Anchhor worm

[smaug]

About 3% melaluca oil with the rest being water. Tea tree oil in water. The stuff is an antibacterial and does a good job on cuts and abrasions for mammals. It is useless in water because get this,,,,water and oil don't mix!

[hedonest]

wow...ok too much info..
step by step

tank is very much cycled - till today morning atleast (ammonia 0, nitrite 0). will check again in 8 hours.

pengasius catfish was a mistake. took advice of my lsf and got them. post researching I realized the blunder. They will be going back to my lsf to be exchanged for something else once this mess is cleared. And you would not believe me, he sold me 4 of them !!!! & not only the size, they are very hyper fish..

comet goldfish yes they are cold but I have read they get accustomed to a variety of range of temperatures. tbh, they have been with me for the past 3 months (and I have kept them before no issues). the 2 fishes that had the anchor worm till date came together from same lfs in the same batch - i.e. mollies, sword tails & black skirt tetra.

I should have mayb waited on the bgk a few months before adding them. I fell in love when I saw them in the shop and couldnt wait to get them. 1 is still surviving. lets hope it lasts this horror.

now for the medications -

mela / pima stopped on 2nd dose. I have added the remaining 50% of dactymor to complete its dose - although this would not have any effect on the anchor worm but I did not want to leave the dose incomplete. Now atleast no internal parasites will be a problem
I have checked all lfs here and no one has either anchor's away or clout. Now I need to hunt for PP i guess?
Also, the black skirt tetra has ulcers / lesions where the worm was present. that was the other reason i was adding the mela / pima. should i still discontinue them for the time being?

In the meantime, I have found that this product treats anchor worm specifically - http://www.aquarium-munster.com/inde...242&con_lang=2

I shall get this and try it - but I wonder if it will kill the eggs that might be floating around as well? hmmm

Thank you all for your assistance - appreciate it.

[Lady Hobbs]

If it is listed as a treatment for anchor worms, definately get it then. There are several out there but unless stated for anchors will not kill them.

The goldfish was mentioned not only due to the different water conditions but simply due to the fact they get a foot long and are pretty dirty fish. The high temp for them would be the low for all the others so ideally none of them in their comfort range.

We say it constantly here........Do not allow the pet store to stock your tank for you or tell you what to get or how many of them. They simple will tell you whatever they want. Research yourself and don't ask them a darned thing. They screw up more people than they help.

[hedonest]

Yes dat i have realised...very dirty...
Coolio..they shall be going back soon...
Update:
Another molly seems 2 b affected. I shall perform a 3/4th water change today and put in the medication that specificaly states anchor worm. Hopefully then I shall be finally getting rid of this menace.
This shouldnt stress the fishes right..medications one after another? I dont think waiting would any longer would b a gud idea...but just wanna b sure

[Lady Hobbs]

Hope it gets rid of it too. Goldfish commonly are seen with anchor worms but you don't hear of it on Mollys and Tetra's.

[wijnands]

And they looked fine in there! Just like the arowana in the massive tank did.

Tree oil.. if it's a resinous tree the msds would make sense. silly product!

[hedonest]

Update:
60% water change... everything inside was oily. I guess the effect of mila / pima dosage. it has been stopped now.

I put in the argumor. instructions says just one dose is normally enough (5ml / 100 l) unless treating gill flukes (which requires a 2nd dose to destroy the eggs). and then 30% water change after a week. hopefully all goes well. Might even consider a 2nd dose depending on how things go.

I lost 1 red swordtail fish. Also while doing the water change I had taken out the decorations and while vacuuming I noticed a fry. it was tinnnyyyyyy... i tried my best to catch hold of it, but it just disappeared. I feel so bad of not being able to save it - the tank is a mess, i dont know how many frys' i would have lost. couldnt tell which of the fishes had delivered - molly or the swordtail. but its eyes were bigger than its face..hehe

so there is light at the end of the tunnel :D

[hedonest]

Right..so a swordtail showed signs of the worm yesterday when i was putting in the medication. Today however it seems to have disappeared. Gud sign?
But, but the molly still has it. It seems active and eats food.. I am worried though what internal damage that stupid worm must b doing. I have 2 wait a week as per the instructions followed by 30% water change. Hopefully it gets cleared by 1 dose. Getting impatient...N really frustrated

[hedonest]

Update - could the tetra be suffering from secondary infections? seems to have developed some sort of lesion as in the picture

what do you guys think it is and how should it be treated?

[hedonest]

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