Parasitic Worm?

[dylema]

Hello,

I just recently found a pleco fry dead, he had a bent tail and was tiny compared to the others so I think he had a problem for a while. On close inspection of his body I found a red thread like thing sticking out of his side so I carefully pulled it out (I am a science student). To my eye (with a 10X magnification hend lense) it looks like a worm. I will try to find out some more info and will borrow my Mums microscope tomorrow but I thought this might be a good place to start since there are so many knowledgable people on here. So any info/advice would be greatly apreciated. I am wanting to find out if it is likely to be a parasite or something trying to decompose the body or if it might even be part of the pleco like part of a gill or something.

Sorry about the picture quality but the pleco is about 15mm and the thread/worm is only 5mm x 0.1-0.2mm so it is hard with standard equipment.

ps I have not tested my water tonight but it is usually always Ammonia 0 Nitrite 0 Nitrate 10-20ppm pH 7. I have fine gravel substrate and appart from the fry the tank details are in my sig.

I will post this in the emergency section as well.

 

[smurfyy_2k3]

just looks like waste to me might be something else though

 

[dylema]

Could be a type of nematode (specifically camallanus worms).

This was suggested in the emergency section by Wilder.

Camallanus worms and they are nasty and probably the other fish will have them too.


There is a med but it hard to get hold off, you can buy it on the net, or go to a vet.
It called levimsole a pig worming tablet.
http/inkmkr.com/Fish/CamallanusTreatment/

Good news is there is a chemical which will kill them and not the fish but there is a high risk of secondary infections when you kill the nematode due to internal injuries and dead worms remaining in the fish . I would have to do a 100% waterchange as well as clean everything really thoroughly to remove any leftover not dead nematodes and all the dead ones.

Apparently the chemical is not very toxic to the fish so it might pay for me to find it and treat the tank anyway.

Any more not so nasty thoughts would be apreciated. This makes me feel pretty icky.