ID "parasite"

[screaminleeman]

I have noticed thousands of tiny white creatures that glide along the glass much like the trumpet snails that overran the tank. The never seemed to effect the bowfins that had inhabited the tank. They have an ability to take a fish apart so fast I am stunned.

I through a $1 highfin pleco that has grown to over 14" into the aquarium. The white crawlers positioned themselves on his whiskers.

It is only 48 hours later, and they have removed his tail and are working on the body. I see precious little chance of saving the pleco, but there are also 5 young (~ 12") Florida Gar in the tank. They like the bowfins I removed look totally unaffected by these creatures.

 

[JKM]

Got a pic?

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[screaminleeman]

I tried to get pictures last night but was unable.

I thought that they were possibly baby snails as they navigate the glass surfaces in the aquarium in much the same way as the the trumpet snails that have totally overrun the tank. The have absolute zero insofar as a "shell" though.

I am uncertain if baby snails have no shells on birth and develop them later.

The biggest of the mass of snails is still less than 1 inch.

In comparison of size, the largest of these ghost white glass crawlers in probably under 1/8th of an inch, and most are in the 1mm to 1/16th inch range.

 

[icantquit]

Nothing levamisole or febendazole cant kill

 

[koh the face stealer]

Sounds like planaria. They don't bother your fish just are disgusting to look at. If you want to get rid of them you can do more water changes, feed less or not at all for a couple of days. Your fish will survive the food deprivation and may even eat the planaria helping you rid the tank of them. The planaria can't last long without food.

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[koh the face stealer]

Whoa wait! I somehow overlooked the pleco part. Discard the planaria comment. I'm sorry.

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[FHlov]

sounds like chidonella, but they aren't visible to naked eye

 

[akmzero]

What ended up happening with this?

 

[screaminleeman]

The pleco is 100% healed.

I think that I mistook the shredded tail as a result of the white crawlers, where it must have been the Gars. I think that the Pleco must have wound up eating all of the planaria and digging around in the sand subtrate is probably how they came to "swarm" his whiskers.

Note to self, never use nasty playsand for subtrate again!

 

[F1 VET]

Just keep the tank cleaner. Crap water can silently kill fish




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