Camallanus Worms Question

[Kelly5978]

I wasn't given any payment options? I hit purchase...confirmed it, and I got an email with MVPs email. Told me to pay him. I emailed him, and am waiting. Will I get an email saying how to pay? I have a Paypal account, but I'm not very good with it. It's interesting you mentioned columnarus. I had a golden marble die (only fish I actually "lost" that I tried to save) with similar symptoms. That was over 6 months ago, in a different tank. When he died, I stopped medicating. The other fish lived. They were angels also. Can they be carriers? This long after, in a diff tank? Also, I think I remember everyone telling me it couldn't be columnarus, because its more a cold water problem. I keep my tank above 80....always. I wish someone would see my pics, say "oh...it's ******. I cured my fish with this med. I love angelfish and rams. But every time they get a little big, they either stop growing, or get sick. I bend over backwards trying to make the perfect tank for them, but I fail. Then, I watch others never even change their water....and have beautiful, big fish! Maybe it's just me. either way, if anyone can help....I'm listening.

 

[Kelly5978]

The levamisole is due to deliver tomorrow. I just lost an angelfish. I'm so upset! A second angel hasn't eaten in a week. I think it's more than just camallanus worms. Bacterial too? Any thoughts? There's another thread under my profile with more details. I'm just posting wherever I can, cause I can't stand to lose any more

 

[bsantucci]

It definitely sounds like something else is going on since they did not display the worms. Not eating for a week shouldn't have killed them. There's no other symptoms that were shown aside from the stringy poop? That sounds like another type of parasite, though an unhealthy fish will poop clear and stringy too so it's not definite.

I'm sorry for your loss, but I am unsure as to what else it could be.

 

[Kelly5978]

Thanks. I'm just trying to move forward. I got the levamisole. Just did huge water change and doses. Probably messed up though....was I supposed to remove purigen? I don't have any other "remover" in. No carbon, and I removed the nitra zorb. Do I remove purigen? And, will it still work since I didn't?

 

[bsantucci]

Probably won't work with the purigen unfortunately. You'll most likely have to dose again

 

[Kelly5978]

I removed the purigen within 10 min of putting the med in. I don't want to overdose. U think its ok? I appreciate your help with this....oh, and something Is happening....my beautiful marble angel has a huge poo coming out (not red?) and he went sideways! Is he supposed to do that? He righted himself and are a blood worm, but freaked me out! Also, my ram is kinda rocking forward and backward. Geez....did I just kill them all?

 

[bsantucci]

It might be OK if you removed it that soon. You'll just have to verify if you see worms still when the three days are up.

Levamisole makes them lethargic so that is probably what you're seeing. Also leave the lights off as they get light sensitive.

 

[Kelly5978]

Lethargic is the word! For sure! They're all just sitting around! I threw food in, and NO ONE went after it! The blue ram is SITTING on the castle. They all just sit around pooing. Is it odd that only one of them has red poo? I KNOW the Bolivian had camallanus worms. But the blue ram still has the red splinter shaped thing in him. It's only day 2, but shouldn't it be gone? I sincerely hope it isn't some other problem! So, if they're supposed to be lethargic....what are distress signs? Am I supposed to NOT FEED THEM? Should I worry they didn't eat? Sorry, I've just never seem them this way! If a fish didn't have the worms, I'd still have to treat the tank for the one that did, right? And, if a fish didn't have them, he'll just poo like crazy for a few days, right? You said all but 1 of yours made it right?

 

[bsantucci]

They came out of my ram within an hour if treatment. It's possible the purigen filtered it and rendered it ineffective so you may have to treat again unfortunately.

Mine didn't eat much while it was in the tank. The day I removed it from the tank though they were ravenous. My ram had gained weight and size since I treated and she's doing awesome.

The fish definitely pooped a lot while I had it in the tank though.

 

[Kelly5978]

If it wasn't working, they wouldn't be lethargic, would they? Seriously, I put the med in, wrote the post, and took it out before you even answered. It's 55g. I have 2 filters. The purigen is in the secondary, back up filter (made for a 20g tank). So, it takes longer to filter all the water through. I plan to do a second treatment in 3 weeks, and a third 3 weeks later....just to be sure. I can't see adding more med when they're barely swimming as it is. Is it possible that the 2 fish with them visible hadn't passed any yet (before treatment) so I'm treating these fish that don't need it? Either way clear them out, so thats good. i am just still worried about the male blue ram. its been 24 Hours. he still has a red thing sticking out of him, that is almost as long as his tail now, and lays against his tail. i keep thinking anchor worm, but its not forked, and i gave him a salt bath a week ago (salt and methyln blue)....and it didnt come off. this is so frustrating! Only 1 of their poo is red. The rams are barely moving. None of them are doing more than really floating around. I hope I did right. Did you treat for bacterial infection after? Any recommendation on what to use? Last really important question: All that's in my filters right now are sponges and bio-balls. Will I have to replace them after medicating? I don't use carbon, but the massive water change plus re-adding purigen and nitra-zorb will get the med out, but won't med and worms be in the sponges? Sorry for all the questions. Appreciate u

 

[bsantucci]

Mine were lethargic on my first bad batch and it did nothing for the worms so it's very possible the purigen rendered it ineffective enough to make it not get them.

Your media will all be fine this medicine is completely safe and very hard to even overdose unless you're completely reckless.

Can you get a good clear pic of it on your ram? It sounds too long to be a camallanus. Mine were maybe a fingernails length... Man nail and cut lol....figure I need to specify there.

 

[Kelly5978]

The Bolivian definitely had them. A few. Came in and out. Red. The blue ram....I don't know what it is. I've tried pics. I don't even thinks its coming out where poo does, cause I don't see it underneath him. It comes out of his right side, and you can only tell its not part of his tail when he swims (his tail moves, the thing doesn't). It lays against his tail, and has grown to the length of his tail. Now, my light colored angels have red dorsal fins, and I haven't seem the female blue ram for a day. She's probably dead, as my ammonia registered a very light green when I tested today. Taking the purigen and nitra zorb out must have caused a slight rise in ammonia....or a dead fish. My tank has NEVER registered ammonia. Ever. I cycled with dr. Tim's one and only. I'm due to change the water, taking the levamisole out, tomorrow. Can I put safestart in today? These fish have never felt ammonia. Also, will adding the purigen and nitra zorb back in tomorrow fix this? Or will I mini-cycle? Im so tired of trying to help them, and failing! The tank smells like a **** lake, cause nothing but sponges are filtering. Can I add safestart? Or should I when I re-add the other media? I thought this wasn't supposed to happen?

 

[Kelly5978]

Oh, and I got the levamisole from MVP. The fish are pooping their brains out! Also, my bigger angel is eating. So, I believe it's working. I just think I'm losing fish to ammonia, or dead worms they can't pass (my female blue was small). It just sucks cause she wasn't the sick one!

 

[bsantucci]

I wouldn't add safestart until a day after the water change, if you even need it. I wouldn't think you would need it though, you should have plenty of BB in the sponges.

A good healthy tank should smell like a lake to be honest, I believe. At least mine does, but it's planted so that may have something to do with it.

The Levamisole acts as a immune booster also, nice positive side effect, so it should help all fish. Mine were ravenous after treatment and my ram has gained a ton of weight since the worms died.

The ram you have though I'd really like to see a picture of this thing hanging from it. Definitely doesn't sound like a camallanus worm. Even when passing, they only stuck out like 2cm at most. Like I said, they are a small worm. That sounds like something else.

 

[Kelly5978]

It drives me nuts that I can't get a good pic. It's just small. Best I can do is attached. It's not on his tail fin, or his "arm" fins (lol, can't think of the name right now), but the fin in between. It's not coming out of his pooper. It stuck in him, next to that middle fin hanging underneath. You can only tell its not his coloring if you look from behind (his tail moves, the thing doesn't. Sometimes it looks like a red splinter. Other times it almost appears to be a "loop"....like it comes out of him, then goes back in him. It's only visible on his left side. Please say you see it....

 

[Kelly5978]

I meant to say his FIN moves. It's next to the middle fin....not the tail.

 

[Kelly5978]

Also, I just received the avitrol plus. It says each tablet contains: 20mg levamisole hydrochloride, equivalent to 16.96 levamisole base, and 4mg praziquantel. I sure wish someone had experience with this. Sounds like it would do it all.

 

[Kelly5978]

I got even better pics! Should I start a new thread too, in case someone has seen this?

 

[bsantucci]

It's really tough to tell cause the pics are so grainy, but it is possible it's a camallanus worm that is stick inside. I'm not sure though so take that with a grain of salt.

 

[Kelly5978]

What would I do if that were the case? How can I tell for sure? Is it hopeless if that's the case? I just don't think that's it. It doesn't move. It doesn't go in and out. I would swear someone actually stuck something in his side. That's how it appears. My fish seemed wonderful after the big water change. Everyone's eating. But, I came home today to clamping angels, with missing scales, or scratches, and the Bolivian ram keeps rubbing his belly in the gravel. I'm feeding them kanaplex flakes from angels plus. I'm thinking of feeding the prazi flakes after the week of the first med food. I hate to keep throwing meds at them, but I'm just stumped. Diff fish have different symptoms! It's crazy! But, I don't see any worms hanging out of any of them. That's at least positive.