Camallanus Worm Drama

[GingerMinusSoul]

The short version: About 2 weeks ago I discovered camallanus worms in my whole tank and have tried treating with several medications. Then switching to Angels Plus medicated flakes deworming 1 and when that didn't work, deworming 2. They are still not seemingly going away (still red worms hanging out of the fish). What else can I try??

The specifics:
3.5 weeks ago - three fish randomly die- they get very bloated, then immediately VERY skinny, then die.
3 weeks ago - notice red worms hanging out of Paradise Gourami. Immediately fly into action. Treat the tank with API parasite guard. And begin extensive research.
2.5 weeks ago - after research, decide to treat with fenbendazole from LFS and use frozen bloodworms treated with the powder and a bit of Epsom salt. The fish all but refuse to eat the worms treated with the meds. Try soaking algae pellets that they love in medication; same result. Tried instead treating the whole tank with the fish bendazole powder. No one dies, but worms are now visible in more fish and original fish does not seem to be improving.
2 weeks ago - Decide to order medicated flakes from Angels Plus to see if they can deliver medication better.
12 days ago - receive deworming 1 (fenbendazole) and deworming 3 (levamisole) flakes. Begin treatment with deworming 1 per instructions (every other day for 5 feedings with no food in between).
3 days ago - fish are still infested. Feed normal flakes and some blood worms and algae pellets in preparation for deworming 3.
2 days ago - begin deworming 3 per instructions.
Today - the worms seem like they're further out of the fish but not falling off/out (or maybe they are and these are new worms and I'm missing them coming out?). Fish are all pooping okay, don't seem bloated. Don't seem lethargic or sick.

Note that interspersed through this time were about 5 water changes with gravel vacuum and water parameter checks and one filter media change. All parameters reading just fine.

I'm pretty sure the worms came from some snails I added to my tank. They died during the first fenbendazole treatment and have been removed. Other fish include: 2 angels, 1 opal gourami, 1 paradise gourami, 1 albino bristlenose, 3 black mollies, 2 white lyretail mollies, 3 platies (two of which are babies from some of the dead fish).

What else can I do??? How do I know if it's working or not??


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[Matt68005]

Once they become badly impacted in the fishes gut, they are almost impossible to remove. I have heard Liquid or powder Levimasole is more effective, like you dose the whole tank and turn off the lights.....but...
You may need to just euthanize the fish, and stearlizie everything thourougly with warm bleach water for a half hour, scrubbing every crack and crevice, the bucket, get a new siphon, and ofc toss the filter and re cycle the tank.
I know thats not what you want to do, but i had to do it to get rid of camallanus, it was in my fish tanks for 2 years so i had to finally get rid of stuff and blecah everything and that was the only thing that worked.
They are very tough to get rid of
Once they are mature the fish cannot pass them because they are too badly stuck.

 

[GingerMinusSoul]

I just ordered some levamisole to dose the whole tank; the medicated food does seem to be working now (I have been feeding a combination of levamisole food and normal food now). I've heard that Epsom salts can help too. I may do an Epsom bath and see if that helps to get some worms out. Hopefully I can just dose the tank and at least kill the worms in the not so badly infected fish.


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