Anchor worm?

[Joby]

This afternoon just before collecting my son from school for the last time before the xmas holidays I noticed a white thin worm on his VT Alphie. I studied it for a while and it was wriggling and not just moving in the gentle current in the tank. He seems unaffected by it.

I dropped into the lfs on the way back with my son and they suggested this medicine - Aquarium doctor APC its an anti parasitic treatment

Well we got home and my son rushed to his fish to check it out and the worm was gone

So do we still treat as the worm has fallen off? Should I put melafix in there instead as the lfs guy said that the worms actually dropping off and leaving a hole is what can kill the fish. I need to check with you guys first so any suggestions greatly received.

He is in a 10g divided with my crowntail male Ozzy so I'm worried that it could spread to him.

 

[WILDER]

Can you describe the worm that was on the fish.

 

[cation]

She already did. It was white, thin, wriggly, and visible to the naked eye.


Joby - Go ahead and treat with the anti-parasitic. You could probably put a (low dose) of melefix in - You prbably altready know this, but bettas take a weaker dose of melefix then other fish. Also, the medication will sap some of the oxygen from the water, so you might want to increase the current in the tank or add a bubble stone (probably the better choice for a betta - I'm a firm believer in filtered tanks for them, but with a lowish current). Hope he's feeling un-squirmified soon.

 

[Joby]

Wilder - The worm was about 5mm long and thin like a piece of thread and white. One end was under his scales just above his gill cover and def wriggling. Ugh!

Their tank is cycled and has a fluval 1 internal filter in there which isn't too powerful.

The VT it was on is quite active and acting normal although is tank mate Ozzy is sitting on the bottom a lot though appears to be in good health bodywise. I was thinking that he's just depressed as he was taken from his fry recently, but maybe he has been affected as well.

Hmmm, may just do the treatment anyway and yes, put a mild dose of Melafix in there too. Thanks Cation

 

[WILDER]

http/www.fishpalace.org/Disease.html#Lernea

 

[WILDER]

http/edis.ifas.ufl.edu/BODY_FA091

 

[Joby]

Oooh very informative sites, thanks Wilder

My worm didn't have a forked tail though so not sure it was an anchor one

One of our goldfish once had something similar but it dropped off when we netted it to quarantine in it and it never re-appeared

Wonder what the heck it was? it didn't look like planaria (sp?)

will keep looking to see if I can find it on the net

 

[cation]

Planeria typically don't attach themselves to fish, they usually are found just crawling around in the tank. So I would be you are right on that one.

If it was coming out of or around his gill, it's possible that it was a gill worm.