Cardinal Tetra With Something On Its Body.

[Lazerus]

Hi all,

I wonder can you advise?

I've noticed someting on the left hand side of one of my cardinal tetras...its in two places.....just under his tail fin on his body and looks to be within his anal fin somehow....and another on his tail fin.

It started out some weeks ago just looking like a blob on his scale and it went away, but now its more clear that there is definately something more defined there....like a white worm curled around itself. Its so hard to see it though, as he's so fast.


Here is a picture...Its realy hard to get a good photo of this fella as I'm sure you can appreciate.

Would treating him with Anti Crustacean Parasite medicine be effective?....also, should I treat the whole tank, or just the one guy?

I have 2 Otos and 5 Cardinals...thats it,

Water stats:
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 0ppm (water change yesterday)

 

[Lazerus]

Anybody?

 

[WILDER]

The anti crustaceon med by interpet will wipe all the benefical bacteria out in the filter as it a strong med.
So it definately a worm on the fish if so I would try wormer plus which dosn't effect the filter bacteria.
You can remove some parasites with tweezers but its abit risky with not knowing which parasite it is.
Does the parasite have a forked tail.
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[Lazerus]

Hi Wilder,

Thanks for the reply...I'm only getting around to dealing with it today actually.

I've bought the Interpet no.12 for anti-crustacean as there is nothing else in the three petshops I've gone to.

As for the worm...Its very visable but it is quite small, some of it is curled around itself but it has a long bit hanging down...so I'm suspicous that it is an anchor worm...I can't see the two prongs though, but thats not to say there are not there. The cardinal is just too fast to get a good look.

So, after I post this, rather than treating the whole tank and ruining my filter, I'm just going to set up my 5gal hospital tank with a heater, but minus my spare filter....I'll have to do daily water changes to ensure there isn't any ammonia or nitrites rising.... but thats ok. I wouldn't imagine there would a huge spike for just one tetra.

I'll keeping a good eye on the water.

I'll also have a better idea if the worm falls off because I'll be able to see it on the clear bottom.


I just hope it won't stress the poor fella out too much though....we'll see.

 

[WILDER]

Is there anyway you can try and remove it from the fish.

 

[Lazerus]

Well, I suppose I could with a tweezers, but I'd be sure to kill the fish, wouldn't I? I'm not to confident about it.

This worm thing seems to be imbedded within the anal fin somehow....and on closer inspection there is two red blood lines running through the fin of the fish on either side of the worm. I don't know if this is connected or just a coincedence, but none of my other fish have these red markings on their fins.

I'd be afraid I'd rip the fishes fin in the process or leave a gaping wound.

I've my hospital tank set up now, and the water is up to tempertare.....I think I'll just plop him in. Or would you say this is the wrong thing to do?

I'll be doing daily water changes to ensure that the ammonia or nitrite dosen't reach critical amounts.

 

[WILDER]

Add the interpet crustaceon med if the fish is in a hospital tank.

 

[Lazerus]

Hi again..just an update really,

My little guy has been in his hospital tank now since yesterday evening, and he seems to be doing fine. I think he's missing the other fish though...but he has a safe place to hide and there's a dark background on the tank so he's hopefully not too stressed..

The worm is still on his body...but I'm hoping I'll see some results by tomorrow.

I turned the tank to face the other tank so the fish would see each other, but I'm wondering now is this just tormenting him....I may turn it back.

Anyway, thats about it for now.

 

[WILDER]

Have you added a med. Need to get that parasite off him as they cause bacterial infections.

 

[Lazerus]

Yes, I added the Interpet no.12.....(medication for parasites) when I put him in the hospital tank on Tuesday.

I notice the fish is very delicate at the moment.

I had been testing the water daily, but yesterday the ammonia had gone up slightly from 0ppm...so I had to remove him briefly to do a 100% water change & re-dose again. During this time when he was in his container, he was losing balance and falling to the side. I thought I was going to lose him.

Today however, I notice the worm has withered away a bit which is good news....and the fish is not doing the off balance thing at all. He's swimming around as usual.

I'm wondering is he starting to be weakened by the medication though. I hope I don't lose him at then end of this treatment. He's another 2 days in the tank to go.

I'm trying my best not to over stress him by meddling with the tank in any way. I only want to go near him when it’s necessary.

What do I do with him if the worm hasn’t fully gone after the 7 day dosage? Is it okay to add him back into the communal tank?

 

[WILDER]

The med does cause a very high ammonia and nitrite reading I've used it and even the panda corys got through it.
The tanks soon cycles fast again with the high ammonia reading, but you are treating in a hospital tank so fine.
When you preform a water change just add the correct amount of med back to the water removed.
If the worms still on him in a few days get back to the board.
The anti crustaceon med only works on gill maggots, fish lice, anchor worm.