is the classic example). So you need to use medications only when absolutely necessary. Instead focus on REAL preventative medicine, i.e., quarantining new livestock, providing a balanced diet, and ensuring good water quality. As for removing carbon, you need to replace carbon every month for it to do any good, so removing it for treatment purposes shouldn't be a chore. I don't feel that carbon serves ANY useful purpose in a freshwater tank; 50% weekly water changes will do a much better job of removing those pesky dissolved organics, and will also keep the nitrate down and prevent pH swings! Just say NO to carbon!>
Thanks
Sharon
<Cheers, Neale.>

Camallanus woes 2/14/08
Dear WetWebMedia Crew,
<Kim>
Before I present my problem, I would like to thank you so much for your informative website. I have learned so much from reading it and owe a lot to all your efforts. Please bear with me for this long question - I just want to be thorough!
<Be so>
First off, I suppose I should describe my setup. I have a 90 gallon planted freshwater tank with a 30 gallon sump and a 1.5 gallon hang-on refugium. Filtration is provided by an Eheim Pro II 2028. For lighting, I have 4x65 watt PC. I use pressurized CO2 and maintain it at about 20-30 ppm; my pH varies between about 6.8 and 7.0. I keep the tank at 77-78 ºF. The ammonia and nitrites have always been zero, though I have had spikes with my latest problems, which I have been combating with frequent water changes. For my plants' benefit, I keep phosphates at about 1 ppm and nitrates at about 10 ppm.
As for livestock, I have 3 /Gold Gouramis/, 4 /Botia Dario, //1 Bushy-Nose Pleco, about 20 Cardinal Tetras, about 15 Cherry Barbs, 6 Corydoras trilineatus//, 6 Corydoras aeneus//, 6 Kuhlii loaches, 1 Betta, 2 Bamboo Shrimp, wildly reproducing Cherry Shrimp (which I love), wildly reproducing snails (which I don't love, hence the Botia// loaches), and 4 dwarf African-clawed frogs. It is landscaped with rocks, large pieces of driftwood, and lush vegetation./
/Whew! Well, on to my problem. Despite carefully quarantining all my livestock, a few months ago I started having a few fish die with no apparent cause. After close inspection and research (and the observation of red worms protruding from the anuses of some fish), I realized they had Camallanus// infection. I read a paper from "Aquarium Sciences and Conservation" by Arne Levsen titled "Transmission ecology and larval behaviour of Camallanus cotti// (Nematoda, Camallanidae)
under aquarium conditions". From this article and further Internet research I determined the proper course of treatment would be 2 mg/L Levamisole. I tried capturing just the fish that had evidence of Camallanus// and moving them to my hospital tank, but I just kept seeing more and more fish with it, and realized that the unthinkable (treating my display tank) might be the best option. In the aforementioned article, it seemed that Camallanus //would persist in an environment without fish for up to 40 days, and since it would probably be very difficult to even find and remove all my fish, my options seemed limited.
<This is so>
I read further on Levamisole and found aquarists agreed that it wouldn't harm my plants or invertebrates. So, I got enough injectable Levamisole phosphate from my veterinarian for the first treatment; and so began the rollercoaster called my water parameters.
As directed, I administered the medication, kept the lights dark for 24 ours, then began massive water changes (>70%). The first treatment resulted in several fish dying (which I expected - I assume they perished from intestinal impactions of dead Camallanus//). I continued regular water changes for the next two weeks as my phosphate went through the roof (>> 10ppm, presumably from the Levamisole *phosphate*), and the nitrites went up to as high as 0.5 ppm (I don't know why - something must have been dying, but I don't know what!). Per the article and others' suggestions, I siphoned the substrate as best I could, but much of it is inaccessible from the plants and landscaping./
/I have done two more treatments since then (but switched to Levamisole hydrochloride to avoid the phosphate spike), all two weeks apart. From what I've read, 2 treatments is usually sufficient, but I am up to three and am still seeing a few Camallanus// in the cherry barbs.
<These may be dead...>
For the most part, the treatment has worked very well, as I have watched many of my other fish, including the Betta, Pleco, and Corys, clear up. Nonetheless, I know that "mostly cleared" translates to "they'll be back", and I'm losing confidence that further repeated treatments will yield success. Do you folks have any suggestions as to how to clear up this infection once and for all? Sorry again for the length, I just didn't want to leave out any relevant details./
/Thank you so much for your time. And keep up the great work!/
/-Kim/
<After the third treatment with Levamisole, I would wait a few (three) days, execute another summary water change, vacuuming... This treatment succession should "do it". If the worms persist, I would continue with another vermifuge: Fenbendazole, or Flubendazole. Unfortunately, the popular Prazi/quantel has not proven efficacious. Bob Fenner>

Camallanus... 12/16/07
Hi Crew!
<Hello Audrey,>
How are you? I'm better. I've done some research again, and this time, I really found interesting information. I must not have been using the right keywords when I last searched... In any case, it is reassuring. I have work to do before I get any more fish, but at least I have a clear path in front of me... finally!
<Good-o.>
Our last Molly died yesterday. This is the 8th fish we've lost to Camallanus worms. Our LFS sells infested fish (they should know better, and we'll work on educating them). We've learned to recognize the look of infested fish, and at least a third of their Mollies are way too thin. Of course, we do know better now, but we had to learn the hard way.
<A tough lesson. Mollies are one of the more abused species of fish in the hobby. A shame really, because they're among my favourites.>
Neale commented that he's never had problems with Camallanus during one of our previous correspondences. My reading leads me to believe that these infestations are becoming more common, especially in livebearers, due to the poor conditions in which those fish are raised (somewhat like the Dwarf Gourami or Neon Tetra disease). It is likely to become more common in the next few years, so you would do well to read on the subject before the wave hits.
<I agree. I also think some diseases have a geographical spread. Most of the Mollies in the US hobby come from Florida, as I understand it, and perhaps Florida fish farms have a particular problem with Camallanus. In the same way as the highest incidence of Dwarf Gourami viral diseases seems to be Singapore.>
The Camallanus worm is a nematode. I've seen Praziquantel recommended for treating this numerous times. It is what Bob usually recommends.
<<Mmm, my thought here re: am hopeful of the host fishes surviving the parent infestation, and killing the released intermediates... Too much chance of killing hosts with other cpd.s...RMF>>
However, there are few success stories with this treatment on the Internet. It didn't work for me, but that might be due to the size of my fish more than the treatment itself. In any case, the only really effective medicine seems to be Levamisole, used as a cattle wormer (often pigs, but also goats and such), or sold as a bird wormer in some pet stores/vet supply stores. It's harder to obtain because it's now used as an immune system stimulant in humans, for example for people undergoing chemotherapy. It's apparently safe for fish, inverts, plants and filter bacteria, and near impossible to overdose.
<My reading of anti-worming medications and fish is that there are basically two sorts, ones that irritate/spasm the intestine causing the worm to be expelled (e.g., Levamisole), and ones that kill the worm directly (e.g., Flubenol 15). Both can work well, but smaller fish are said to run a greater risk of being stressed/killed by the first sort before the worms are expelled.>
Even with the Levamisole, treatment doesn't always work. Especially in small fish, sometimes the worms can't be expelled and rot inside the fish, causing infection, bloat and eventual death. Those worms also tend to cause internal damage, which might also kill fish after a few weeks. During treatment, it seems the best thing to do is feed things like brine shrimp, which help pass the blockage. Epsom salts might also help somewhat. And, of course, vacuum aggressively and change a lot of water (100% often recommended). Finally, most treatments don't kill eggs, and it takes about two weeks for eggs to hatch, so the treatment needs to be repeated every two weeks several times before it can get rid of all traces of the worms.
<Agreed.>
I was going to write an article on my findings, but there is no need. There are at least two excellent pages on the subject available on the Internet, and multiple forums. The trick is to search with the right spelling (Camallanus, but you can also try Cammallanus, and there are some relevant pages where it's written Callamanus).
<I'd have thought many fishkeeping magazines would appreciate some insight into this tricky problem. As I've said earlier, it isn't one I've had to deal with thus far, so I've certainly found your observations interesting.>
The first is here http://inkmkr.com/Fish/CamallanusTreatment/. It links to an excellent article as well as a page with pictures. If you're not sure of your diagnosis, take a look at those pics. You'll have no doubt after this.
Also, if you decide to go the Levamisole way, read this page
http://www.loaches.com/disease-treatment/levamisole-hydrochloride-1.
I'm sending you pics of one of my small Mollies that went the bloat way.
It's an excellent illustration of the pinecone scales, for those who are wondering if their fish is pineconed or not. It's also a nice picture of a Camallanus-infested fish. I hope the files are not too big. If they are, let me know, I'll resend.
<Informative photos; thanks for sharing.>
I hope this helps. We've been battling this for months, and this is our first aquarium too. This has been very discouraging. I hope our trials can serve in helping others who face the same problem.
<Sometimes that's the best you can hope for!>
Thank you!
Audrey
<And thank you for sharing. Cheers, Neale.>

Lernaeids? RMF would like to see this under a 'scope.

Newbie /anchor worms and Camallanus worms, FW 12/12/07
Dear Crew,
First let me apologize in advance for any posting errors. I have never posted anything before. I have read just about everything I could find on your site and the web, and still haven't found a clear answer to my question.
<Welcome>
My eight year old son and I are relative newbies to freshwater aquariums, but we are learning fast. Several months ago, we got a 5 gallon aquarium, with one live dwarf Amazon sword plant. We have a small under gravel filter from our previous 2 gallon tank, a small heater and a corner box filter, air pump (suitable for up to 10 gallon tanks). There is a tiny snail, which I have only seen once. I assume it came with the plant, and I don't know if it is still alive. After a couple of weeks we got 1 fancy guppy. We had him about three weeks, and then got another guppy and an Otocinclus. We did not quarantine (a lesson which I have since learned), I also learned about water testing around this time. Within a couple of days, the new guppy died of fin and tail rot, and the Oto had ich. I treated the tank with MelaFix and malachite green.
<Better to simply elevate temperature here.>
The Oto struggled with ich off and on for several weeks, and eventually died. Throughout all this, the original guppy appeared healthy. As I learned about water testing during this time, we have been at ammonia 0, nitrites 0, nitrates 2.5-5, ph 7.6-8.0. now for several weeks.
We waited several more weeks, before attempting to get any more fish, and on 11/24/07 decided to get 2 more Otos to help with the algae.
<Mmm, I would not place Otocinclus in such a small volume, with such a high pH... better to seek out other means of algae control. Posted on WWM>
They are currently quarantined, and so far appear healthy. The day we brought home the new Otos, I discovered a parasite hanging off the side off the guppy. After investigating on line, I am sure it was an anchor worm. I removed the box filter/charcoal and I started to treat with Jungle Parasite Clear, which said it was good for anchor worms
<... but adults, on host fish/es... must need be physically removed...>
and would not harm the plant like Coppersafe. The anchor worm fell off, leaving a gaping wound in the side of the guppy. Despite this, he continued to eat and was active. A few days later, several red worms protruded from his anus, and one from the gaping hole in his side. After more searching on line, I am sure from the photos I have seen on line that he had Camallanus worms.
<Mmm... no... these Nematodes are stark white, round in cross section... Likely what you are seeing are other/new Anchorworms...>
I continued to treat with the Jungle Parasite Clear which contains Praziquantel, Diflubenzuron, Metronidazole, and Acriflavine.
<Mmm... none of these will treat for, kill Lernaeids... Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwcrustdisfaqs.htm
and the linked FAQs file above on Organophosphate Use>
This appeared to have no effect on the worms, and the fish has now finally died (whether from the worms or the wound).
So my basic questions are these?
<Likely crustacean... Anchorworms>
What do I treat the tank with to ensure anchor worms (which I know is not a worm) and Camallanus worms (theoretically they have a 30 day life cycle) are gone (since the Jungle Parasite Clear didn't appear to treat the worms)?
<Not worms... just appear worm-like>
What is safe for the plant?
<Please read the above...>
Is the snail an intermediary host?
<Mmm, no>
How long do I need to wait, keeping in mind I have 2 Otos in quarantine, waiting for all the algae in the tank. Do I need to take down the whole set up and sterilize and start over?
<Mmm, possibly the best approach here now>
If so, how?
<See here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/clnaqfaqs.htm>
How do I keep the bacteria going in the tank since there are now no fish in there?
<They will be there>
Thank you in advance for your advice. I have learned much from your site. I wanted to introduce my son to the pleasures of an aquarium, and all he has seen so far is a bunch of parasites and sick fish. I realize we have just a tiny set up, but I had an aquarium when I was growing up, and I wanted him to have the same pleasure it gave me. I'd just like to get the new Otos settled. We know the 1 inch per gallon of water rule, so we know we can only have a few small fish, but we want them to be healthy, happy fish. Thanks again for your help.
Vida
<Thank you for writing so well... Clearly and completely. I want to state, make it known to you that the difficulties you and your animals are suffering are not of your origination... The livestock you have received has been infested, compromised... and not easily cured by anyone's efforts. I would either bleach-wash and start over here, moving the water from the Quarantine along with the Otocinclus... and feed carefully till the system is established. Otherwise, Clout (tm), Fluke Tabs (tm), other DTHP or Dimilin containing pesticide can be added... Do please write back if you have further concerns, issues. Bob Fenner>

Re: newbie /anchor worms and Camallanus worms 12/18/07
Mr. Fenner,
<Vida>
Thank you for your prompt reply. I think I will take every thing down and bleach it out. Is there any way to save the plant?
<Yes... can be peremptorily dipped/bathed in an alum and water solution... See WWM, the Net re>
We like having a live plant as opposed to plastic. Likewise, how does one safely add new live plants, as I realize they can introduce parasites?
<Rare, but yes... most all that is wet can/may>
If we are starting all over, we will probably add another plant or two, and definitely don't want to introduce any new parasites. The Otos in quarantine appear healthy and thriving, and my son would like them in the tank. Here are some photo links, which show the photos why I believe the fish had Camallanus. This looked very different from the anchor worm on its side, and definitely appeared to be multiple red worms in the anus. They would pull in and appear much shorter at some times than at others. The anchor worm did not do this, it was the same until it fell off and left the wound on the side of the fish. My husband, who has a background in biology and a PhD in genetics, also felt that the organisms protruding from the anus were Camallanus and not the same as the anchor worm.
http://www.inkmkr.com/Fish/CamallanusTreatment/experience.html
http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/2897/parasiteen0.jpg
http://www.gaem.it/pubblico/articoli/malattiepesci/Camallanus/camallanus03.jpg

I had tried elevating the temperature of the tank to between 85-90 degrees (normally it is at 76 degrees) and adding a small amount of aquarium salt for the ich, but was conservative with this because of the plant and the oto. The pH of the aquarium was running 7.2-7.6 before treating with the Jungle Parasite Clear. I suspect some component of the medication fizzy tab has increased the pH.
<Possibly...>
Thank you again for your assistance.
Vida
<Thank you for this follow-up. Bob Fenner>

"Feeder" use in establishing cycling, nematode? 10/2/07
Dear WWM Crew,
<Kathryn>
I have two platys and a swordtail in my new aquarium and it is just about done cycling (nitrite .25 and consistently dropping, ammonia 0). The fish have all been doing well for about a month now
<... they've been in this system while it's cycling? Not good>
, except for a little feeder fish that died this morning.
<A comet goldfish? Other minnow? Feeder livebearer? Frequent, make that almost-without-exception vectors of parasitic and infectious disease...>
(The feeder fish was provided to me by the pet store as a way of establishing bacteria
<Not a suggested method... your system is likely infested...>
and he survived so I kept him.)
When I removed him from the tank, I found that his stomach was blown out and that there was a long, white, string-like object hanging from the opening in his body. (see picture).
<Mmm, perhaps a nematode... could be the GI tract...>
He had been stuck to the filter intake. I am wondering if what I am seeing is his intestines or a parasite. (If it is intestines, I am puzzled at the stomach rupture, the filter is a whisper filter designed for 5-15 gallon tanks.) I am hoping you can help me figure out what happened because I want to protect my platys and swordtail.
Here is some background:
For a few days nitrate levels were spiking faster than daily 50% water changes and salt could remedy, and I was doing multiple changes a day to help alleviate the stress but despite my efforts, the feeder fish started acting strangely. His gills darkened, on one side noticeable more so than the other, and he began to swim on his side and on his back, sometimes totally unable to right himself. I imagined this might be related to organ damage caused by nitrite poisoning, as levels nitrate levels had reached a 1.5 ppm at the worst.
<Way past toxic>
Prior to this behavior, he had been a very hearty and active fish. Once the strange swimming pattern began, he lasted about 48 hours. The only other out-of-the usual condition in the fish tank so far as I can tell is that my swordtail dropped a few fry, all of which disappeared before I could run to the store to get a separate tank for them. This also happened right before the feeder fish started acting strangely. I appreciate any insight you can offer!
Thanks!
Kathryn
<Wish you had read here first: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwestcycling.htm
and the linked files above... Bob Fenner>

Re: "Feeder" use in establishing cycling, nematode? 10/3/07
Hi Bob,
Thanks for your response. Shortly after starting to notice stress in my fish, I actually did a lot of reading on the nitrogen cycle and realized that the pet store misguided me in letting me purchase so many fish before cycling was complete.
<All too common>
Accordingly, I have been adding salt, been on reduced feeding schedule, and doing very frequent water changes to try to remedy the situation. Hence, the tank is nearly fully cycled and the fish are well (Except for the one in question).
The problem I am really concerned about at this point is, if this was a parasite (perhaps a nematode, as you suggested), are there measures that I can take to prevent my other fish from dying.
<Mmm, possibly... there are anthelminthics... that are relatively safe, effective, specific... Prazi... quantel... -pro... might be administered>
If it is the fish's GI tract,
do you have any ideas of what might have caused it to be coming out of the fishes body?
<Prolapse possibly... the tract of cyprinids however is much longer... coiled inside... Do you have a microscope? A cross-section near the "head" end (hard to discern which is which) should reveal a tri-radiate esophagus in the buccal region if so>
If it is some how related to nitrite poisoning, that situation is now under control.
<But the residual damage...>
If there is something else going on though, I want to make sure I take care of it. I haven't found much literature to explain rupturing fish bellies.
Thanks again!
Kathryn
<Mmm, not much to refer to here... in the popular literature or online. BobF>

Gourami with worms– 09/17/07
Good afternoon. Thank you for taking the time to answer my question. I have found much information on my problem but I'm still not sure exactly which action to take. I have a planted 75 gallon FW tank. About 2 months ago I had a rainbowfish that had a swim bladder problem that turned out to be a very bad case of worms. It happened right after I got back from a long weekend to find out that my fish sitter didn't notice the filter had stopped running. I was unable to save him using Prazipro. I was concerned that the entire tank might have a problem but didn't want to overreact so I did not treat the tank.
<Ah, your first mistake: you MUST treat the tank wherever communicable diseases are suspected. Used properly, medications pose no risk to your fish, filter, or plants.>
Fast forward to last week and I had a breeder net in to try and save some Cory cat eggs. They didn't hatch but I did see worms on the netting after about 3 days.
<Those wouldn't be intestinal worms. If anything, they're more likely to be planarians (flatworms). These are harmless as far as your fish go, being free-living scavengers, but they will eat eggs and to a lesser extent very small fry. Many ways to remove them, but the easiest is simply to keep some sort of fish that eats them, such as gouramis or Paradisefish.>
I did a 25 gallon water change and treated the tank with Prazipro. Within 24 hours one of my gouramis had stringy white feces and stopped eating. The next morning his belly was a little swollen. I was hoping that he would be able to pass what I'm guessing must be worms.
<Perhaps.>
It has been 5 days now and he is in no better shape. He is not eating and I have not seen him pass anything since that first day. His belly is now very swollen this morning.
<Because you've delayed treatment, the worms have become a worse problem. There's nothing you can really do except treat the tank and hope for the best. That said, worms by themselves don't normally cause dramatically rapid loss of health. Usually what you see is gradual emaciation of the body while the body cavity itself (sometimes) swells up abnormally. Bacterial infections are much more rapid, and tend not to be associated with gradual emaciation (though they can be) but more normally things like loss of colour, lethargic behaviour, loss of appetite, odd social behaviour, and so on.>
I'm not sure that Epsom salt would work because from what I've read I think it must be a bacterial infection.
<Likely won't make any difference. Epsom Salt is a muscle relaxant, and helps fix constipation, when coupled with extra fibre in the diet. It isn't a miracle cure.>
The rest of the fish seem to have no issues from the treatment. Could you please tell me what direction I should take?
<Re-dose the tank with anti-worming medication if you're sure its worms. Otherwise, assume its an internal bacterial infection, and use an antibiotic or antibacterial.>
Other than taking care of him, is there anything else I should do to the tank? Should I remove the old plants or gravel? Should I treat with a second round of Prazipro for good measure?
<Do a big water change to flush out any remaining medication, and then repeat the Prazipro or add the antibiotic/antibacterial as you decide is required. Unless stated to be safe, don't use two medications at the same time. As ever, remove carbon from the filter if you're using it.>
Thank you for your time,
Carol
<Hope this helps, Neale>

Re: Gourami with worms– 09/17/07
Neale,
Thank you so much for the quick response. I truly don't know what to believe his problem is. Because he started passing the white stringy feces and started to swell after using the Prazipro should I assume it is worms?
<Hmm... stringy faeces usually indicate bacterial or more often protozoan parasites. Hexamita is the classic example. Prazipro will do little/nothing to help here, since it's an anti-helminth drug. Erythromycin is a good starting place for internal bacteria, but Hexamita and other protozoans will need other drugs, like Metronidazole. I think I'd tend to try the Metronidazole first, and see what happens. My gut feeling is this is a protozoan infection, but obviously without seeing the fish, I can't be sure. Worms, you see, are relatively uncommon in aquarium fish because they have complex life cycles that cannot usually complete in an aquarium or fish farm. By contrast protozoan gut parasites are quite common, and though usually harmless, under certain conditions become a problem.>
I'm just not sure. What do you think is more likely due to the timing, worms or internal infection? If you believe it is an infection should I hospitalize and treat with Furan-2 or something else?
<Unless you're treating for physical damage such that the fish needs to be isolated so it can rest or feed, it's usually a good idea to treat the fish AND the aquarium. For one thing, many fish get stressed when they're moved about, especially schooling fish. Also, it's likely anything that infected one fish has infected the others, even if it isn't currently doing any harm.>
Thank you again for your time,
Carol
<Good luck, Neale>

Re: Gourami with worms– 09/17/07
Neale,
Thank you yet again for the quick response. I'm curious, is it possible that my rainbowfish had a parasite and not worms? They came out of him everywhere (from under his scales & he vomited them for lack of a better term) when I started treatment with Prazipro. They looked like very short tan worms.
They moved around quite a bit once out of the fish until they died. Bob Fenner had me treat him with Metronidazole first and it did not help him. So he had me try the Prazipro and that's when they started coming out of him.
<Does indeed sound like worms of some sort.>
For my current treatment the bottle suggests raising the temperature to 85 - 90 degrees for Cichlids and Discus. Should I do the same?
<Yes, worth a shot, but raise the temperature a degree at a time per day, and don't go above 85 until you're sure everything is happy. Boost the aeration a bit, too.>
Also, are there certain fish that can't have the Metronidazole? I also have frogs in this tank.
<Don't know the answer to this. Should be fine, but keep an eye open for any odd behaviour and act accordingly.>
Thanks,
Carol
<Good luck, Neale>

Help with internal parasites, again... Mollies 9/1/07
Hello Crew!
<Greetings.>
I've had a few long chats with Tom about my Mollies with internal parasites. This has proven as hard to get rid of as ich and killed many fish.
<Curious. My first question when people have problems with mollies is whether they are keeping them in freshwater or in brackish/marine conditions. In the former case they seem to me to be irredeemably delicate, and successful maintenance requires excellent (i.e., zero nitrate) water quality. In brackish/marine conditions mollies are basically indestructible. For me, it's a no-brainer: if you want to keep mollies with the minimum fuss, keep them at 25-100% seawater salinity (~SG 1.005-1.018). Ich/whitespot cannot survive under such conditions, finrot and fungal infections are extremely rare, and internal parasite "spores" (or whatever) cannot survive the saltwater conditions so cannot infect healthy fish.>
It all started when we lost one small black balloon Molly, and then realized that her companion was getting way too thin and had the red worm-thing sticking out her anus. We tried Metronidazole and a variety of other medicines, but she died despite our frantic attempts at a cure.
<Why did you use Metronidazole? That's a drug primarily for internal bacteria and to a less extent protozoan parasites. As far as I know, it has no effect on multicellular parasites such as worms. For those, you need something worm-specific (i.e., an anti-helminth drug) such as PraziPro or Sterazin.>
So, when we got two new balloon Mollies, we treated them in the quarantine tank with PraziPro (which is supposed to be effective) before we let them join the two remaining healthy fish. We added them to our apparently unaffected two remaining bigger Mollies, who came from a different dealer (one orange male and one spotted female). We lost the male two weeks ago (within three days he stopped chasing the females, then one morning was lying at the bottom of the tank gasping, then he was dead, no symptoms of anything). My boyfriend just called to tell me the spotted female died today, and apparently she has this red worm-thing again. What's worse, one of the two living Mollies has a distended anus with some white tube-like stuff protruding.
<This is a dumb question perhaps, but are you sure the problem here is worms? Parasitic worms generally don't cause quick deaths. What you tend to see is a gradual loss of condition or a failure to grow or put on weight. By their nature, most of these intestinal parasites have evolved not to kill the host outright, since they die when the host dies. Wild fish commonly carry a parasite load, but otherwise aren't harmed. Nine times out of ten, mollies die from nitrate poisoning, finrot, fungal infections, or acidosis. This is especially true when the die "quickly". Gasping, for example, is a good sign of respiratory distress, which can be caused by poor water quality and a too-low pH. Just a reminder, mollies in freshwater conditions (if you're foolish enough to keep them thus) need three specific things: zero nitrate, pH 7.5-8.2, and hardness not less than 20 degrees dH. In brackish/marine conditions, the sodium chloride will detoxify the nitrate so that isn't an issue, and the other salts in the marine salt mix will raise the pH and hardness automatically. Please note that "tonic salt" or "aquarium salt" won't do anything other than mitigate the nitrate, so are a greatly inferior product when keeping mollies.>
He's moving them to our quarantine/treatment tank as we speak and will start treating with PraziPro again. Should I also give them Metronidazole? I know they can be mixed, but it's not supposed to be super effective against those kinds of parasites. In any case, I'll follow your advice.
<PraziPro yes, Metronidazole no. As a rule, unless a qualified animal healthcare professional has said otherwise, you should NEVER mix medications. The synergies between two or more drugs are unknown, and potentially lethal. But more importantly, sit down and review your water conditions and chemistry. If you're keeping your mollies in freshwater, please understand that you will always be fighting to keep them healthy. It's just the way it is with mollies. While they are certainly freshwater fish in the wild, in aquaria they just don't do well kept thus. Spend any time reviewing the livebearer e-mails here, or postings on fish forums, and you'll see that there are always bucket-loads of messages about sick mollies.>
Now, the only remaining animals in the tank are a Nerite snail and two Amano shrimp (maybe a few Cherry shrimp too but we haven't seen them in a while).
<Ah, now the good news here is both Amano shrimps and nerite snails are salt-tolerant, so you can raise the salinity of the tank to SG 1.003-1.005 without problems, should you choose to do so.>
Do I need to treat the main tank to ensure that all parasites are gone? The fish are apparently reinfecting each other, and I want to ensure that they don't get sick again when I put them in the main tank. Do I need to leave the aquarium fallow? If so, how long? Do I hunt the shrimp and move them out, then treat the whole tank? Help!
<Yes, you need to treat the tank. Yes, you will probably need to remove the shrimps, as they tend to be sensitive to medications.>
Do I need to treat the Betta and his Eclipse III too? He used to be in the same aquarium as the Mollies, he might have been exposed...
<Probably not, unless you see some symptoms.>
I know many people say that healthy fish "strike a balance" with their internal parasites and live in apparent health for years with them.
This hasn't proven true for me, those are nasty little bugs (and tough too, after a week of PraziPro the worm was still hanging on) and I'd be extremely glad to be rid of them, once and for all.
<My suspicion is that you're dealing with mollies that are fundamentally stressed, and the worms are at best an "excuse" for them to wave a little white flag and give up.>
Those have to be from the LFS, and they must have lived for months with the things in their digestive systems without showing any signs, since we haven't given them anything else but Nori, flakes, sinking pellets and bits of corn for about a month. They also get frozen bloodworms, and occasionally brine shrimp, but they're both Hikari brand that's supposed to be well sterilized.
<The foods you list should be fine. Do bear in mind mollies are primarily herbivores, and the ratio of green to meaty foods should be of the order 80% to 20%. In fact, feeding them exclusively on vegetable-based fish foods (livebearer flake, Spirulina flake, algae pellets) would be entirely acceptable.>
I really don't want to battle internal parasites AGAIN!!!
<If you want healthy mollies, keep them in brackish/marine conditions. If you want to have to deal with "disease of the month" with your mollies, keep them in freshwater. That's Neale's sage advice for the day.>
Thank you so much for your advice... once again!
Merci beaucoup!
<You're welcome.>
Audrey
<Neale>

Re: Help with internal parasites, again... – 09/01/07
Hi again, Neale!
<Hello Audrey,>
Thank you for such a detailed answer. It did make me feel slightly like I was a bad fish owner, but maybe I deserve it for waiting so long to do what I know I should be doing....
> <Curious. My first question when people have problems with mollies is whether they are keeping them in freshwater or in brackish/marine conditions.
*blushing*... I know, I know... All right... I won't ask any questions again until I do the switch to brackish... I've been planning on it for ages, but I was waiting until after we got the new apartment more or less organized so we could move everyone to a brand new 30 gallons... Looks like this is the signal to get a move on...
Incidentally, we never detect any nitrates. We have plants and a healthy dose of algae so I suspect they get used up before our test kit can detect them. We also had a light fish load, four very small Mollies (balloon variety, they never grew) in 10 gallons (I know, too small, we'll wait until we get the 30 gal we're planning on before we get any more fish, but with the move we've had to buy essential furniture before we can think of a new aquarium). The LFS tells us we can put 10 Mollies in a 10 gallons... (!?!?!?!?!?!) Let's just say we have learned very quickly to take their advice with a big grain of salt :-) pH was always at least 7.5 and climbed very slightly during the winter, high enough that I didn't want to risk most of the fish they sell in the LFS, who need neutral or slightly acidic water. I guess the big problem is with (hardness? alkalinity?), I need to learn what scale it is measured in but the water here is a steady 9.
You're going to say too low, I know. We used to add livebearer salt, but after reading your advice (worthless, waste of money, etc. unless used for a specific problem), we stopped adding it to the tank a few months ago. We'll drop by the marine LFS this afternoon and pick up some marine salt.
<Ah, you seem to understand what's going on, so there's not really much more to add. Mollies just aren't as easy as everyone thinks, with the result that lots of them (most?) get sick and die rather quickly. I'd compare them to goldfish in this regard -- they seem easy, but they're not. For aquarists who want to stick with freshwater, I always recommend platies or swordtails instead. On the topic of pH and hardness, it's almost always safe not to worry about these (within reason). Most common freshwater fish (as opposed to brackish water ones!) can adapt to a wide range of values, so neons, for example, may *prefer* pH 5.5, near-zero hardness, but they'll *thrive* at pH 8, 20 degrees dH if acclimated to it carefully and otherwise looked after properly. What matters isn't so much the values as the *stability* -- what most fish hate is pH and hardness levels that bounce around. In other words, get fish that are already thriving at the retailer, keep them in your local water conditions, and use good filtration and regular water changes to optimise water quality while diluting the background water chemistry changes that happen in freshwater tanks anyway.>
See... sometimes it takes fish dying so that we learn. Another red flag should have been that they've never bred... we thought our male was sterile because try as he may, he could never get one of them pregnant. In retrospect, maybe they were just in the wrong conditions to breed.
<Quite possibly. But just as likely the fry got eaten or sucked up the filter or whatever.>
> <Why did you use Metronidazole?
Ah, well, because the only symptom we had was one dead emaciated fish and one very thin, formerly very plump, fish and we didn't know what she had, and this was recommended by the marine LFS and was the only thing we could find FAST! The local LFS have never heard of a cure for internal parasites. They just let them be. We did our best on short notice. And then we did more research, and found out about Praziquantel and other medicines, and tried to get some locally but *nobody* sells it around here, we called about 6 places, so I tried to mail-order it, but the two Canadian mail-order stores I know of didn't have it in stock, so we ordered Jungle Labs medicated food, which they wouldn't eat, and then we ordered Gel-Tek, which does contain some Prazi, but that didn't work, and finally the mail-order place got some PraziPro in stock, but by the time we tried that I think it was too late and the fish died, with three very visible red tails sticking out of her anus. But at least we'd finally got to the right medicine - I think.

> <This is a dumb question perhaps, but are you sure the problem here is worms? Parasitic worms generally don't cause quick deaths. What you tend to see is a gradual loss of condition or a failure to grow or put on weight.
I think this is exactly what we were seeing, but didn't recognize it in time. We've had some of those fish for six months and they haven't grown. It's just so gradual that we don't notice until the fish are too feeble to function properly. They seem fine, and then one morning they're not quite right, and a week later, they're dying. They never get to the not eating stage. I'm not saying their death can't be due to something else, and it might be more than one factor, but my test kit tells me the pH is steady at 7.5 and that there are no nitrates.
What I see is fish that won't grow, and that after a few months just stop functioning. When the male died he hadn't chased the females for about a week, maybe more, we just didn't notice at first... I feel bad for not noticing those things, but they happen so gradually... and when we did notice something wasn't quite right we didn't know what the problem was.
<OK. Again, you seem to have a sense of what's going on already, so all I can add here is a second opinion. Often, fish deaths come about from multiple small factors acting in concert. Much as with sickness in humans. So you need to watch for the small signs and act swiftly. Odd behaviour is often one of the very best clues, and a lot of experienced fishkeepers will hardly ever need to use test kits because they can spot when things aren't right in established tanks because the fish aren't doing what they should be doing. I don't recommend that approach for beginners of course!>
> <PraziPro yes, Metronidazole no. As a rule, unless a qualified animal healthcare professional has said otherwise, you should NEVER mix medications.
Ah, but in this case, we know they can be mixed safely because most general anti-parasite medicines contain at least those two, and sometimes other medicines too. But if you say Metro is worthless in this case, I won't use it. This is my understanding as well, but sometimes we bow to people of superior knowledge, so I was asking just in case, because I have some in my fish medicine cabinet...
<I'm not an expert on antibiotics for fish -- they're essentially prescription-only in the UK, so when you get them, the vet will tell you exactly how to use them. I'm happy to let others give you relevant advice here. But me, I prefer to use medications sequentially. It's also important to identify the problem before using the medication; scattergun approaches are risky because many medications can stress the fish, and if they aren't fixing one problem, they could end up causing another. Mollies should be fine, but things like loaches and pufferfish often react badly to medicines, and stingrays and invertebrates can be killed outright. So you need to treat medications with respect. Identify the disease, choose your drug, and look out for side effects.>
> <Ah, now the good news here is both Amano shrimps and nerite snails are salt-tolerant, so you can raise the salinity of the tank to SG 1.003-1.005 without problems, should you choose to do so.>
Yup, that's exactly what I was planning on when we got the 30 gal. I didn't want to do it with the Cherries in there, because from what I read they're not salt-tolerant at all, and I can't put them with the Betta because he'd rip them apart (he did it before, so we tried some cheap Ghost shrimp, and only found shrimp bits...). I was also trying to find a supplier of Bumblebee Gobies, for the future, and I have lists and lists of salt-tolerant plants, and know the ones we have now *should* make the switch (Bacopa, Anubias, Java fern, and Vallisneria in "quarantine" so we can screen for snails). We're all ready. We just haven't done it yet.
<Very good. I'm not sure whether Cherry shrimps are good in brackish or not. I'd personally risk it, at least to SG 1.003. Shrimps tend to be salt tolerant (many, though not Cherries) have a marine stage in their life cycle, as is the case with Amano shrimps. Acclimating slowly is perhaps the key. I keep (and inevitably breed!) Cherry shrimps and have found them to be rather robust animals, for their size. All your plants are good brackish water denizens, and assuming you have enough light and good substrate for them, will adapt readily. You've also got a nice mix there. When people rely solely on slow-growers like Java fern and Java moss, they end up with algae problems. Throwing in some Bacopa and Vallis should help a great deal. Indian fern is another good algae-beater that tolerates low-end brackish.>
> <My suspicion is that you're dealing with mollies that are fundamentally stressed, and the worms are at best an "excuse" for them to wave a little white flag and give up.>
Then I'll work under this assumption. I promise not to bother you again with my Mollie troubles until they're safely in brackish water.
Then, if I'm still having problems, I'll let you have a go at it :-)
<Heh! Brackish water doesn't fix everything, and it certainly won't cure infected mollies of things like intestinal worms. But what it does do is make them orders of magnitude more robust, and the salinity also suppresses many external parasites as well as the infective stages of certain internal parasites. This is why brackish water fishes have a reputation for being so hardy.>
> <The foods you list should be fine. Do bear in mind mollies are primarily herbivores, and the ratio of green to meaty foods should be of the order 80% to 20%. In fact, feeding them exclusively on vegetable-based fish foods (livebearer flake, Spirulina flake, algae pellets) would be entirely acceptable.>
Yes, they've been getting Nori at least a day out of two. I tried peas but they don't eat it, but they do like corn. I'll try broccoli next.
Can you believe I haven't ever seen a vegetable-based flake around?
Sometimes I feel aquarium shops around here are 20 years behind the times... Even the sinking "algae" pellets have fish flour in them, sometimes even as the first ingredient, so they're not really vegetarian... I've been looking for something called "Spirulina flake" but haven't seen it, just regular flakes with Spirulina among the other ingredients. *sigh*. Maybe I'm simply not looking in the right places. In the meantime, we got some Nori for free at the local sushi place, we just ask for a sheet when we pick up some takeout and with only four small fish, it lasts a long time... and the Amano love it too.
<Interesting. I picked up Spirulina in a grocery store called Hy-Vee in Lincoln, Nebraska over Christmas. So I suspect it's a case of looking out for the stuff while you're on your travels. It isn't critical though. You might even grow your own: a plastic goldfish bowl placed outdoors and filled with water will quickly develop a nice flora and fauna including insect larvae and thread algae. Yum, yum! I love taking this approach, because my "live food ponds" become interesting aquaria in their own right.>
Interesting unrelated tidbit, our Betta eats everything, either floating, sinking or lying at the bottom of the tank (flake, sinking pellets, Betta food, live shrimp, dead shrimp, bloodworms and brine shrimp, peas, corn, everything we ever put in his tank). He even tried Nori. Well... he tried it the first time we gave it to him, but stubbornly refused to taste it ever again :-) I guess even the most wide-ranging tastes have their limit :-)
<Indeed! But that's the right approach to feeding fish. Let them have a little of everything.>
Thank you again, and sorry to be such a bother :-)
Audrey
<Not a problem. Good luck, Neale>

Parasitic Worms Coming Out Of Fish, FW – 8/19/07
Hi, I have a parasite ( microworm like ) eating his way out my blue and gold ram and killifish anus. It looks like something is eating the fish's anus and you can see like 4 or 5 red little worms coming out. I been looking on the internet and you guys seen to have the more knowledge on parasites. I would appreciate any help.
< Most parasites like this can be controlled with Clout or Fluke-Tabs. Just follow the directions on the package and they should be fine in a few days.-Chuck>

Sick Oranda, Flukes? 8/19/07
Hi. My Oranda died today. Gills were blue so I assume it was from the gill flukes.
<Mmmm, not necessarily>
How do I decontaminate the tank before putting in new goldfish?
<Best to bleach, dump, dechlorinate... Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/clnornart.htm
The same protocol...>
I read that gill flukes aren't susceptible to high salt concentrations. I was thinking of overdosing the tank with Jungle Labs Parasite Clear and then let the tank run with just water and the filter going for a couple of weeks. Do I have to get rid of my plants, too or OK to keep in tank? Thanks.
YM
<Mmm, the plants, actually anything wet could be a vector here... I would at least isolate these, treat them with an organophosphate... Bob Fenner>

Platy with piles? 8/13/07
i have a platy Plec that has lumps that can only be described as piles on its anal/vent area, they are white / pink in colour and there is a lot of them. this is the only platy Plec i have in the tank along with 2 guppies, alas all the others have died over time....... please can anyone tell me what it is ......
<Hello. Sounds a lot like worms of some kind. Without a photo, can't be sure. But assuming that it is, you'll need to treat with an anti-worm medication (Waterlife Sterazin, JBL Gyrodol, Aquarium Products Fluke-Tabs, etc.). If you're losing a lot of fish in a short period of time, do also reflect on aquarium water quality/water chemistry. Platies and guppies like nice hard water with a high pH (say, 15 dH and a pH of 7.5). Water quality should be good, 0 ammonia and nitrites, and platies especially need a tank with a bit of swimming space, certainly not less than 15 gallons. Cheers, Neale.>

External Parasites On An Adult Jack Dempsey 7/17/07
Hello Crew, I have a relatively large Jack Dempsey (10") named Phin that lives with an algae eater in a 40 gallon tank. We've had him for just over a year and up to this point his behavior is fairly predictable but lately we have noticed some new patterns that were alarming. We introduce 10 feeder fish each week and it usually takes him just a few days to polish them off. About 2-1/2 weeks ago we introduced the feeders and he has only eaten two of them. In addition, he started to breathe more rapidly and he would dart around the tank and almost crash himself into the gravel. About two days ago I went to say good morning to Phin and noticed that he had about a dime-sized spot behind one of his eyes where it appears he has lost his scales. I also noticed one scale near his tail on the same side that was coming loose. I immediately went to the pet store to ask about possible problems and solutions. The "fish expert" at the store suggested that it may be a skin bacteria or infection and gave me "Maracyn" to treat the tank for five consecutive days. She also gave me frozen beef heart to provide Phin with some nutrition. I did the initial treatment on the tank and fed him some of the beef heart (which he absolutely devoured). A few hours later I returned to the tank to check on Phin and I noticed something new...he now has tiny little greenish things all over him. There are a few on his body and some on each of his fins. They are very small, I would say less than 3mm across, they appear to be round and they don't move around a lot, they seem attached to his body. I referred to the instructional booklet that came with the "Maracyn" and it didn't say that it treated any live, external parasites so I'm not quite sure what to do at this point. What do you think I'm dealing with and how should I treat it? Thank you in advance for your help!
< When you feed your fish feeder goldfish you always have the potential to introduce parasites and diseases to your fish. treat with either Clout or Fluke Tabs. It sounds like you have fish lice.-Chuck>

Ich-look-alike? Skin parasite on Dwarf Puffer – 06/17/07
Hi Crew,
I really need your help with my male dwarf puffer. First, the vitals:
two dwarf puffers, heavily planted six gallon tank, one Amano shrimp tankmate. Water tests with a consistent 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrites, 5 Nitrates (which is how it comes out of the tap in these parts). Weekly 30% water changes, and their diet is 80% Grindal worms that I raise on a high-quality dog biscuit and 20% snails from my large planted tank.
About six weeks ago, he began developing a handful of white specks that looked to me like a classic case of ich.
<These are almost certainly Cercariae...>
I thought it fairly strange, since I've had him & his female tankmate seven months with no additions to the tank. But I began a heat/salt treatment right away, bringing the temp to 82 with the addition of 1/2 tsp of salt per gallon of water.
After two weeks's time and no change whatsoever in the appearance of the spots, I began thinking I was mistaken. Perhaps these were just skin flaws of some kind?
<Mmm, no. Please read the second, third ref. here: http://www.google.com/search?q=cercariae+on+puffers&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-Address&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7PCTA>
I have treated many cases of ich over the years successfully with heat & salt, and have always seen that familiar dropping off of the cysts after a few days of treatment. So I brought the heat back down and waited. A few more weeks went by with no change, and then in the course of a week the spots began to increase. I tried again, this time with the temp at 84 for two weeks. No change. Heat back down to normal. Spots are now increasing slowly but steadily. The poor boy is at least eating and remains active, but I am seeing occasional flashing so I know this is bothering him. Whatever it is, it's spreading, and I am stumped. The female is totally unaffected by the way.
Any ideas? Is this some kind of ich-look-alike skin parasite? There are no visible worms, no red spots, no clues of any kind. I am in terror of using anything stronger than salt on such a sensitive fish as a DP, but the heat and salt are obviously doing nothing.
I've attached a couple really poor photos which will likely be too blurry for a diagnosis of any kind but will at least give you a sense of scale and placement.
Thanks in advance for your help.
<Will need to use an anthelminthic... My choice? Prazi/quantel... particulars are posted on WWM. Bob Fenner>

Ich-look-alike? Skin parasite on Dwarf Puffer – 6/19/07
> >> I really need your help with my male dwarf puffer...
> >> About six weeks ago, he began developing a handful of white specks that looked to me like a classic case of ich.
> > <These are almost certainly cercariae...>
> >>Thanks in advance for your help.
> ><Will need to use an anthelminthic... My choice? Prazi/quantel... particulars are posted on WWM. Bob Fenner
Bob, picked up PraziPro on Sunday and began treatment (bath, following label instructions). Two full days now and no change at all in the cysts. If anything he seems to be getting weaker. Recommendations? Is there anything else it could be?
<Yes... and I absolutely hate this guessing... Do you have a microscope? A way to send along pix from such? BobF>

Worms and platy fry 6/16/06
Greetings from Australia to all the crew,
<Returns from sunny southern Cal. in the U.S.A.>
having only a few months experience in keeping fish we have been running into quite a few problems with the poor things.
Our latest involves something as unpleasant as worms. The local aquarium guy has assured us it has to do with the drought affecting our area and dams and not just something we did. We bought fluke tablets and after fishing out a few platy fry (all of which seemed fine) and we set up an emergency tank for them with water from the big tank. We then added the fluke tablets but being new at this and apparently not very clever we took out the wrong piece of the filter, with the result that worms are still in the fish and tank! We had a few mishaps with the little fry in the emergency tank with a new heater going berserk and killing the poor things, we were trying so hard to save, so we decided to leave the two last fry who seemed affected by the worms in the tank when treating next, but just as we were about to add more fluke we saw about 20 little fry swimming around. To make it worse we also have a speckled Cory which the before mentioned fish guy told us will not appreciate the fluke. Now what do we do?

One of our nice big platy females is having big worm issues and is in big trouble but what about all the little new ones?
<All>
Do we risk killing them in the new little tank with water from the big tank and a crazy out of control heater or do we leave them in the big tank and hope for the best?
<I'd treat all in place, in your main/display tank>
Please help. My kids have named 10 of the little fry and will be pretty upset if I kill more than I already have..
Oh and we also have some tough neon tetras in the tank. They have survived terrible water conditions due to our inexperience, ich, etc and now worms . We managed to kill 5 guppies, and 3 tough platys early on, yet the Neons live nice and strong. Totally opposite to what we have been told. (It may not sound like it but we really tried and we do care about the fish. We have bought every single form of equipment and medicine available. We are just not clever)
Marianne in Australia
<Bob Fenner>

Red, Protruding Spine-like things... Ram hlth. – 06/08/07
Hi there,
<Hello.>
I have three Bolivian rams in my 40 gallon tank along with some other tank mates and I just recently lost one of my rams. He had these red spines that were protruding from his underside. Now I am noticing that the surviving three also are beginning to show signs of this.
<Hmm... are these spines associated with the fins, or sticking out of the body far away from the fins? Without a photo, it's difficult to identify the problem.>
Do you know what it is and if so, how would I go about treating this?
<My first guess would be finrot. When the fins decay, the membrane goes but the spines remain, and these could be the red spines you're seeing. Untreated, finrot will kill fish. It is treatable using a variety of commercial medications. Ideally, choose a remedy that treats fungus as well, as the two things often happen together. Now, finrot is 99% of the time a symptom of poor water quality, so check the ammonia and nitrite levels especially. Bolivian rams (like most other dwarf cichlids) are also very sensitive to high levels of nitrate. You should be doing 50% water changes weekly, and the nitrate level should be well below 50 mg/l. Ideally, as close to zero as is practical. Hardness and pH aren't terribly important, but you're aiming for low to moderate hardness and a pH around between 6-7.>
I really like these fish and I don't want to lose anymore.
<Yes, they're lovely animals.>
Thanks and I look forward to your reply,
Trish
<Good luck! Neale>

Re: Red, Protruding Spine-like things – 6/8/07
Hi Neale,
Thanks for your reply.
<You're welcome.>
Now, I would believe you except that my levels are all good and I always do water changes... Now the other thing is that these guys' fins are beautiful! There is nothing wrong with any part of any of them.
<Okay.>
This red spiny thing sticking out is protruding from the anus so is coming from inside the fish. The one that died had them really big and they would go in and out. The fish now just have a small piece poking out. Do you still think this is finrot?
<Ah, the plot thinnens. No, this doesn't sound like finrot any more. More like intestinal worms. Rather rare in freshwater fish kept indoors, but they do occur. If these worm-like things are wriggling about and obviously alive, then they're definitely intestinal parasites. You will need an anti-helminth (anti-worm) medication to treat these. Depending on your local laws, you will either be able to obtain such drugs from your retailer or from a vet. In the UK for example, Flubenol is available over the counter from aquarium retailers but most of the others used by American aquarists are not. Your own mileage will vary, as they say. The only other thing they could be is stringy faeces. This is actually very common in cichlids, often through the wrong diet or as an additional symptom to things like Hole-in-the-Head disease. In this case, the stringy faeces hang out the back of the anus like threads, but are clearly inanimate. If this is the issue, it's a case of identify the problem, then treat. Diet can be fixed with, for example, more vegetables in the diet. Hole-in-the-Head usually requires antibiotics.>
Trish
<Hope this helps, Neale>

Wormlike parasite 5/30/07
Hello there,
<Good morning>
I have a problem with two Bronze Catfish, they seem to have a parasite that I can't identify. One of the Bronze Cats is new, I've had it for a few days.
My tanks isn't very old (less than two months, but I have been monitoring it closely and it has cycled). It is a 90 litre tank (24 ish gallons).
Currently my temp is 79, pH is 6.8 , ammonia 0, nitrites 0 (I only tested for nitrates once about three weeks ago and there were none, the tank is quite heavily planted so I'm guessing whatever nitrates have been produced are being used up or removed during water changes).
I don't think that water quality is affecting the fish, but nevertheless the Bronze Cats seem to have extremely tiny, whitish, wormy looking things attached to the very ends of their fins, they are difficult to see with the naked eye. There don't seem to be any on their bodies, they just seem to be on the ends of the fins, hanging like little tassels that move when the fish are swimming. They are very small, they must be less than a mm long. There seem to be more on the newest Bronze Cat, but I believe that the other bronze has caught them now too because I noticed a few today ( I'm afraid that they are spreading). I have 2 Pepper Cats and two Sterbai Cats and they seem unaffected, none of the other fish in the tank seem affected either (Neons, Gouramis, SAE etc.). These parasites don't seem to be bothering the fish so far (no clamped fins, scratching or heavy breathing) but I know that this could change. These two Bronze Cats also seem to each have another problem as well ( I know this is getting boring but I think it's better to get all the details out in the open). My older Bronze Cat is a long finned variety, very pretty, but I think that someone likes the look of his magnificent dorsal fin because sometimes it suddenly looks munched or shredded. It heals readily and does not seem to get infected so I don't think that it's fin rot. I don't keep any 'aggressive' fish in my tank, but maybe a naughty baby Clown Loach might have nipped him? ( Who knows what any of the fish get up to when the lights are off?). The newer Bronze seems to have lost the barbels on one side of his mouth, it doesn't look infected.
This seems to have happened quite suddenly as well ( it was while I was inspecting this that I noticed the parasites). I think that the barbel may have been damaged during feeding. I try to break up a few small sinking wafers for all my bottom feeders to have an even chance but I have still noticed that the Clown Loaches are pretty dominating at feeding time. My Betta also gets quite aggressive as well. Could the barbels have been severed during a feeding frenzy? I realise that the parasite and the injuries may be related because the fish may be more susceptible to infection if they're injured. But do you have any idea what the parasites are and how to treat them?
<Mmm, microscopic examination would be the route to go here, but likely some type of Fluke (trematode)>
My other issue is with a new Blue Ram. I bought a male and a female (they get along well) and it is the female who is looking rough. She has got small white patches on her body and fins. They aren't ich spots but they don't look cottony or fluffy either. Could they be a fungus infection that is just starting out? Or is it bacterial?
<Impossible to state for sure... but the fish being new, I would be very conservative here re treatment>
I don't know what to treat with. I have a malachite green/methylene blue/quinine solution which is meant to be a sort of 'cure all' tonic,
<The Malachite is quite toxic... I would hold off for now>
but I am afraid to use it with the Clown Loaches being in the tank now, and I don't want to destroy my biological filtration either. Would the medicine that I have be suitable to treat the worm parasites and the fungus or would you recommend something else? Should I treat the whole tank? ( I don't have a QT but could do a short soak in a bucket?) Sorry this is so long but I would really appreciate any advice you could offer.
Kind regards,
Jessica in New Zealand
<I would treat the worm problem with an anthelminthic (likely Flubenol or Prazi(quantel)... covered on WWM (see the indices, search tool)... and the current problem with the Ram... not at all, other than maintaining good (soft, acidic, warm) water quality. Bob Fenner>

Re: wormlike parasite continued 5/31/07
Hi WWM,
<Jessica>
Thank you Bob for your reply regarding my unidentified 'worms'. Before receiving your reply I went to my LFS to buys some plants and asked them about the worms. The parasite description stumped the staff there but one of them eventually decided that I should try Praziquantel. He said it was what they used to treat parasites on their discus so we figured it was worth a go.
<Yes>
I bought some of the Praziquantel but I waited to hear what your suggestions would be (no offense to my LFS, just thought you guys would have had more experience with parasite ID's). Imagine how great it was to hear two different sources suggest the same treatment! I used the Praziquantel this morning (on the whole tank as I believe it was spreading to all my catfish) and it looks like the parasites have already come off the fish's fins. I can't see them anymore. So I'm guessing that the Praziquantel made the parasite fall off of their hosts?
<Very possibly>
I was given two doses and told to use the second one in a week's time, would you recommend this and should I do my usual weekly water change (about 15-20%) beforehand?

I also wondered if I could use some MelaFix to help my Blue Ram?
<Mmm... not really worthwhile>
Whatever is ailing her seems to be getting worse, I'm still not sure if it's a bacteria or a fungus.
<Likely water quality...>
She just seems to have small, white clumps on her body and fins (they are different to the parasite that was on my catfish), some of them are looking a bit stringier (still not cottony/fluffy though) than they did before so maybe this is a fungus?
<Do see Google re Lymphocystis... pix...>
She's also looking a bit more 'clamped' than she was before, still feeding and reasonably active though. Her partner looks fantastic and they seem happy together, he is not beating her up and neither is anyone else. Maybe the male was a bit aggressive in the bag on the way home from the store (although it wasn't a long trip and I didn't see anything amiss), or maybe she was already sick at the store. The stock there all looked pretty good and my water chemistry seems suited to their requirements. I'm not sure what's making her sick, but I'm worried that she's getting worse and maybe the MelaFix would be a milder course of action (rather than the malachite/methylene/quinine tonic that I have).
<Neither one is suggested>
I'm aware that the MelaFix may not have an effect on whatever is making her sick, but I just thought it would be worth a try if it was safe to mix with the Praziquantel. I've done a ton of research on both of these today, but I haven't seen anything saying whether you could mix them or not. At least now I know more about them on their own :-)
<Can be mixed... but the "Fix" product is just a "tea"... soaked Melaleuca leaves... at best it might lower the pH here>
A third and completely unrelated question is that I have two Honey Dwarf Gouramis (Trichogaster chuna), a male and a female.
<Ahh! One of my favorite species>
They seem to get along apart from the odd brief chase here and there, which I'm sure is natural.
Today (before dosing the Praziquantel) I noticed that the male has darkened up considerably on his ventral area. It is a section that runs from under his mouth and eyes, just under his pectoral fins, along past his bottom and into his fins (anal fin? pelvic fin?). It's actually quite a defined, diagonal line. The colour seems to be a mottled black pigmentation and it extends around his belly. I've seen him blow a few bubbles at the surface, but no bubble nest building. Is he trying to impress his lady friend? Or could this be a sign of something else?
<Likely is reproductive/stress color change...>
Again, thank you for your time. I'm glad that there are credible websites like yours for people to turn to with their queries.
Jessica
<Welcome my friend. BobF>

Help with possible parasites 5/25/07
Good Morning,
<Its good evening here in Merrie Olde Englande.>
I have a question regarding one of my female neon swordtails. She is a full grown adult that I have had approx. 6 months. First of all tank parameters:
Ammonia - 0
Nitrites - 0
pH - 7.4
Nitrates - 25
Tanks size - 55gal, tankmates are platies, guppies, other swordtails, and one pleco.
<All sounds fine.>
I noticed a strange growth inside the fish about 1/4" from her tail. It appears to be circular. The fish swam next to the light and I could see through the tail and that's the only reason I saw it. She has been acting very healthy and normal. Eating very well, in fact just dropped about 15 fry. You can start to see the lump on the outside if you look very carefully, however, nothing is protruding outside the scales. The other fish in the tank are doing very well and also the many fry are doing fine.
<If the swelling is inside the fish and in muscle tissue (rather than the abdomen) then almost certainly a benign cyst or tumour. Quite common in fish. No real cure, but no real threat to your fish either. But without a picture, impossible to say for sure quite what this is.>
I have done considerable research to see what this may be and the only thing I can come up with is a digenetic fluke.
<Rather unlikely, because of the complex life cycle most of these flukes have. Pond fish sometimes get them, but indoor fish almost never.>
Any suggestions will be appreciated. I understand that if it is a fluke the life cycle requires an intermediate host such as a snail. I do have a few snails in the tank.
<Indeed, but usually very specific snails. The chances of you having a worm that worked in both the fishes and the snails in your aquarium have to pretty small.>
Doesn't look like there are many reliable cures for this other than removing the fish and the intermediate host. Can I expect to have a major problem from this or is this something that healthy fish can live with or overcome. Thanks in advance.
<Since it's almost certainly just a cyst or benign tumour, there's not much to be done. Provided the fish can swim properly and the internal organs are impacted in any way by the cyst, the fish should remain healthy. Cheers, Neale>

Red sword and Levamisole Phosphate, use of anthelminthics, FW 5/21/07
Hello fellow crew member,
This is Anna. We exchanged few e-mails a couple of months ago.
Just to give you a recap - so far my tank is doing well; I got some plants that keep growing nicely; fish seems to be happy there.. in few words - "almost perfect."
There is one issue I am not sure about. I presume my female red sword is doing well. It is first at the feeder, eating with no problems; it does not display abnormal behavior (except for the time when it hides under plants to "visit the bathroom") - it is well integrated within community. Yet, when I observe its feces I see something that other fish does not performs. Basically, the red sword is "on the toilet" :--) all the time, producing quite large amount of feces, mostly dark green (chewing my plants ??) or black, with some sort of whitish segments in between.
After studying the book of Drs. Untergasser and Axelrod I concluded that my sword might be affected by tapeworm. The books says it is okay not to take any action if fish is doing fine (my is doing well).
Yet, I feel sorry for that fish having toilet problem all day long and would like to help it - if possible.
My colleague at another fish community suggested I use LEVAMISOLE Phosphate (injectable solution). I got one (13.65), but before using it I would like to make sure it is:
- safe for fish
- manageable
- with min. side effect.
<Mmm, I would not use this format of Levamisole... nor inject this small fish... If you were to use "L", look for the HCl (Hydrochloride) radical... to be used in foods... Or better, look to an anthelminthic that can be simply applied to the water... my choice? Praziquantel...>
Would you recommended that I use that medicine? How should I proceed with using it?
<Please see WWM, the Net, Ed Noga's works...>
As for my aquarium condition - ammonia is at zero; pH is between 6.6 - 6.8. I also trace phosphate (current level around between 0.5 and 1.0).
I do partial water changes every day to help keep the fish healthy.
Do you think there is anything I can do for my red sword with or without LEVAMISOLE?
<Perhaps...>
Please, help...
Thanks much.
Anna
P.S. - I attached some pictures of my red sword to help you see what I can see ;--) <Mime... not useful>
<Ah good... The Prazi... Bob Fenner>

Worms in my tank 4/10/07
Hello,
I have been reading your site and it has been really helpful, but to be sure I just wanted to explain my situation and see what you thought. I have a 75 gallon freshwater tank with one Jack Dempsey cichlid and a algae eater (not sure of the real name)
<Algae eater is probably Gyrinocheilus aymonieri, a nasty son-of-a-gun and a Jack Dempsey is one of the few fish that would be able to handle it. Big (30 cm), greenish fish with distinctive spiracle (opening) above each gill slit.>
They both seem very healthy, very vibrant in color. I was looking very closely and I saw very thin hair looking worms that didn't really move. The only reason I new they were living things is because I poked one with my finger and it squiggled. There are only a few of these worm things and I was wondering if it was a parasite from my Jacks stomach.
<Unlikely. If parasitic worms sometimes come in with wild-caught fish, but they don't wiggle about in the gravel. If you see a swollen belly and/or worms protruding from the anus, then parasite worms are possible. Otherwise these are harmless nematodes or oligochaetes that have (for example) come in with live food.>
The only reason why I'm concerned with this is because lately he hasn't had and appetite. Any thoughts on this?
<Try using garlic to stimulate appetite. You can even buy ready-garlicked frozen food! Also try starving the fish for a few days, and then offering something new. Maybe some seafood or a bit of whitebait instead of the usual flake and pellets. One thing aquarists often overlook is dried food loses its savour after a while. Though safe to use for months after opening, after about 4 weeks it doesn't smell strong enough and many fish ignore it. If you buy big tubs, divide it up, freeze most of it in a dry container, and remove only a portion at a time. Maybe check for constipation (yes, happens to fish too) a remedy by offering green foods such as cooked peas.>
Thanks for your time,
<No probs. Cheers, Neale>
Jennifer

Camallanus dosage problem. Neotrop. cichlid dis., Levamisole/Anthelminthic, FW 2/27/07
I have a Camallanus problem in my 125 gallon tank, with 2 fish showing the worms protruding from the anus. My pH is around 7.8, ammonia is 0, nitrite is 0, and temperature is 80.2 degrees.
The fish are single specimens between 2"-4"of the following: blue Acara, archer fish, Nicaraguan cichlid, Red Hump Eartheater, Satanoperca jurupari, Geophagus surinamensis, Bujurquina vittata, and Hypselecara temporalis.
I've looked this up on the Search, but I have serious questions/ doubts about dosing.
The medication I have available is Levasole (Levamisole hydrochloride) in the powdered form, and it brings 18.25 grams.
<This is the total weight of what you have available?>
here are my questions:
-What would be the appropriate dose for using it in the water instead of adding to food?
<Mmm, much better administered via food/feeding>
-How much Levasole would I need to do this?
<Mmmm, "lifted", or my new term "meta-analyzed" from Noga's fish diagnosis tome: Oral formulations: Feed 2.5 to 10 mg. Levamisole HCl/kg (you'll have to guess the weight of the fishes...) = 1.1 to 4.5 mg per pound... for seven days. As stated, I would not "pour the medicine" into the tank... or use prolonged immersion in a bath... or encourage you to try injections>
-When do I repeat the treatment, and when do I do the first water change?
<Daily for repeats, for a week... and water changes as they are needed or weekly IMO>
thanks for the help, and sorry for the long message.
<Glad to assist you. Bob Fenner>

Ghost shrimp, Acanthocephalans, worms in general... 1/15/07
I just bought a few ghost shrimp and everything appeared to be going fine until today, when I noticed one of the shrimp had a worm in it.
<You have good sight>
After a mild freak-out I managed to do some research on the internet and found out that it was most likely a horsehair worm.
<Yes, possibly an acanthocephalan...>
Unfortunately, I haven't found
much useful information regarding my situation beyond the initial identification. The infected ghost shrimp was in a tank that contained some guppies as well as other ghost shrimp. Could the worm have possibly laid eggs in my tank?
<Could...>
Would I be able to see them?
<No, too small>
Should I worry about the larva (assuming there are eggs and that the eggs will hatch) infecting my fish and other ghost shrimp?
<Mmm... possibly the shrimp... not likely the fish... May well be that the life cycle of this parasite is "complex" and that your tank is missing an/the intermediate host... likely guppies are not definitive here>
I know that the young are parasitic, yet I am not completely sure if they use fish as hosts. The ghost shrimp was in my tank for less than 24 hours. Are they dangerous to my fish?
<Again, not likely>
Should I assume that my whole tank has been infested? Is there anything I can do to stop the infection, assuming there is one, without harming my fish?
<... I would do nothing... but there are some useful anthelmenthics... Praziquantel, Levamisole... you can search re these on the Net, WWM...>
Currently, all of the other inhabitants of my tank seem fine, and there is no evidence of other horsehair worms infecting my tank. I hope I am overreacting to this tiny worm.
<Mmm...>
 Please set my mind at ease. Should I be freaking out about the possibility of infestation of my other fish and ghost shrimps?
Thanks,
Lauren
<How to put this... there are actually several... as in many, species of worms... living in your system... in your own personal world... This one is likely only detrimental to the shrimp that are hosting large individuals... in non-propitious circumstances. I would not panic here. Bob Fenner>

Another livebearer question 12/30/06
Hi Tom,
<<Hello, Linda.>>
Another question if I may?
<<Certainly.>>
What do you recommend for preventing gill flukes? I haven't had this problem for some time but since I plan to get guppies I want to be prepared. I had quite a problem at one time after purchasing guppies. I have tried CopperSafe before but I wonder if there is something better to ward off a potential problem. I understand if the fish are in good shape and remain un-stressed they can keep many parasites at bay themselves. What about salt on a regular basis? I don't keep snails but I may get a stray or two since I plan to have living plants in my new 55gal tank. Is that a potential source of gill fluke infestation?
<<As you’re likely aware, Linda, maintaining top-notch water and tank conditions is the best preventative. As to water conditions, these speak to themselves in terms of regular changes, substrate/filter cleaning, etc. As for the tank conditions, be wary of over-crowding and provide hiding places particularly for the expectant females. You’re quite correct that stress-free, healthy fish are – virtually – immune to parasitic infestation. I’ve mentioned this in other posts but it bears repeating: in cases of disease, medications merely “control” the spread. The immune systems of the fish are what ultimately eradicate the problem. In short, there’s nothing better that you can do for your pets than provide the best conditions possible. The Guppies, more so than the Swordtails and Platys, will actually appreciate the addition of aquarium salt to the water. Even fish that don’t have a high tolerance for salt will do fine with a modest amount in the tank. Pests, on the other hand, have little tolerance for any. The one admonition I would have for you here is that plants may not do well with salt in the water. Typically, however, this would be at what might be described as “treatment levels” which would be several times greater than you would normally maintain in your aquarium. In your case, I would cut the common ratio of one tablespoon per five gallons in half and see how both the plants and fish fare at this level. (Sometimes some good, old experimentation is needed to find a happy compromise.) Finally, since gill flukes don’t require an intermediate host, I don’t think a stray snail or two will pose a problem. Look into treating your plants in a solution of potassium permanganate if you want to avoid introducing even a stray snail. In fact, it’s really not a bad practice to quarantine plants as well as fish before adding them to the display tank. Goes a long way in avoiding “undesireables” that may be trying to hitchhike their way into a new home.>>
Thanks,
Linda Ritchie
<<Happy again to be of service, Linda. Tom>>

Endless livebearer frustration - this time Camallanus! 11/12/06
Hello Crew!
<<It’s been quite a while, John. Tom>>
I am rather unhappy to be writing you again. Not unhappy with you, of course, but unhappy that I actually have to write you about a problem yet again. As well-documented on this site you probably remember that during the summer I had endless problems with platys and guppies.
<>
Those troubles finally settled in September and October and things had been going well. I started a new aquarium setup (a 160L tank), did a fishless cycle and stocked it after ensuring there were no sick fish (i.e.: a quarantine regimen). The two other aquariums I was running (a 96L and a 54L) were doing fine too after a long period of
"disequilibrium" and sickness amongst my fish.
<<All sounds good.>>
However.
<<Uh oh…>>
I was doing a thorough clean of the 96L today and afterwards I was observing my fish, handiwork and my sparklingly clear waters when I noticed a female guppy with some fine red strands coming from the anus area. Oh no, I thought. Double oh no I thought as I had just transferred some of the fry she dropped into the 160L tank. I did this because the tanks had been running clean for a month or more with no new
additions. To my shock and horror I believe this guppy is infested with internal parasites namely nematodes (Camallanus).
<<Absolutely agreed, I’m rather sorry to say.>>
Thus, I am facing a rather nightmarish scenario at the moment. I believe I have put contaminated fry into my beautiful 160L tank and I believe I have a case of advanced nematode parasites in a guppy in my 96L tank. Come Monday I will obtain some Levamisole in order to treat this problem. The questions I have are as follows:
1. How bad is my current situation given that I have a fish with extruding (and visible) parasites?
<<Critical though not insurmountable, John. This will all depend on the extent of damage to the internal organs of the fish. Levamisole hydrochloride is absolutely effective in eradicating the worms and in increasing the immune systems of the fish however, the guts of the fish may be badly perforated. Time for some extreme “finger-crossing.”>>
2. What is the treatment regimen here? I have read that I need to dose the aquarium water at 2ppm, is this correct? I assume there is no need to treat the food, but to just put the Levamisole into the water, is this correct? Also, how long/how often should I treat?
<<Given the fact that the parasites are visible, John, I would consider 5 ppm the minimum dosage. (Have seen reports of four times this dosage being administered but the lowest effective dosage is best.) You’re correct that the Levamisole should be added directly to the water. It’s absorbed through the gills of the fish. One dose should be given over a 24-hour period followed by a massive water change. Repeat after four days. Whether, or not, a third treatment is in order will depend largely on how your fish are faring. If stress levels are low I would consider a third application.>>
3. I have also read that after treating it is still necessary to change 100% of the water, but this seems drastic. Is this a misconception, or do I indeed need to change out ALL the water?
<<As much as possible, John, with emphasis on “possible” not just convenient. A re-infestation can go unnoticed for months before you’re back in the same boat that you’re in now. Less than 90% will leave too much potential for missing the immature parasites. As an aside here, Levamisole reportedly acts as a paralyzing agent on the adult worms. That is, the worms drop from the fish alive even though they appear, for all intents and purposes, to be dead. I think it highly doubtful that they can recover from this paralyzed state but it makes a compelling argument for replacing every drop of water that you can.>>
4. I have invertebrates in the tank, specifically some radar shrimp and apple snails (Pomacea bridgesii). Do I need to remove these invertebrates so they are not affected by the Levamisole, and if so, where do I put them? Is it possible they are carrying the nematodes?
<<Levamisole does not appear to have any adverse affect on invertebrates. Camallanus does not “require” an intermediate host but it’s a darned good bet your snails are acting as ‘intermediates’. Removing these to other quarters until your fish are clean and, then, reintroducing them is almost a sure-fire way to end up back at “square one.”>>
Please, help - I am vastly discouraged and can't believe I have run into yet another crisis. My experience with live bearers so far has been absolutely dismal and I am thinking never to go this route again.
<<You’ve had more than your share of troubles, to be sure, but this one is a real “doozy”, John.>>
Thanks in advance, I truly and greatly appreciate all your help.
<>

Camallanus rapidly leading to mass disaster 11/16/06
Hello Crew -
<John>
I don't know if my last email made it through, so I'll write you again with the latest developments. I had a black female guppy with an obvious Camallanus infection. I could not get Levamisole but was able to obtain Mebendazole in 100 mg tablets. I dosed the tank at 5ppm (or about 4 and 1/2 100 mg tablets) for 24 hours. I lost the black guppy after this. I vacuumed the substrate thoroughly and changed about 90% of the water. Now my leopard Corys are looking very ill and falling over on their sides.
<Mmm... this might not be Nematodes here... but some effect of the medication. Camallanus are not able to readily parasitize all families of fishes>
 I have 6 of them and 3 look to be doing very poorly and the other 3 look not-so-good. I am concerned that I will lose all of them. I am terribly discouraged with all this. Combined with the problems I had over the summer I am seriously considering getting out of the hobby. I have spent over half of the 10 months I have had the aquariums battling one problem after another and, to be honest, I am no longer getting enjoyment from the hobby.

Unfortunately, I also have a 160L tank into which I put some of the fry from the infected tank. As I have been reading about Camallanus, it seems that this tank is in great danger as well.
<Mmm, yes, can be easily transmitted (their eggs, intermediates) through the water>
Do I dose the tank with Mebendazole now, or should I wait? The reason I ask is that apparently the medication is effective only against the worm when it is in the fish.
<Yes>
Is Mebendazole even effective against Camallanus?
<Yes... is a general anthelminthic>
If so, am I using the proper dose (i.e.: 5ppm)?
<Yes, should be>
I am so completely discouraged by all this especially since I have done my utmost (quarantine, choosing "healthy" fish, etc..) to avoid such problems.
At some point, should I have the heart to continue keeping fish, is there something other than livebearers I can try? Do you have a recommendation?
Regards,
John.

Re: Camallanus rapidly leading to mass disaster 11/16/06
Hi Bob, thanks for the reply
<Welcome John>
Unfortunately I fear complete disaster for my tank. The Corys are all but dead now and my guppies are in a very poor state too. I am also spotting dead snails littered about the substrate.
<As stated/hypothesized... not a/the worm infestation, but some sort of "cascade" event, subsequent to or consequent of the medicating>
 About 65% of the fish in the tank are now resting on the bottom and looking not well at all.
<Move them... or barring this possibility, start daily large (25%) water changes... with water set out the day previous...>
I cannot understand what I have done wrong. To the word, this is what I have done to the tanks in the last 48 hours: As mentioned, I noticed the red worms on the female guppy.
<On? Not in? As in protruding from the vent?>
About 24 hours after spotting this I dosed the tank with 5ppm Mebendazole. 24 hours after that I did a large water change (80%)
<Too much, too soon>
and, abruptly, the problems started. The black infected female died, the Corys began acting strangely (prior to the Mebendazole dosing these fish were 110% fine - playing in the bubbles, eating, happy fish) and now many of my fish (all livebearers) are fairing poorly. I was under the impression that Mebendazole was non-toxic to the fish, but I am leaning strongly towards the thought that it has a strong toxicity in the Corydoras species.
<Mmm, maybe>
 Do you have any info regarding this? As I understand it, large water changes should not kill my Corys - generally they spawn/become more lively.
<There are a good many possible negative interactions with so much new source water being introduced... gas embolisms, pH shifts, excess/undetected sanitizer presence... to name just three in widely diverging categories>
At this point, I cannot possibly dose my 160L with Mebendazole in all good conscience - it has a large school of Corys and I am not convinced that Mebendazole is harmless here.
<And I hasten to add that I doubt if this would be of any value in any case... I suspect you don't have a Camallanus issue (need microscopic examination, necropsy to be sure here), and if indeed there is some pathogen involved (perhaps a fluke) it will not likely cross over from a Poeciliid to a Callichthyid...>
 From what I have read, Prazi/quantel is less effective than Levamisole. Should I be able to obtain some of it, what is the treatment regimen? Dose at 5ppm followed by a large water change after 24 hours? Do I repeat treatment?

As for the rapidly deteriorating 96L tank, do you have any suggestions?
<Yes... either move the residents or begin the partial water change regimens... possibly with the addition of activated carbon in the filter flow path>
I am very hesitant to change water as the fish are not doing well at all. Ammonia, nitrites and nitrates are all 0ppm at the moment, pH is 7.2 which is the pH of the tapwater and I am monitoring them closely, but I do not expect the levels to change as I don't believe the anthelminthics affect the filter bacteria.
<Mmm, under some circumstances, can/do, but not directly, no>
Given the above, do you have any possible inclination as to what caused this disaster?
<Mmm, no... nothing "jumps out" as a causative mechanism... could be that the one fish was genetically predestined to "destruction"... but the rest of the circumstances? Likely environmental of some sort... soap/saponifer, cleaner, aerosol making its way into the water... >
Thank you for your help. I would be at a loss without it.
<Move those fishes. Bob Fenner>

Re: Camallanus rapidly leading to mass disaster 11/16/06
Hi Bob - one last email for the evening. Thanks for all the help and your patience.
<Welcome>
To clarify, the red filaments were coming from the anal vent.
<Mmm... not usually red or filamentous... Camallanus are white, tubular... have the characteristic tri-radiate esophagus of Nematodes... on cross-sectioning of their buccal regions>
 I was not accurate in my last description. I have moved the Corys to the 160L tank. For the 1st minute after the transfer, they swam about erratically, almost like a whirling action. If anything, they appear "stunned" and unwell. I am not sure if I can move the guppies as I have a Betta in the other tank and he has "encountered" these guppies before.
With the sick Corys in the 160L, do you still advise treatment for the parasite?
<... I would not continue to treat them, no>
One last observation is that there is a whitish "fuzzy" substance growing on some driftwood in the 96L tank. This wasn't there before the water change - could be some bacteria?
<Likely some mixed populations of decomposers... acting on the wood itself... Not related here>
Thanks again. Much appreciated.
<Bob Fenner, who would "stay the course" at this point/juncture.>

Re: Camallanus rapidly leading to mass disaster 11/18/06
Hi again Bob,
<John>
I am pretty sure what I had was Camallanus. I have found a picture via Google of a fish that has an apparent Camallanus infection and this is what was coming out of the guppy in my tank. What I observed was very similar to both this:
http://www.rhusmann.de/aqua/bilder/camallan.jpg
and this:
http://www.gaem.it/pubblico/articoli/malattiepesci/camallanus/camallanus03.jpg

That is what I meant by red and filamentous... maybe red and stringy would be a better description?
<Mmm, I do think these photographs show worms of some sort... am not so sure they are roundworms, Camallanus per se. Please see here: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/FA/FA09100.pdf>
 It was my understanding that the red colouration of the worm results from the victim's blood.
<Ahhh! Perhaps this accounts for the color>
In relation to the tank situation, at this point I have moved all fish to the 160L tank and I will wait for some time before I shift some occupants (probably not all, just the ones doing well) back to the original 96L tank. I was thinking after about 3 days, but perhaps you recommend longer? A week maybe?
<Unless the stock is very debilitated, I would shorten the time frame for moving>
While I wait, I was thinking to conduct 25% water changes every second day to allow some aging time for the water to "mature" and for the ecological balance of the tank to return. Is this feasible?
<Yes, I think so>
Should I still hold off on any treatment plans? Thanks for helping me through this - it's been a difficult situation here.


Re: Camallanus rapidly leading to mass disaster 11/19/06
Hi Bob,
<John>
Much thanks again. Here's an update for you and in case any readers are following this saga. At the very least it maybe can help guide somebody as to what NOT to do. I have emptied the 96L tank completely of all residents. I had a male Betta in there that rapidly became ill as well. He was lying on the bottom with lots of excess mucous on his scales. I have also moved my tetras which were not faring so badly, but again, they were covered in excess mucous. It seems that the Mebendazole has either poisoned the fish or has produced a secondary toxic compound that has affected the fish.
<Yes. An ongoing "fear" on my part>
 At the very least, it has severely fouled the water in the aquarium. My plants seem alright so far, but it may be a good week or more before I see any effect on the plants.
<...!>
 Regardless, after removing ALL residents from the tank and placing them in the 160L tank (incidentally I have lost 3 of 6 Corys, 2 are doing very poorly currently and 1 looks as though it may survive). The other residents (guppies and a couple other fish) have markedly improved over the last 24 hours just from being in the different water.
<Ah, good>
 I realize putting all these residents in the 160L tank may expose that tank to the parasite, but I believe there was no alternative. Anyways, I have been doing 30% daily water changes in the fouled tank along with substantial vacuuming of the substrate. Come Monday, I will put in a carbon filter (stores are closed and I have no spares - sigh). My plan is to continue this regimen for about a week (water changes, substrate vacuum) until pristine conditions recur and then possibly restore some of the original inhabitants.
I realize that I should probably be treating for the parasite here, but I think that some of these fish are in a very precarious state and I don't feel comfortable treating with medication just yet until the situation stabilizes. As I plan to wait a week, I think this will allow the water and environment to stabilize, improve the health of t