Tips for helping this molly

[Deadeye]

levamisole HCL.... Fritz Excel-p has this

Good thing I actually have that on hand…for once I’m prepared lol

 

[Deadeye]

If it was spitting it’s food, getting bloated (not gravid), and you see red worms coming out of it after it died, I’d guess it’s capillaria.

That doesn’t look like camanallus but you can rule that out easily by checking your other fish to see if there are tiny red worms coming out of their vents.

Either way, both types of nematodes frequently affect livebearers and both are treated the same way.

Tr your hands on levamisole and treat the whole tank.

No worms on the other fish…at least that I’ve noticed.

 

[Rocksor]

No worms on the other fish…at least that I’ve noticed.

By the time you notice them on the other fish, they will be on death's door. It's a highly contagious parasite.

 

[Hybridfish7]

By the time you notice them on the other fish, they will be on death's door. It's a highly contagious parasite.

It's not camallanus. Believe me, I've unfortunately had two run ins with it. If it was, they'd just look like downsized bloodworms, and there'd be dozens of them. They're only around the size of the fish's eye. Very sharp/pointy looking and a very deep red. To me this just looks like the color of poop that would come from eating some kind of food with color enhancers, expelled because the fish died.

 

[Deadeye]

Not sure if it’s poop, might just be flow but it appeared to have control over its movements.
Also, I don’t feed any color enhancers, the fish in the tank get bloodworms, mysis, brine shrimp, and tubifex worms (all frozen or freeze dried). Also the occasional pellets and flakes. The mollies and pleco also graze on algae and plants.
There is also daphnia and amphipods in the tank, could a parasite have hitchhiked in them?

 

[Rocksor]

Not sure if it’s poop, might just be flow but it appeared to have control over its movements.
Also, I don’t feed any color enhancers, the fish in the tank get bloodworms, mysis, brine shrimp, and tubifex worms (all frozen or freeze dried). Also the occasional pellets and flakes. The mollies and pleco also graze on algae and plants.
There is also daphnia and amphipods in the tank, could a parasite have hitchhiked in them?

The round worms could have already been in one of the other mollies since you bought it. It could take weeks to months for it show itself (depends on the immune system of the fish).

 

[phreeflow]

It's not camallanus. Believe me, I've unfortunately had two run ins with it. If it was, they'd just look like downsized bloodworms, and there'd be dozens of them. They're only around the size of the fish's eye. Very sharp/pointy looking and a very deep red. To me this just looks like the color of poop that would come from eating some kind of food with color enhancers, expelled because the fish died.

Agree…it’s likely capillaria worms and the fish probably came with them. Livebearers seem to get them a lot. Levamisole will work

 

[Deadeye]

Just dosed the tank.
Anything I should dose to sterilize the qt or just drain it, clean everything, and refill?
…annoying because I just did that to convert it from marine to fresh…can never get a break lol…

 

[phreeflow]

Just leave the qt empty…with no hosts, the worms will die. If they had time to lay eggs/cyst, they’ll you’ll have to leave it empty for a few weeks.

 

[Deadeye]

Just leave the qt empty…with no hosts, the worms will die. If they had time to lay eggs/cyst, they’ll you’ll have to leave it empty for a few weeks.

Will do, when I took the molly out, the worm was still attached so hopefully it didn’t lay anything.
Another shot of the worm if it makes for a clearer ID: