View Full Version : Worms on fins?
Sevast0
09-03-2009, 5:02 PM
All three of my cories have some sort of worm looking things, or string looking things coming off their fins. At first I thought it was fin rot, but when I looked closer they looked like worms! It's only on their fins, and only on the edges. They move around, but I can't tell if it's because of the water moving or if they actually are worms.
Any ideas? I'm in the process of trying to take pictures, but they don't show up in any of the pictures (They are THAT small!) They are short and white. I will keep trying to get a picture.
Sevast0
09-03-2009, 5:41 PM
Ok, here are the pictures. Please view them in full view, it makes it easier to see the little worms. These are the only good pictures I could get of them, so I hope these help any.
If it really is worms (which I hope not!), then what are the chance of the other fish getting them? I can deal with sickness, but parasite freak me out!
Also as a little background, these guys are new (only the two peppered cories, the panda I've had for a while), but were quarantined for 2 weeks. They were just put in the tank about last weekend. They have showed no problems at all, and that's why I put them in.
pinkertd
09-03-2009, 6:18 PM
Is that one of them on the dorsal fin? Might be anchor worms. They are the only ones I can think of that would be on the outside attached to the fish.
Sevast0
09-03-2009, 6:38 PM
Yes, there's a few on the dorsal fin, and the tail fin mostly. A few other fins have it, but not as much as those two. I know it's a little hard to see.
What should I treat them with? Should I try to take them out and treat them? Or treat the whole tank? (If I have to treat the whole tank I would like something that WONT stain my silicon.) Is this something that my other fish are going to get easily?
Right now it's only the cories. I'm mostly worried about my angels. They are my favorite fish in the tank.
Sevast, did you conclude this is already a case of anchorworms? Treat the whole tank. You need to remove the adult anchorworms with tweezers so you will have to dose only a low concentration of either dimilin or trichlorfon. Be very careful when handling trichlorfon. It absorbs to the skin and can cause allergic reactions as well. Use gloves when you treat. You may need to repeat treatment after 24 hours since it degrades very easily in water. Check the sticky "Freshwater Disease Guide" for the anchorworms and treatment. As trichlorfon has no fixed dosage, I'd advise following the instructions set on a package.
Sevast0
09-03-2009, 7:00 PM
Thanks. Also, is it invert safe? I have some snails in there, but I can move them if needed.
Both treatments are toxic to invertebrates. I'd remove the snails. Put them back when you're done with treatment process. As trichlorfon easily degrades, a large water change by as much as 80% will be enough to make it completely safe for snails but if you want to err on the side of caution, do a large water change while putting carbon in your filter.
Oops! I forgot to add one more thing. Keep lights off when you treat. Trichlorfon is light sensitive. I kept lights off when I treated my goldfish with trichlorfon for fish lice.
Sevast0
09-03-2009, 7:26 PM
Thank you! This helps a lot!
Dangerdoll
09-03-2009, 9:27 PM
guys, I am not so sure they are anchor worms. I had a problem with worms on 2 rams that I brought home and they were not anchors and they also were not anything anyone had ever seen before. I think the only treatment of which I did not have at the time was Levimasole (sp?).... let me try and find the thread. The pictures I have are amazingly close and very visible so if these are the worms, it might help.
Dangerdoll
09-03-2009, 9:32 PM
here it is
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=105428&highlight=worms
SubRosa
09-03-2009, 11:05 PM
Dimilin is harmless to snails. Anchor worms are actually a crustacean, and dimilin is very specific in its mode of action. It will kill crayfish, shrimp and crabs but doesn't affect snails.
Sevast0
09-04-2009, 7:11 AM
guys, I am not so sure they are anchor worms. I had a problem with worms on 2 rams that I brought home and they were not anchors and they also were not anything anyone had ever seen before. I think the only treatment of which I did not have at the time was Levimasole (sp?).... let me try and find the thread. The pictures I have are amazingly close and very visible so if these are the worms, it might help.
I read your post, and the pictures do look like mind, the only thing is that the worms on my guys move around. So at times they are curly, and other times they are straight. Do you still think its the same thing that you had? Also, mine are only on the edges of the fins (Thus why I thought it was fin rot at first!). I have seen nothing on the body or sides of the fins.
Dimilin is harmless to snails. Anchor worms are actually a crustacean, and dimilin is very specific in its mode of action. It will kill crayfish, shrimp and crabs but doesn't affect snails.
And thank you for this information! I've been worried about moving my snails to other tanks. I've heard before that sometimes they can carry parasites on them, but not be affected by them (Even if you rinse them off before putting them into the new tank). And I did notice the worms after adding the snails, but that doesn't mean it could have been them. Although I might believe that there was the chance that the snails brought over the worms. Although I could be dead wrong and just have not noticed the worms until yesterday (I have been very busy lately).
SubRosa
09-04-2009, 7:36 AM
Anchor worms are, um anchored in place! They don't move around once they get their hooks in. Dangerdoll's diagnosis is more likely to be the problem, and Dimilin would be useless. Trichlorfon (Clout) is like a nuclear bomb on parasites, it kills much more indiscriminately. You'll have to remove the snails to use it.
Sevast0
09-04-2009, 7:41 AM
Anchor worms are, um anchored in place! They don't move around once they get their hooks in. Dangerdoll's diagnosis is more likely to be the problem, and Dimilin would be useless. Trichlorfon (Clout) is like a nuclear bomb on parasites, it kills much more indiscriminately. You'll have to remove the snails to use it.
They ARE anchored to the fish. It's their tails that move around.
Sevast0
09-04-2009, 7:57 AM
Ok, I'm still very confused as to what they are. They are anchored to the fish, but only on its fins. I read on the internet that anchor worms attach to the base of the fins, into the fishes muscles. Anchor worms also seem very visible and very large compared to what I have.
I have no clue what it is, I just want it gone. If I use the Trichlorfon, will it kill it no matter what it is?
Sevast, your fish definitely have anchorworms. Trichlorfon does kill several invertebrates and adult parasites need a higher concentration which is why I always advise to remove the anchorworms manually so the lower dose can focus on destroying larval stages.
Anchorworm (Lernaea elegans)
Description:
The crustacean Lernaea is often called "anchorworm" by aquarists as it anchors deeply in the fish skin with its branched suction organ and has an elongated body without visible limbs. At the back end, there are two sac-like outgrowths where eggs develop.
It takes the eggs between several days and and two weeks to attain maturity. Then they fall off and the larvae hatch. The mother crustacean dies and is repelled from the fish tissue after the eggs have fallen off. The laravae are also parasites and go to the gills of the fish to suck blood. As larvae, they attain sexual maturity there. After mating, the female larvae leave the fish and swim around as planktonic organisms for a short time. Then they find a host and bore their way into its skin.
Treatment:
1. Dimilin Powder
The only known method of killing this parasite, without killing the fish is DIMILIN POWDER which can be used safely at any water temperature and has an action of sterilizing the adult and larval stages of this parasite which insures that all eggs produced, after the application of Dimilin, will not hatch.
Method: Dimilin Powder at the rate of 1 gram per ton of pond water. Measure out the quantity required and mix in a plastic bucket with pond water ensuring that the powder is dissolved then add to the pond in the previous manner. A second dosage may be needed to ensure that the life cycle of the anchor worm has been halted. After this second application the dead adults, which will still be hanging from the fish, can be removed using tweezers but making sure that the hooks, as well as the tail of the anchor worm are removed and then apply a proprietary topical dressing to prevent a secondary infection.
2. Potassium Permanganate
There is another way of removing anchor worm but more care has to be taken when removing all parts of the anchor worm which is to mix a strong solution of potassium permanganate crystals of 1 gram into 25 mls of hot water. Mix well until dissolved and then dip the tweezers into this solution prior to the removal of the anchor worm, once the solution touches the body, the anchor worm releases its grip immediately and it can then be lifted clear of the fish and the water. Wipe the end of the tweezers on a clean tissue to remove all traces before attempting to remove another anchor worm.
3. Sera Cyprinopur
Follow the instructions accordingly. Use Sera Baktopur to treat the wounds of the fish after the anchor worms have been pulled out. When pulling anchor worms out of the fish, firmly grasp the tweezers near its base where it is burying to the skin and quickly pull it out.
http://img260.imageshack.us/img260/1966/anchorwormbl3.th.png (http://img260.imageshack.us/my.php?image=anchorwormbl3.png)
4. Coumaphos
Coumaphos is an extremely dangerous substance so this may be best administered by mixing one gram on a twenty liter bucket and grabbing at least a liter which makes up for a 5% solution for every 150 gallons of water.
This particular treatment may be best avoided however and try safer options such as dimilin instead.
5. Jungle Anchors Away
Change 25% of the pond water before use.
Use one teaspoon (5 grams) to 40 US gallons. Maintain strong aeration during treatment. Clean measuring device before every use.
Content treats 4,520 US gallons. If needed, safely treat up to three times. Wait six days between treatments. Change 25% of the water before each treatment. Remove activated carbon during use.
Data retrieved from http://www.drsfostersmith.com/.
6. Trichlorfon
Follow instructions carefully. Trichlorfon is available as Masoten, Metriphonate, Dylox, Neguvon, etc.
Dangerdoll
09-04-2009, 8:57 AM
I guess I was having a hard time seeing the worms on the fish. You guys may be right and me, wrong..... if the entire worm is not under the slime coat at least of the fish, it is more than likely the anchor worm.... look at the differences...
large anchors:
http://www.bettatalk.com/images/External%20Parasites.jpg
my worms... which I believe were diagnosed as parasitic nematodes or roundworms.... wanst really settled on which
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t76/Dangerdoll_album/ram.jpg?t=1176329695
Dangerdoll
09-04-2009, 8:57 AM
man this thread is creeping me out, LOL
Sevast0
09-04-2009, 9:23 AM
The thing is, the worms don't look like anchor worms. They are just straight, they don't have the split tail at the end. They are also much smaller than the anchor worms look like. Those are pretty big on that betta, and mine are tiny even on my cories.
You're confusing me, Sevast. Could you please get close-up shots?:confused:
I am having mushy brain today.:duh:
Edit:
Now I see the worms much clearer in the first pic. Couldn't see them before. I'd go with praziquantel first and see if these "worms" disappear. I'd treat for at least a week.
SubRosa
09-04-2009, 9:49 AM
I'd second praziquantel as long as the fish aren't in dire condition. It's about the safest med you can use for anything, and if it works great! If not you can step up to the next level.
Sevast0
09-04-2009, 10:20 AM
I am very confused too as to what they are. I thought they were anchor worms, because of a few pictures I saw of them. When I saw some more pictures and read some more about them, I realized that what I have might now be anchor worms.
I just got back from the pet store and picked up API Anti-Parasite Medication that contains 250 mg of Metronidazole and 75mg of Praziquantel per packet. This was the only thing at the store that had any of the medicines that were recommended, so I hope this is good enough.
The snails have been moved and I'm going to start treatments today. The Box says to treat once, then wait 48 hours, repeat dose, wait another 48 hours, then do a water change. Should I still treat it for a week?
Edit: I've been reading that Praziquantel is safe to use with snails. Can I use this medicine that I bought with snails?
The API Parasite Medication can destroy flukes, internal parasites and most nematodes. I'd treat for a week to be sure. And praziquantel is safe for apple snails.
Sevast0
09-06-2009, 6:06 AM
Well, I started the treatment on Friday at noon, and that night I started to see improvement! Right now I don't see any worms on any fish! But I will continue to treat them for a week. Just to make sure everything is gone.