Camallanus Worms - Need Opinions

[The GingerFishman]

Hey all,

Last night I was in my long time trusted LFS and I saw the most incredible Jewel Cichlids I've ever seen. Beautiful colors, healthy looking, vibrant. I had actually seen them a few times the past month and wanted to get one. So finally I grabbed one for my big guy tank.

I don't have the benefit of extra space for a proper Q tank so given the apparent health of the fish I took the chance and added him to my long established 120 which hasn't had a new fish in years.

Of course, stupid me. I then notice a very ever so small tiny, brownish color hair like follicle hanging from the fish's bum. I immediately grabbed him and tossed him in my 40 in a panic because that's way too much water to medicate. Thinking what to do I remembered I had one of those desktop 5g fluval tanks in my basement and I quickly set that up. Wish I'd remembered it sooner.

Anyhowas I was setting it up the jewel did a nice healthy looking brown poop and at that point I thought I saw the trademark pink cluster or worm heads poking out and the brown thing but it was so small most people never would've noticed I don't think.

Moved him to the q tank and used an eye dropped to immediately remove that poop. I then vacuumed the sand thoroughly in both tanks and changed about 50-70% of the water. In total the Jewel might have spent roughly twenty mins or so in each tank. I feel bad because he was coloring up and looking incredible in then big tank.

My question/concern is, what are the chances that minimal time like that in each tank was long enough to infect the tanks? I have a hard time believing it could be that instantaneous, I know it's highly contagious but I would think the fish would need to be in there for a few days to pass it on.

In addition to that I've read it's so contagious that you need to sterilize all equipment and basically blow up the tanks. So I dunno. I've never dealt with it in all my years. I don't now have confirmation that this is what it was yet, I need to get a better look when I get home today but if anyone can share their thoughts or isn't much appreciated!

Thanks,

Mark

 

[The GingerFishman]

Reposting with edits

Hey all,

Last night I was in my long time trusted LFS and I saw the most incredible Jewel Cichlids I've ever seen. Beautiful colors, healthy looking, vibrant. I had actually seen them a few times the past month and wanted to get one. So finally I grabbed one for my big guy tank.

I don't have the benefit of extra space for a proper Q tank so given the apparent health of the fish I took the chance and added him to my long established 120 which hasn't had a new fish in years.

Of course, stupid me. I then notice a very; ever so small tiny, brownish color hair like follicle hanging from the fish's bum. So small it was barely noticeable. I immediately grabbed him and tossed him in my 40 in a panic because that's way too much water to medicate. As I didn't that, the hair seemed to become longer but didn't seem to wiggle on its own or anything. Thinking what to do I remembered I had one of those desktop 5g fluval tanks in my basement and I quickly set that up and put him in there. Wish I'd remembered it sooner.

As I was setting it up the jewel did a nice healthy looking solid brown poop and at that point I thought I saw the trademark pink cluster or worm heads poking out with the brown thing but it was so small most people never would've noticed I don't think.

I used a turkey baster to immediately remove that poop. I then vacuumed the sand thoroughly in both tanks and changed about 50-70% of the water. In total the Jewel might have spent roughly twenty mins or so in each tank. I feel bad because he was coloring up and looking incredible in the big tank.

My question/concern is, what are the chances that minimal time like that in each tank was long enough to infect the tanks? I have a hard time believing it could be that instantaneous, I know it's highly contagious but I would think the fish would need to be in there for a few days to pass it on.

In addition to that I've read it's so contagious that you need to sterilize all equipment and basically blow up the tanks. So I dunno. I've never dealt with it in all my years keeping fish. I don't have confirmation yet that this is what it is, I need to get a better look when I get home today but if anyone can share their thoughts it's much appreciated!

Also if I determine it isn't worms, do I try to treat him with levamisole or just call it and bring him back to the store? Part of me wants to save him and clear it up since he's so beautiful and otherwise healthy but I'm not sure how difficult this is going to be/expensive/frustrating. Thoughts?

Thanks,

Mark

 

[the loach]

Camallanus are live bearing, and the larvae come out with the excrements. It only takes 1 larvae to enter a fish and start an infection. Maybe you are lucky and maybe not. However it can be treated well with several dewormers, like Levamisole/Flubendazole. The problem is they can be hard to get depending on where you live.

 

[fishorama]

I vote for flubendazole. But like any med, it can be hard on fish. Be sure to do follow up dosing to kill the late comers/eggs. Vacuum & change water often.

Levamisole is less effective IME for camallanus. It "helps" but doesn't get them all at all stages.

I would treat all your fish that have been in the same tank as the infected 1.

Good luck! It's hard to beat but can be done. Cichlids are pretty hardy in that respect.