Suspect Worm On Fish Fin

[gracey]

Hi all, (my first post in this forum)

I found a white s-shaped string on the fin of one of my red-nose yesterday. I quarantined it right away and took a closer look. I suspect it is a worm, but from what I find about Anchor worm, it doesn't seem to fit the description (Anchor worm seems to be Y-shaped, and the fish should be scratching itself a lot). No new fish has been introduced into the tank since Mar 3, 2009.

Here are a couple of photos of the fish:

The fish is actively swimming around in the quarantined box, and seems not really suffering. Anyone knows what that white thing is? What should I do? Could other fish be infected?

Thanks in advance.

 

[WILDER]

Any signs of flicking and rubbing.
Any excess mucas on the body or gills.
Any sores or red pierce marks on the fish.
Are you sure it a parasite and not a strand of cotton. As strands of cotton can be columnaris.
Can't make much out in the pics there to blury.

Size of tank in gallons or litres.
How many fish and which type.
Water stats in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph.

This is a pic of anchor worm on a fish.

 

[gracey]

Any signs of flicking and rubbing.
Any excess mucas on the body or gills.
Any sores or red pierce marks on the fish.
Are you sure it a parasite and not a strand of cotton. As strands of cotton can be columnaris.
Can't make much out in the pics there to blury.

Size of tank in gallons or litres.
How many fish and which type.
Water stats in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph.

This is a pic of anchor worm on a fish.

hmm.. there are no signs of any of the things you mention (flicking, rubbing, excess mucas, red pierce marks). I thought about it being some thread/cotton, but how can it end up inside the fin?!

size of tank: 66 litres

fish:
- 1 black neon tetra
- 9 Gold Barb
- 6 Rummy Nose Tetra (not including the sick one)
- 6 Otto cats (algae eaters)

only have ph: 6

 

[WILDER]

That strange.
If it burrowed in the skin is could be a parasite.
Wrap the fish in a cloth soaked in tank water and ask someone to hold the fish down for you.
You will have to take a closer look.

 

[Colin_T]

It could be a bit of fish poo that has gotten caught on the rummynose.
Does the white worm thing move at all?
Try grabbing it with a pr of tweezers and pull it off the fish.

 

[gracey]

Thanks for all the ideas. The white thing hasn't move, and the fish is livelier than ever.

What is the survivor rate of putting the fish on a wet cloth and operate on it? The fish is like an inch long and I am not sure if i can grab the white thing off it before it suffoates on the "operation table". >.< or i may rip off the fin entirely

 

[Colin_T]

If the fish is only out of water for a short period of time (ie: a minute) it doesn't normally cause any long term health problems. If you are concerned about the fish moving, try putting it into a small container of water and add a drop or two of Clove Oil. When the fish slows down you should be able to pick the thing off with a pr of tweezers.
*NB* don’t put too much Clove Oil in because it can kill the fish.

Don't use scissors to get it off or you could cause some damage to the fish.