Do gill flukes look like bloodworms?

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Randy Tarner

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• Apr 30, 2021

• #1

My Parrot Fish has developed what looks like bloodworms coming out of his gills, are these gill flukes, can I do anything for him?

 

CaptainBarnicles

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• Apr 30, 2021

• #2

It's always helpful to get a picture if you can so people can see what you're dealing with

 

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• Apr 30, 2021

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If and only if gill flukes are confirmed, Dr Loh recommends :
1st course 5 milligrams per litre of preziquantel.
2nd course 0.025 milligrams per litre of formalin.
More details :

 

Colin_T

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• Apr 30, 2021

• #4

Gill flukes are tiny white flat worms less than 1mm long.
Bloodworms (Chironomid midge larvae) are red insect larvae about 8-10mm long.

You can't normally see gill flukes without a microscope or magnifying glass.

 

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Randy Tarner

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• May 1, 2021

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Thanks for the quick replies, my fish really appreciate this forum!. I took some pictures today. It appears as if there is a whole block of thawed blood worms protruding for both gills. He is the only fish in a 150 gal tank that seems affected.

 

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CaptainBarnicles

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• May 1, 2021

• #6

This is really interesting.... I think what you can see is just the gill lamellae. I read somewhere that parrot fish can have this abnormality. I don't think there's anything wrong, the fish is healthy it's just what stays inside the gills are poking out

 

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• May 1, 2021

• #7

any chance of pictures and video showing the whole fish?

the red bits are gill filaments

 

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• May 2, 2021

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I will get a short video. I thought the pics would come out much better then they did.
The fish is healthy, with his normal hunger and attitude! I've had him since he was a baby fish and never saw 'bloodworms' coming out of him before, lol!