How to kill parasitic copepods

[Plec123]

Have you tested your water?

Yes

If yes, what is your ammonia?

0

If yes, what is your nitrite?

0

If yes, what is your nitrate?

<30

If I did not test my water...

...I recognize that I will likely be asked to do a test, and that water tests are critical for solving freshwater health problems.

Do you do water changes?

Yes

What percentage of water do you change?

31-40%

How frequently do you change your water?

Every two weeks

If I do not change my water...

...I recognize that I will likely be recommended to do a water change, and water changes are critical for preventing future freshwater health problems.

I recently acquired a larger wildcaught L350 pleco and he seems to be having a tough time acclimating to my tank. Hanging out at the surface, breathing fast, blowing bubbles, etc.
Params are fine, pH around 7.2, ammonia 0, nitrites 0, nitrates <30ppm, temp 77.
I believe part of this stress is because he came with a few large parasites on him. They're these "Y" shaped green things up to about 1cm long on his body and in his mouth.

Pics attached, please tell me if I'm wrong.

How the hell do I kill these things? What meds work best? I can try to take him out and pull them off but I'm afraid that'll leave their bites open to infection and stress him out more.
Also, those odontodes don't look fun to grab.

 

[kno4te]

Anchor worm. Can try Dimlin or microbe lift anchor worm and live treatment. Other option is to net the fish and pull off the anchor worm with a tweezer. Once pulled off and no eggs then it should be fine.

 

[Plec123]

Anchor worm. Can try Dimlin or microbe lift anchor worm and live treatment. Other option is to net the fish and pull off the anchor worm with a tweezer. Once pulled off and no eggs then it should be fine.

I will try that... what a pain this is going to be. Half my cichlids were scratching within a couple days of adding the pleco so I'm sure the whole tank needs to be treated.

 

[kno4te]

I will try that... what a pain this is going to be. Half my cichlids were scratching within a couple days of adding the pleco so I'm sure the whole tank needs to be treated.

Then try the med if able.

 

[duanes]

As kno4te suggested.



As the name implies they anchor into the fish strongly, when removing one of them (and there were about half dozen, on 2 fish), part of the fishes caudal fin came with it, but eventually grew back.
After physically removing them, I brought the tank to a salinity of 3 ppt (parts per thousand), because the newly hatched Lernaea, do not thrive at that salinity. Since then, they have never reappeared.

 

[Plec123]

As kno4te suggested.

As the name implies they anchor into the fish strongly, when removing one of them (and there were about half dozen, on 2 fish), part of the fishes caudal fin came with it, but eventually grew back.
After physically removing them, I brought the tank to a salinity of 3 ppt (parts per thousand), because the newly hatched Lernaea, do not thrive at that salinity. Since then, they have never reappeared.

One of the anchor worms is actually within the pleco's mouth. It looks like they really do embed themselves. Given the damage that was done to your fish's fins, do you think it would be best to try and let the Dimlin kill the one in his mouth? He already isn't eating, i don't wanna do permanent damage.

 

[duanes]

Although 1 or 2 Lernaea may be just an irritant at the moment, and not kill the fish today, they will reproduce and can easily become pandemic in the confined space of aquariums.
So its a question of, do I treat, or get rid of them now, or do I wait and eventually all fish become so infected and all die.
If you don't think surgical removal is your forte, Dimlin is known to work, and taking action as soon as possible to save as many fish as possible (I assume the tank has more, than just the Pleco).

This is how the tetra looked right after parasite removal, fish have remarkable abilities of recovery.
This is how it looks today.

.

 

[fishguy1978]

I have plucked anchor worms off of Rainbows before and they recovered as well. You have a planted tank so copper is out of the question. Paraguard is an external parasite med and IIRC it is plant safe.

 

[Plec123]

Although 1 or 2 Lernaea may be just an irritant at the moment, and not kill the fish today, they will reproduce and can easily become pandemic in the confined space of aquariums.
So its a question of, do I treat, or get rid of them now, or do I wait and eventually all fish become so infected and all die.
If you don't think surgical removal is your forte, Dimlin is known to work, and taking action as soon as possible to save as many fish as possible (I assume the tank has more, than just the Pleco).

Perhaps I will try surgical removal and then the meds to be safe. There are quite a few other fish in the tank, and several already seem a bit irritated... so I'm sure there are Lernaea larvae swimming around. It's been almost a week.
I spend quite a bit of time in the operating room at work, hopefully surgery on plecos and people is relatively similar. Lol.

 

[duanes]

Are you sure the cichlids are not scratching from something else? (such as ick, since it sounds like you didn't quarantine the pleco)
Lernaea are sometimes specific to (or at least more common) in Cyprinids and cat fish, all my fish came from the same river at the same time.
None of the cichlids contained, or ever presented with Lernaea, although each had an ick spot or two.
If you treat with 3 lbs of salt per 100 gallons (or slightly more) reaching 3 ppt like I did, it will stop the young lernaea from surviving, and prevent ick from infecting at the same time. It however does not kill adult Lernaea.