Are shrimp susceptible to parasites that infect fish?

[SwerveDriver]

Can shrimp get ich, fluke, or other external parasite, for instance and spread it or die from it?

 

[xxmoorishmanxx]

For the most part definitly not. shrimp cannot get fish diseases

 

[Lance M.]

Right for the most part shrimp won't get diseases that fish can get, but some wild caught shrimp can have intestinal parasites in them.

 

[Nippyfish]

I had a ghost shrimp with a big white nematode inside it. At first I didn't realize what was wrong with my shrimp. The worm was all curled up inside it and I thought the shrimp was just turning white and about to die. (Although, I knew it didn't seem quite right)

So after a couple of days of watching my strange looking shrimp with the freaky white body I discovered it dead with no more freaky whiteness. I approached my tank and wondered why my beloved betta wasn't coming to greet me. 5, 10, 12 seconds passed and I was getting concerned. Bettas always greet their mamas. I started looking around the tank for him and found him preoccupied in the rear of the tank. Wonder what could possibly be more interesting then my I took a closer look. My betta was wrestling the worm with all it's might out from under the gravel. He had the thing stretched out like a rubberband a good 4 - 5 inches.

I freaked, not knowing what would happen if he ate it. (would it live and grow in him too or just be breakfast?) So I did what any terrified fishy parent would do.

I chased the betta away and yanked the worm out myself. 8O

I ended up throwing it away in the trash. But I swear, I'm still in therapy over that one. It was so gross.

anywho... thought I'd share.

 

[Lance M.]

Ya basically all ghost shrimp are wild caught so it's not uncommon to get a shrimp with a nematode or some other type of intestinal worm parasite in it. I had one with a nematode in it and I planned on taking him out of the tank, but never got around to it. He later died and was eaten by my spotted raphael catfish. There's nothing wrong with my catfish so I guess the nematode wasn't passed to my catfish.

 

[mrzap]

I just came across this. I bought about 20 ghost shrimp today. One of them has a white worm in it. I assume its a parasite. Will it spread to my other shrimp? Is it treatable?

 

[Apocalypse_Gold]

It may be best to not take the chance-send him to that fish tank in the sky. You can try feeding fish food medicated for parasites, but many parasite meds kill invertebrates too.