Snail And Shrimp Expert Needed Desperately

[joloco]

My red ramshorns have developed longish white worms on their bodies which move around over them and seem to irratate the snails (lots of writhing for no particular reason). I've never seen this before and am a bit concerned that added any fish to this aquarium (as i planned to) will will lead to infected fish.

Does anyone have any clues as to what these worms might be and what I should do?

Do you think my amano shrimps and cameron amoured shrimp that the snails shared a tank with until i fished them out this morning might already be infected? It doesn't appear so but it might just be that the worms are too small to see at the minute. If so - any suggestions?

many thanks

 

[moray]

It's hard to know for definate what they are (especially without seeing them) I know that there are some parasitic worms that start life using snails as hosts, often as they get larger they move onto fish (and sometimes then onto fish eating predators), until you find out what they are I would definately not add any fish. As for the shrimps, though most parasitic worms have particular types of hosts they go to, I personally would want to seperate them in their own tank (again with no fish, just in case) I know it seems like a lot of trouble to go to, but without knowing what they are, there is a slight possibility that they might infect any livestock that you put them in with.

Is there any chance that you can get a photo of them?

Please remember there is a chance that they are harmless just a bit irritating to your snails, so don't panick, just take some precautions.

Any more info on them would be good, eg. do they have hooks on their head area, do they just look like white earthworms or more like flat worms, segments, length of the longest one, etc.

 

[joloco]

On the white worm front - they are less than 1mm in diameter and vary between 3mm long and 5mm long. Its really hard to describe them more accurately as they are so small.

They seem to be embedded in the snails body at one end and can move their other end independently of the surface of the snail. ie. my snails' bodies look a little bit like a hedgehog at times.

However they also seem able to crawl around on the surface of the snail's bodies.





Most infected snails seem to have spent most of the day shut up and clamped against their new tank side.

Shrimps look fine and are without worms.


I'm working on the photo but does the above ring any bells?

 

[moray]

I'm so sorry, I'm stumped, though I know about certain parastites that use snails as intermediate hosts, I really don't know what yours are. They could be some form of leach maybe, or some sort of of fluke but I really am being no help what so ever. I hope someone else can help, my only advice is to keep all other livestock out of the tank, remove plants (which sometimes are needed to carry on a parasites cycle), make sure you wash your hands with antibacterial after doing anything in the tank. I don't even know how to start treating these without harming your snails. if your snails die make sure you dispose of them carefully, last thing you want is to infect any native animals with what could be a foreign parasite (including birds which can host certain parasites)- Maybe contact a snail specialtist - I know I'm being very little help.

http/www.applesnail.net/

maybe some other members know of good websites.

sorry Luc.

 

[joloco]

I think they are leeches - I watched one moving across the glass and it moved exactly in the manner of a leech. Are there are treatments I can buy to kill them off do you know?

Too late for the snails though - all dead this morning.

 

[moray]

I'm so sorry I couldn't help you more. Clear the aquarium, get rid of any plants, and sterilise everthing with boiling water before you use it again (especially the gravel and the filter). Remember you will have to recycle the tank. You should also keep the shrimp that you had in the tank seperate from anything else for a good while in case they are infected. Once again I am so sorry I couldn't be more help.