Worm ID
- Thread starter FishAddict74
- Start date
Anchor worms maybe? A couple look like they might have the nasty tentacle hook appendages. Be careful what treatment you choose & you might need to retreat for any eggs. Some tx can be hard on the fish. What other animals, fish & inverts, do to have with him? Plants? The worms seem segmented, that may be a hint as to what they are.
I don't know the best, safest, most effective tx. Are you in the US? Thank goodness or luck, I've never had to deal with any similar critters. If your betta is "covered" in them, you need to do something very soon. Fish can handle a low level of parasites but ...I'd vacuum out all those loose 1s as best you can, as often as you can. You don't need to have them reattach to your fish.
How is your betta acting? Normal active? Eating? Rubbing against decor?
I wish you good luck! & someone who knows more to answer you. Please let us know what treatment you use & if it works.
I don't know the best, safest, most effective tx. Are you in the US? Thank goodness or luck, I've never had to deal with any similar critters. If your betta is "covered" in them, you need to do something very soon. Fish can handle a low level of parasites but ...I'd vacuum out all those loose 1s as best you can, as often as you can. You don't need to have them reattach to your fish.
How is your betta acting? Normal active? Eating? Rubbing against decor?
I wish you good luck! & someone who knows more to answer you. Please let us know what treatment you use & if it works.
Thanks!
All that’s in there is the betta, plants and an amino shrimp. They’re not attached to the fish at all and he’s behaving normally. The shrimp seems to be fine too. I am in the US. A friend told me today that they’re detrius worms and said a good cleaning should fix it. The tank is pretty clean to begin with , but I’ll try that for a treatment, although I’m nervous about putting my hands in there
IME detritus worms are reddish & fat rather than your long skinny segmented worms. They live in the substrate & are not a problem unless you have a whole lot of them. That's not your "critters". Keep looking online & vacuuming. If they're on your betta they're not detritus worms...
You shouldn't be afraid of most any of our tank "stuff". Wash your hands & arms as needed after tank work. There are very few zoonotic diseases or parasites we can catch. I've always been "clean" after more than 40 years of fish keeping. Don't worry about it, take care of your tank & fish.
You shouldn't be afraid of most any of our tank "stuff". Wash your hands & arms as needed after tank work. There are very few zoonotic diseases or parasites we can catch. I've always been "clean" after more than 40 years of fish keeping. Don't worry about it, take care of your tank & fish.
Ok thanks, it’s only a 3g, so I’m thinking I might save the filter media and sanitize the rest. Maybe do a WC on my reef and poor the water in there to kill everything ( other than the betta and shrimp, lol). I have plenty of plants in my other tanks I could restock it with
Another friend just said he thinks they’re hydra, they do look like the google images of them.
Just finished sanitizing everything but the filter media, I tossed all the plants and grabbed some fresh ones. Fingers crossed!
Keep an eye out for more if you're using the betta's filter media. There could be eggs.
Good luck!
Good luck!
Ya, I’m sure there’s eggs, I’m just hoping there won’t be enough food for them to get a foothold with the tank being sanitized.
Thanks!
I think you have other freshwater tanks? I would suggest moving the betta to a temporary tank (jar, tub) & starting with new filter media from a healthy tank or 2. 1 betta doesn't have a big bioload but a constant battle against of recurring parasite infection will be hard to control.
To me hydra look like your pest in a way...but have long tentacle arms too. They often use those to attach the glass, more rarely the fish...
How are you "sanitizing" the tank? Did you say?
To me hydra look like your pest in a way...but have long tentacle arms too. They often use those to attach the glass, more rarely the fish...
How are you "sanitizing" the tank? Did you say?