Parasitic worms

[Florio]

Hey everyone.

This is a topic I've been wanting to make about my tank for a while. Because as much as I search I can't really find anything about it.

Every once in a while I seem to find the white stringy worms growing on my fish on different parts of their body, the fish never act abnormal and the worm seems to go away after about a week with no treatment. I fear that they have these worms all the time but their just not visible.

I also have a small fear that because I do put my hands in the water that the parasitic worm could possibly get into my body.

When I do see them they don't seem move at all. And they kind of look like they have a film around them.

I don't see them anywhere else in the tank other than when they pop up on the fish every once in a while. I can never seem to get a good picture of one but I will try to get one.

Does anyone have any kind of experience with this? Please help identify this cause I'm scared for my health a little bit here.


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[Florio]

I found this picture that is similar.

The worms I find on my fish never pop up to this extent but this is what it looks like when one is on them.


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[Florio]

Anyone?


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[Florio]

Here is a picture of my blue ram

As you can see on his eye he has got a little worm


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[treemanone2003]

To help you, filling out these questions may get a better and quicker response. http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f17/before-posting-about-unhealthy-fish-read-this-32451.html

It's hard to tell from your pic but there are a couple that could be possible matches. Since you can see it better in person, can you tell if they have a "split" tail ?


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[Florio]

No there is no tail on it it looks just like what's on the neon tetra but they seem to come only one at a time. And have kind of a slime around them.

It's 48gallon tank

It's been set up for over 3 years

It's running an external eheim.

I have probably 10 Tera's, one SAE, one blue ram, one dwarf pleco, 4 oto's

All my water quality control stuff is good and under control. It's a planted tank.

I havnt put anything new in there but these little worms have been popping up every few weeks since June. They seem to go away after a couple weeks. And it doesn't seem to effect the fish unless they start growing in their mouth or something like that.




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[Florio]

So far it's only effected everything but the algae eating fish at one time or another.


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[evil Nick]

So far it's only effected everything but the algae eating fish at one time or another.


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hope this helps, was just reading about anchoring worms

Aquarium, Fish Parasites, Worms; Planaria, Nematodes, Detritus, Anchor


http://www.tetra-fish.com/aquarium-information/aquarium-fish-diseases-how-to-spot-them.aspx

sounds like anchor worms

 

[Florio]

Their not anchor worm guys..


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[Florio]

Anyone?


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[Delapool]

Silly question I guess but why not just treat tank for external parasite worms?

 

[Florio]

Ya I think I'll probably do that. I'm just trying to find out what it is so like I know I don't have worms myself I need to worry about.


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[Delapool]

Good question. Can't provide much help unfortunately there. Hopefully someone knows.