The Work Oscar Has A Parasite

[jollysue]

This morning the 12" work oscar had a worm hanging out of it's gill. It looks like a tape worm to me: white, flat, falling off in sections, and scattered pieces around the bottom of the tank.

I have some Spectrum Thera anti parasite food. It's super expensive ($20 for 300 grams), but I will donate it if it will help. I also have a small jar of Jungle anti parasite medicated food. Will either of these help?

Does anyone know how to treat this oscar for this parasite? Does anyone know if this is probably a tapeworm?

This is the same oscar that was housed in 50 usg with a frontie against my advice. Wild critters (crawdads, bass) have been put in to room with Oscar repeatedly in the past against my objections. That horror is over. The boy that insisted it was ok and did it is graduated.

 

[Synirr]

Ewww
Either of the medicated foods ought to do the trick, though for an oscar it could take quite a lot! It could definitely be a tapeworm, especially with him having been exposed to wild critters; fish tapeworms are very common in wild populations.

 

[jollysue]

Thanks, Synirr, you are the first person to reply with an internal parasite possibility. The one thing that has me hung up is that the thing appeared to be protruding from his gill.

Tapeworms give me the creepycrawlies. Poor Oscar.

I was told tonight that two other staff saw worms protruding from the crawdad's butt. Now they tell me.

I have been trying to confirm my diagnosis online and found several Fish and Game references to a tapeworm infestation of bass that's cycle includes the crawdad. It is a nasty brute that causes major internal damage in one of it's stages.

I have PrazilPro at home. I think it will be more effective than trying to feed the fellow enough antibacterial food. Although I might offer the Spectrum Thera. Not a medication, but it's used for wildcaught fish.

Since I don't have the med with me tonight, I will go to my lfs/lps and see if they can ID the specimen.

I am inclined to treat all my tanks now since I had the frontie in a couple. That could have been why he was a little sunken looking and died suddenly without real symptoms. I thought maybe it was a heart attack or stroke.

 

[jollysue]

I think it may not have been coming from his gill, but whatever it was may have been floating from his gill fin. It remains to discover if it is detrius or parasite. Although whatever I think a good tank treatment of a broad anti parasite would be advised--maybe??