rubber mouth pleco and an Anchorworm

Johnnnn_h · 12-15-2007, 11:42 PM

Started getting together a cleaning crew today,,,,,,, and man can't annything be simple!!!!!
Came home with a rubber mouth pleco,, nice looking fish. Well I notice wile it is cleaning the front of the glass, threre is some kind of a worm, in its mouth. Off to the side, yellow/white hard to see, the fish moves around alot.

It at his point seems to be a worm, it moves like one at least. So I went to the store and asked If they had anny idea what it might be , and about mabie an exchange ,,,,, the happy smilly people I bought the fish from 3 hours earlier were now verry verry negative, and did not offer anny help nothing. After some pestering they said I need to bring in a water sample with the fish and they will consider an exchange???
No one has ever seen a worm on a fish ever in that store.

Worm in fish mouth = Bad
Or am I off a little ?????

If it is a worm,, Anchorworm? Can I remove it from the fish?

jlroar · 12-16-2007, 01:17 AM

Hi,

Your tank may be already contaminated by the anchorworm. I saw a Goldfish at an aquarium just last week with anchorworm in Lewis Center next to Wal-Mart. It supprised me as their tanks were always really clean before. But then again you can only do so much with parasites.

I love my book "Fancy Goldfish by Johnson/Hess" as it gives so much information on page 41. It says by the time you can see the Lernea Elegans (Anchor worm) their has been considerable damage to the skin and gills to the victim by the larval forms that the mother releases. Here is what it says you can do.

1. You can use forceps to remove the Anchor Worm and treat the wound with topical disinfectants like Mecurochrome or tincture of iodine.

2. Dimilin (diflubenzuron) or Lufenuron (if you want I can give you the Formulary if you plan to use this BUT be warned! The Formulary will be for GOLDFISH and not your pleco who may not be able to handle these chemicals).

I would take the fish back and warn them of the danger of this fish.

James

Blacksunshine · 12-16-2007, 06:12 AM

PraZi Pro is great for killing off worms. I think anchor worms are covered as well.
don't overdose. its strong stuff.

Johnnnn_h · 12-16-2007, 12:24 PM

The thing in its mouth is gone this morning!!!

Time to hook up the uv, Picked up an 18 watt.

The 6 ottos did quite a bit of cleaning for only beeing in the tank for less thain one day, much more thain expected. All the Brown smudge ???? stuff is gone!!
Also picked up three dalmation (white and black spot) Lyer tail Mollies yesterday to work on what I think might be Thread alge, but the thread alge is still there, and I think it is growing!
The fish store had some SAE/Flying Fox fish,

eyebeatbadgers · 12-16-2007, 12:45 PM

Sounds like you need water quality improvements, not new fish. Adding a huge algae eating crew is only a band-aid for something in your water chemistry being off.

Johnnnn_h · 12-16-2007, 07:46 PM

Oh yea ,,, I am new at this, 300 watts lighting, co2, ferts, and 22 diferent kinds of plants, and There are three stem plants that I can't tell what is what! Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh

Newbe 100%

Yes, I think I put too much iorn in and the p might have been a goof.

If it wasn't for sites like Planted Tank the chance to sucsessfully set up this tank would be 10 times as difficult.

12-15-2007, 11:42 PM	#1
Johnnnn_h Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: IL Posts: 112	rubber mouth pleco and an Anchorworm Started getting together a cleaning crew today,,,,,,, and man can't annything be simple!!!!! Came home with a rubber mouth pleco,, nice looking fish. Well I notice wile it is cleaning the front of the glass, threre is some kind of a worm, in its mouth. Off to the side, yellow/white hard to see, the fish moves around alot. It at his point seems to be a worm, it moves like one at least. So I went to the store and asked If they had anny idea what it might be , and about mabie an exchange ,,,,, the happy smilly people I bought the fish from 3 hours earlier were now verry verry negative, and did not offer anny help nothing. After some pestering they said I need to bring in a water sample with the fish and they will consider an exchange??? No one has ever seen a worm on a fish ever in that store. Worm in fish mouth = Bad Or am I off a little ????? If it is a worm,, Anchorworm? Can I remove it from the fish?

12-16-2007, 06:12 AM	#3
Blacksunshine Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (75/100%) Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Bellevue WA Posts: 1,045	PraZi Pro is great for killing off worms. I think anchor worms are covered as well. don't overdose. its strong stuff. __________________ 75 Gal photos My 20 gal journal http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/ph...y-journal.html 6Gal Nano Journal http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/ph...tml#post372246

12-16-2007, 12:45 PM	#5
eyebeatbadgers Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (62/100%) Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Hendersonville, TN Posts: 2,485	Sounds like you need water quality improvements, not new fish. Adding a huge algae eating crew is only a band-aid for something in your water chemistry being off. __________________ 10 29 NAAGC

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12-16-2007, 01:17 AM	#2
jlroar Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Lewis Center, OH Posts: 205	Hi, Your tank may be already contaminated by the anchorworm. I saw a Goldfish at an aquarium just last week with anchorworm in Lewis Center next to Wal-Mart. It supprised me as their tanks were always really clean before. But then again you can only do so much with parasites. I love my book "Fancy Goldfish by Johnson/Hess" as it gives so much information on page 41. It says by the time you can see the Lernea Elegans (Anchor worm) their has been considerable damage to the skin and gills to the victim by the larval forms that the mother releases. Here is what it says you can do. 1. You can use forceps to remove the Anchor Worm and treat the wound with topical disinfectants like Mecurochrome or tincture of iodine. 2. Dimilin (diflubenzuron) or Lufenuron (if you want I can give you the Formulary if you plan to use this BUT be warned! The Formulary will be for GOLDFISH and not your pleco who may not be able to handle these chemicals). I would take the fish back and warn them of the danger of this fish. James

12-16-2007, 12:24 PM	#4
Johnnnn_h Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: IL Posts: 112	The thing in its mouth is gone this morning!!! Time to hook up the uv, Picked up an 18 watt. The 6 ottos did quite a bit of cleaning for only beeing in the tank for less thain one day, much more thain expected. All the Brown smudge ???? stuff is gone!! Also picked up three dalmation (white and black spot) Lyer tail Mollies yesterday to work on what I think might be Thread alge, but the thread alge is still there, and I think it is growing! The fish store had some SAE/Flying Fox fish,

12-16-2007, 07:46 PM	#6
Johnnnn_h Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: IL Posts: 112	Oh yea ,,, I am new at this, 300 watts lighting, co2, ferts, and 22 diferent kinds of plants, and There are three stem plants that I can't tell what is what! Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh Newbe 100% Yes, I think I put too much iorn in and the p might have been a goof. If it wasn't for sites like Planted Tank the chance to sucsessfully set up this tank would be 10 times as difficult.