Worms On Betta?

[ellena]

My betta has been twitchy for just over a week. I think I have finally seen what's affecting him.
It's some sort of worm. They're extremely tiny and white. I thought they were some sort of algae growing on the glass, but they definitely move along in an inchworm kind of way. And he has them on him I saw 2 on his side behind his gills. They would explain the itching and twitching to get rid of them.
No forked ends as far as I can see.
Any idea what they are and, more importantly, how to get rid of them?
Thanks

Sorry, only just seen the form

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Tank size: 5.5 US gall
pH: 7.4
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrate: ?
kH: ?
gH: ?
tank temp: 25C

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior):twitchy, erratic swimming. Now these tiny worms on his head/side behind the gills. Worms visible in the water and attached to the glass. No other visible signs of illness in the betta, eating well and colour etc all good.

Volume and Frequency of water changes: In fish in cycle, so 25% every few days if stats go over 0.25ppm.

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: IAL, tetra fertiliser

Tank inhabitants: 1 male betta and 2 ADF (symptoms started before frogs were added)

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration): the above frogs

Exposure to chemicals: none

Digital photo (include if possible): I will try, but they are so tiny!
OK, here's my best attempt

 

[WILDER]

It sound like this and they can invade the gills.
http/www.aquarticles.com/articles/manage...aria_Worms.html

Do the gills look red and inflaned, or look like there bleeding.

Please note that Planarian worms can get into the gills of aquatic livestock and cause irritation, leading to fish etc. becoming jumpy and starting to scratch against the decor. I have witnessed this with Axolotls, and when a friend's Red Cap Oranda was constantly rubbing against the decor with no signs of a disease infection. We ultimately discovered that an abundance of Planaria in the tank had caused this problem.

 

[ellena]

Thanks wilder. There's no sign of any redness or bleeding. Apart from the behaviour and the presence of the worms, the fish seems in perfect health. What would you recommend to be the best way to get rid of them?

 

[WILDER]

Sterazin by waterlife.

) I have used a variety of white spot cures, tonic salts and aquatic bacteriacides etc. without any real success. Fellow aquarists have claimed some success using Sterazin (Waterlife product), Anti-crustacean Parasite (Interpet) and Parasite Guard (Sera) but I have yet to try these particular products myself.
b) Sometimes removing the fish/aquatic livestock and raising the tank temperature, for 24 hours, to 35 C can rid a tank of Planaria.
c) Drastic - but strip the tank down, boil any gravel and scrub the decor clean, and leave everything to dry for a week (remembering to change any filter material). Unfortunately there is no guarantee that once the tank is re-established the problem may not quickly resume. A second strip down and washing with a bleach solution may be the answer?
d) Natural predators may help. Apple Snails, Hong Kong Plecs. (coldwater), Whiptail Catfish, and any Limnivorous Catfish (Mud-eaters, e.g. Twig Catfish and Bubble-nesting Catfish, who are constantly searching throughout the tank for vegetable matter, detritus, micro-organisms and tiny crustaceans), are among the species that will (usually if left unfed for a few days) eat away at Planaria on a long term basis. In the short term Betta and Pelvicachromis (Kribs.) species will eat small amounts of Planaria.

 

[ellena]

Thanks, I will try that. Any idea if it's OK for the frogs?

 

[WILDER]

The frogs will have to be moved i'm afraid.

 

[ellena]

@ the article saying bettas can be a predator and eat planaria! I was thinking of getting some snails, so maybe they'd be a way to go?

Bummer! Sorry for another Q, but are the frogs likely to take the planaria with them? The only other tank I have available is another betta tank which seems free of them so far. I'd like to avoid infecting that if I can.

 

[WILDER]

I suppose you can tranters them if there on the frog.
But I would move the frogs and treat the tank.

 

[ellena]

Right, thank you I found a LFS that stocks that and really tried to get there on time tonight, but missed it by 3 minutes hyper so I'll try tomorrow.
I'm thinking of catching the frogs then gently rinsing them under the tap while they're still in the net to try and avoid tranferring any planaira/eggs. Is that a silly idea?

 

[WILDER]

Don't know anything about frogs.
But if you do rinse him in clean fresh water add some declorinator.
Good Luck.

 

[ellena]

The worms are in the other tank too now I do use the same siphon/bucket/jug/pipette etc and was swapping them about before I knew about the worms.
So, that's not an option for the frogs. With all the tanks I have on the go though, I must be able to rejig them somehow
This about the planaria being due to overfeeding-what does that mean exactly? Does it refer to uneaten food being left in the tank? I know that's definitely not happening. As for keeping the substrate clean, there is quite a bit of detritus, but I need to remove it without doing a water change. A turkey baster seems to be the way to go, but they seem to be seasonal and I'm struggling to get hold of one!

 

[WILDER]

You need to be doing a gravel vac once a week to remove uneaten food and debris.
I would use a gravel vac and water change.

Yes uneaten food, over feeding, ammonia spikes, lack of maintance, all lead to these type of worms in a aquarium.

 

[ellena]

Well, atm I'm water changing with a gravel vac at least 3 times a week and there's never any uneaten food. As the filter is new though, there is ammonia, so maybe that's why.

 

[ellena]

I've just bought an apple snail for each tank as they were suggested as predators in the article you linked to. There do seem to be fewer of them and I've only ever seen one in the second tank, but I thought a snail can't hurt and I odn't have to remove the frogs with them

 

[WILDER]

How are things going now.