Parasite

[Graham Ramsay]

Anybody any idea what this is sticking out of the
anus of this fish. It's wriggling around so it/they
is/are alive.
This is a female wild caught N. anomala which
has just spawned and appears to be in good
health otherwise.

http://www.ibrox.freeserve.co.uk/images/para1.jpg
http://www.ibrox.freeserve.co.uk/images/para2.jpg
http://www.ibrox.freeserve.co.uk/images/para3.jpg

--
Graham Ramsay

[RedFive]

Looks like parasitic roundworms, I had a case with my dwarf puffers, think
they're callamanid (?) worms.

I seem to remember that it is the female worms which protrude from the
fishes anus and discharge eggs. The life cycle then invloves an
intermediate host (I think a copepod) which the fish then eats and gets
reinfected.

Obviously without intermediate hosts the fish won't get any new parasites,
but to get rid of the existing burden you could use sterazin (cleared my
puffers worms with no problems).

Hope this helps!

Mark

"Graham Ramsay" > wrote in message
...
> Anybody any idea what this is sticking out of the
> anus of this fish. It's wriggling around so it/they
> is/are alive.
> This is a female wild caught N. anomala which
> has just spawned and appears to be in good
> health otherwise.
>
> http://www.ibrox.freeserve.co.uk/images/para1.jpg
> http://www.ibrox.freeserve.co.uk/images/para2.jpg
> http://www.ibrox.freeserve.co.uk/images/para3.jpg
>
> --
> Graham Ramsay
>
>

[Graham Ramsay]

"RedFive" wrote
> Looks like parasitic roundworms, I had a case with my dwarf puffers, think
> they're callamanid (?) worms.

That looks like it, thank you.

--
Graham Ramsay

[Graham Ramsay]

"RedFive" wrote
> Looks like parasitic roundworms, I had a case with my dwarf puffers, think
> they're callamanid (?) worms.

I've further identified the worms as Camallanus.
I dosed all ten of my tanks today with Levacide.
500ml cost me only £10 from my vet who had
never had a fishy patient in her whole career!
Hope it does the trick.

--
Graham Ramsay

[Happy'Cam'per]

"Graham Ramsay" > wrote in message
...
> I've further identified the worms as .

Strange play on words (Camallanus) considering the last 4 letters of this
word and where the worm's habitat is :) !!!!!!!!

> never had a fishy patient in her whole career!

ROFLMAO...
Would love to have seen the expression on her face :o

[NetMax]

"Happy'Cam'per" > wrote in message
...
> "Graham Ramsay" > wrote in message
> ...
> > I've further identified the worms as .
>
> Strange play on words (Camallanus) considering the last 4 letters of
this
> word and where the worm's habitat is :) !!!!!!!!
>
> > never had a fishy patient in her whole career!
>
> ROFLMAO...
> Would love to have seen the expression on her face :o

I imagine it's the same expression I get when I buy bulk Formaldehyde and
Clove Oil at the Drug store ;~)

Graham, please let us know what the results of the Levacide were, and if
successful, your dosage and application details.
--
www.NetMax.tk

[RedForeman ©®]

"NetMax" > wrote in message
. ..
> "Happy'Cam'per" > wrote in message
> > "Graham Ramsay" > wrote in message
> > > I've further identified the worms as .
> >
> > Strange play on words (Camallanus) considering the last 4 letters of
> this
> > word and where the worm's habitat is :) !!!!!!!!
> >
> > > never had a fishy patient in her whole career!
> >
> > ROFLMAO...
> > Would love to have seen the expression on her face :o
>
> I imagine it's the same expression I get when I buy bulk Formaldehyde and
> Clove Oil at the Drug store ;~)
>
> Graham, please let us know what the results of the Levacide were, and if
> successful, your dosage and application details.
> --
> www.NetMax.tk


Most definately about the meds... There's a big issue here with camallanus,
alot of guppies not making it..

--
| RedForeman ©® fabricator and creator of the ratbike streetfighter!!!
| ==========================
| 2003 TRX450ES
| 1992 TRX-350 XX (For Sale)
| '98 Tacoma Ext Cab 4X4 Lifted....
| ==========================
| ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø,¸¸¸,ø¤° `°¤ø,¸¸,ø¤°`°¤ø
|| ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·.¸. ><((((º> ·´¯`·. , .·´¯`·.. ><((((º>

is that better??

[Rick]

"RedForeman ©®" > wrote in message
...
> "NetMax" > wrote in message
> . ..
> > "Happy'Cam'per" > wrote in message
> > > "Graham Ramsay" > wrote in message
> > > > I've further identified the worms as .
> > >
> > > Strange play on words (Camallanus) considering the last 4 letters of
> > this
> > > word and where the worm's habitat is :) !!!!!!!!
> > >
> > > > never had a fishy patient in her whole career!
> > >
> > > ROFLMAO...
> > > Would love to have seen the expression on her face :o
> >
> > I imagine it's the same expression I get when I buy bulk Formaldehyde
and
> > Clove Oil at the Drug store ;~)
> >
> > Graham, please let us know what the results of the Levacide were, and if
> > successful, your dosage and application details.
> > --
> > www.NetMax.tk
>
>
> Most definately about the meds... There's a big issue here with
camallanus,
> alot of guppies not making it..
>


there are a variety of products available to treat callamanus worms . In
Canada it is much more limited however there is a product called "Safe
Guard" which is a horse dewormer that will clear them up. 3 treatments
required with a water change in between. Turns the aquarium water completely
milky the first day and then starts to clear just in time to do another
treatment. 6cc's will treat 75 gallon tank once. Very cheap and available
through large animals Vet's

Rick

[Graham Ramsay]

"NetMax" wrote
> Graham, please let us know what the results of the Levacide were, and if
> successful, your dosage and application details.

I thought I'd wait and see how things panned out before reporting on the treatment so here goes:

10 tanks where treated ranging from 9gal fry tanks up to a 35gal planted tank. Only the planted tank
has substrate. A variety of fish were involved including various Corydoras, Dwarf Cichlids, Tetras
and Livebearers. Some of these fish would be considered delicate but most are hardy.
Age range of fish was from eggs/wrigglers to geriatric. Apple snails were in 3 of the tanks.

Water is very soft (1 or 2 degrees of KH & GH) and pH in the tanks is 6.5 - 6.8 with the planted
tank having CO2 added. Temp was 75F/77F in most tanks with the Mikrogeophagus ramirezi tank being a
little warmer at 80F/82F.

I dosed with Levacide which contains 7.5% Levamisole hydrochloride. Dosage was 1ml for every 5l.
Mixed in a jug of tank water then poured evenly over the top of each tank. Only 1 treatment was
given. I did no water changes for 48hrs then I changed 25% every other day for 3 days before
reverting to normal weekly water changes of 33%. (One exception - see below) I bought 500ml of
Levacide for less than £10. I used around a quarter of this. It will keep for several months if kept
in the fridge.

Effect on fish:
The only noticeable effect on most fish was a general loss of apetite for 2-3 days after treatment.
Even live foods (daphnia and grindal) were refused or just picked at. Oddly, fry seemed to eat as
normal, they were being fed bbs and microworm. As I changed out the water, their appetite returned
to normal.
The day after treatment I lost a small (week old) Xiphophorus clemenciae. I consider this a normal
loss of young fry and don't relate it to the treatment. On the same day, an adult male X. clemenciae
expired. This was an old fish which had been ailing for some time. However I expected it to live for
several months more at least so I consider the treatment may have done him in.
The most serious issue was bloat. All my young (2-3cm)Pelvicachromis taeniatus and Nannacara anomala
as well as the adult female N. anomala developed bloat and/or popeye to varying degrees. The adult
P. taeniatus and the male N. anomala were unaffected. I removed the worst affected fish into a
seperate tank and treated with Waterlife Myxazin. The rest I left in their grow out tank (along with
some unaffected, 2cm long X. clemenciae and started twice daily 50% water changes. I sponged down
the tank walls and bottom each time I changed the water. The female N. anomala I left with her fry.
After 3 days of this the fish in the tank with only water changes had returned to normal. Of the
fish in the tank treated with Myaxin, one was dead, one had improved slightly and the others were
unchanged. None of them were eating. I stopped the treatment and reverted to the same regime as the
other tank. No more fish were lost and within a week all could be returned to the main tank.
Causes of the bloat could be:
1. Unrelated to treatment - possible but the coincedence was strong.
2. Directly related to the Levamisole hydrochloride - possible but unlikely, only some fish were
affected although all fish were exposed to equal amounts of the chemical.
3. Caused by dead Camallanus worms in the gut of the fish - seems a good explanation although of
course I can't be sure. I cut open the dead P. taeniatus and examined with a magnifying glass. The
only thing of note was a very large liver. I didn't find any worms, dead or alive.
This is the first time I've actually had success with treating such badly bloated fish. The Myaxazin
had zero effect as far as I could tell but the aggressive water changes/tank cleaning did the trick.
The female N. anomala is still in with her fry and still has a little popeye but I think she'll be
okay. I'm doing daily water changes on that tank.

Effect on plants:
No effects noticed. Unfortunatley no effect was seen on algae and cyanobacteria either.

Effect on invertebrates:
Apple snails were unaffected. Copepods are still hopping around in most tanks also. Microworms and
grindalworms lasted the usual amount of time in tanks (Longer actually as the fish weren't eating
much).
Effect on water chemistry/biological filters:
No effect, all levels of Ammonia etc were normal throughout.

Summary of fish and their response to treatment. Unless otherwise stated this refers to adult fish:

Corydoras arcuatus - unaffected
Corydoras panda - adults and fry unaffected
Corydoras pygmeus - unaffected
Dicrossus filamentosus - unaffected
Nannacara anomala - adult male and fry unaffected. Adult female and juveniles developed mild bloat
and popeye.
Pelvicachromis taeniatus - adults and fry unaffected. Juveniles developed mild to severe bloat and
popeye. 1 juvenile died.
Mikrogeophagus ramirezi - unaffected
Badis ruber - unaffected
Characodon lateralis - adults and fry unaffected
Xiphophorus clemenciae - 1 adult male and 1 small fry died with no symptoms. All other adults and
fry unaffected. Not possible to say with certainty if deaths related to treatment.
Crossicheilus siamensis - unaffected
Paracheirodon axelrodi - unaffected
Hemmigrammus bleheri - unaffected

The bottom line of course is, are the fish free of worms? Well it's hard to tell. I found no worms
on the bottom of the tanks and no worms in the gut of dead fish. If the worms should re-appear I'll
be sure to update this thread.

In the meantime every picture tells a story:

http://www.ibrox.freeserve.co.uk/images/anomalafry.jpg
http://www.ibrox.freeserve.co.uk/images/anomalafry1.jpg

--
Graham Ramsay