Shrimp with fangs

[MattW]

Flatworms run rampant in my tank. This shrimp has two which look like fangs! Perhaps Halloween has come early

 

[Jennet]

Can't they be problematic in the aquarium?

 

[MattW]

Can't they be problematic in the aquarium?

They can be irritating for shrimp and can cause fatalities in great numbers on a single host, but they don't pose as big a threat as other flatworms like planaria.

 

[Back in the fold]

What’s going on in that picture ? Are the worms on the shrimp or is the shrimp eating them ?

 

[MattW]

What’s going on in that picture ? Are the worms on the shrimp or is the shrimp eating them ?

The worms attach themselves to the shrimp's rostrum (nose). While they set up shop, they feed on any food they can get + reproduce with eggs, usually ending up around the head area/gills under the shell. Sometimes you will see the tiny worms on fresh moults. I've had these parasites in my tanks for a while now. Been watching how they have infiltrated pretty much the entire colony of shrimp.

Not my pic, but you can clearly see the white eggs of the worms inside the shrimp.

Some of the better close-up pics I've gotten so far

 

[gwand]

Will a salt dip get rid of them?

 

[MattW]

Will a salt dip get rid of them?

Yes, the adults do come off with a salt dip, but the eggs would remain unless using something like Esha gDex. However, I can't medicate the tank as I have snails.

As for the salt dip, it's impossible to do in my situation. I would have to destroy the tank to find every shrimp