Rosie Reds in Quarantine

[JohnM]

I have some rosie reds in quarantine,3 of them have what looks like anchor worms. I first noticed this on 1 that was half dead this morning. Apon further investigation I found two more with this condition. It looks like a black string protruding from the skin.

A couple of Questions:
First, Does this sound like anchor worms with the very limited description I have given?
Second, I have no problem with disposing of this small batch of rosies but is my tank now infested and if so How to get rid of these?

THIRD and A BIG THIRD: If I fed one of these to my fish without noticing it, how will it effect my fish.

THANKS to all who responds.
John

 

[Lupin]

Yes, your case is indeed anchorworms. Remove the adults with tweezers and treat the wounds with iodine solution. Do not feed your fish with these infested ones. Start dosing dylox neguvon in your quarantine tank. Fortunately, neguvon won't have a negative impact on your beneficial bacteria and once done, you can remove it with carbon easily but the treatment is a process taken on 10-day intervals. Give it 3 stages of treatments. Be sure not to inhale nor contact it as organophosphates are extremely dangerous and you may suffer allergies as well. I had contacted it and suffered mild allergic reaction to it.

 

[JohnM]

Thank You for the responce

I am still worried that I accidently fed an infected red to my fish. Will they just digest these or will they be internally infected?

 

[Lupin]

That's an interesting question and an eye-opener as well. Well, the risk of infestation is already there considering anchorworms were alleged to be excellent swimmers although I have yet to actually observed them swimming.lol As to internal infections, I doubt it. These are external parasites that prefer to infest the epidermis of the fish than the internal organs. Don't forget they have juvenile stages too. I'd just keep a close watch. If you notice some wounds suddenly appearing especially in white blotches with red on the edges with not much explanation to the causes, then chances are the anchorworms have already started invading your tank. Luckily, the trichlorfon doesn't take impact on your nitrogen cycle and is not extremely toxic to fish except when overdosed. Just exercise caution in using it. If you are using the powder form, use mask and gloves. Avoid coumaphos. It's just too powerful and an overdose could kill all your fish quickly.

 

[JohnM]

Thanks Lupin, your responce helps a lot. I am going to euthinize the 2 infected reds and watch the others very carefully. What should I watch out for, when it comes to the fish I might have fed them to?

 

[Lupin]

Thanks Lupin, your responce helps a lot. I am going to euthinize the 2 infected reds and watch the others very carefully. What should I watch out for, when it comes to the fish I might have fed them to?

The symptoms always associated are unexplained wounded areas, constant twitching, constant scratching, speed spurts and frayed fins. Not all symptoms will occur depending on how early you can observe these unusual symptoms. A surefire indicator would be the unexplained white and red blotches that look like something just bit them and stabbed them with a needle. The fins would be the first thing to have that type of injury.

Prepare the trichlorfon just in case but do not treat yet. If you see the adult anchorworms clinging, remove them immediately with tweezers or forceps and apply iodine solution on the wound. Start treating with trichlorfon afterwards. The adults need to be removed or you would have to dose a higher concentration which can be dangerous.

 

[JohnM]

Thanks again Lupin, I will be keeping a sharp eye on my fish as well as the rest of the reds. Just fyi the fish that I might have fed them to are 1-Pbass and 2-Oscars. These feeders are NOT the regular diet of the oscars but im still trying to get the Pbass off of live food wich has been a very trying effort.