My blueface has internal parisitic worms.

[wrightme43]

Hey everybody. Would like some ideas. I know this is bad. I have 3 quar tanks now, and they are all full of fish for other people. lol
My blueface pooped out a large mass of white segmented worms yesterday. Any ideas on how to kill the SOB.s with out killing my corals, fish or inverts.
There have been no new fish additions for months, and the fish were all quar. prior to addition.
He has no noticeable problems from the worms. His color, and health all seem top notch. I just think he would grow faster and be even better if the stupid things were dead.
Anybody got any good ideas?

 

[jetaero]

interceptor?

-Josh-

 

[wrightme43]

Hey thanks for the idea. Know anywhere to research it?

 

[jetaero]

reefcentral or google is my best guess... but I have heard of people treating it the same as you would acro bugs.

-Josh-

 

[wrightme43]

cool
thanks man.

 

[Maxx]

The active ingredient is Milbemycin Oxime...which acts as a chitin inhibitor.
I dont know how much chitin these worms contain, but if its similar to the amount contained by dog/cat heartworms...it should work.

Nick

 

[Maxx]

Might try Prazi-pro too...its also called Droncit....ask Nikki about it.

Nick

 

[wrightme43]

How would these effect my shrimp, crabs, feather dusters, and various inverts? If you know anyway. LOL

 

[jetaero]

The interceptor would kill them... I would reccomend a hospital tank for any method of treatment.

-Josh-

 

[Elmo18]

I would use Pipzine...i wouldn't even touch Interceptor for treating internal parasites....

just my 0.02 cents

- Elmo

 

[Elmo18]

I forgot to mention the active ingredient: Piperazine Citrate , which is a dewormer.

- Elmo

 

[Elmo18]

As a secondary option, although you said you did see worms, but if you suspect other internal protozoans, you can use Hex-A-Mit, or anything with Metranidazole....just please read the directions..on the packaging..

- Elmo

 

[wrightme43]

See thats the problem. I have 3 hospitol tanks. LOL All full of fish for other people. I guess I will just have to wait. LOL What else can I do? buy another tank. Oh wait Yeah thats the way to solve that problem. LOL Perfect excuse to get a 150 and then use the 75 as the sump, and use the sump on my 75 as a hospitol tank.

 

[steve-s]

I would actually go with Metronidazole as the first choice. Better choice for internal worms. Praziquantel based meds will work otherwise.

Cheers
Steve

 

[Terry B]

I tend to prefer Praziquantel in the food, but without identifying which species of internal parasite we are dealing with medicating is based on a best guess. Soaking the foods heavily in garlic for a week or so will kill some internal parasites. The danger as I see it is in killing a really large worm or a really large population of worms all at once. The dead and decaying matter may kill the fish. Try soaking the foods in garlic first since the angel appears to be doing OK despite the worms. Most fish do have internal worms and they usually don't have a problem. Large worms is not good though.

Terry B

 

[wrightme43]

Ok it was a large mass of white segmented worms about 1/16th of a inch thick and about 3-4 inchs long. I had not fed for about 3 days. They all came out in a big wad. He doesnt look strained or like they are bothering him at all. What about Thera A from new life spectrum?

 

[NaH2O]

Steve (wrightme43) - I don't think the Thera-A will give you what you are looking for. It says in a description that its a "Non-medicated Anti-Parasitic Formula" and "Boosts immune system to repel parasites". I haven't seen a list of ingredients, however, I think with these two statements it is probably something like garlic in the food. If that's the case, then you'd be better off using fresh garlic yourself. I agree with Terry B on the Praziquantel medication, if you want to do more than garlic. Prazi-Pro is a liquid praziquantel product. I personally wouldn't use it in my display tank, so you might want to set up a separate container for the fish. In dogs and cats it is used against tapeworms and also flukes. It works by damaging the worm so that it disintegrates and is aborbed, not excreted by the animal, if that makes sense. I don't know if it works the same way in fish with worms. As far as the Interceptor/Milbemycin Oxime goes, in animals it can be used to help with round, whip, and hook worms (of course and heartworm prevention), but I wouldn't go this route, especially in the tank where your pods, crabs, and shrimp might be effected. I would try what Terry suggests first, then look into other options.

OK - I found this.....it might help with understanding Praziquantel....at least from an animal standpoint.

 

[steve-s]

The danger as I see it is in killing a really large worm or a really large population of worms all at once. The dead and decaying matter may kill the fish.

Going to have to file that one away for later, never even entered my mind as a possibility.

Cheers
Steve

 

[wrightme43]

Thanks Linkmaster Nikki. LOL
I am just going to have to wait till I have a clear quar tank. I will just feed him food soaked in parazipro.