FAQs on Parasitic Marine Worm
Diseases: Causative
Mechanisms/Prevention
Related Articles: Marine
Parasitic Disease, Parasitic
Worms, Roundworms,
Related FAQs: Fish Worm Diseases 1, Marine Worm Parasites
2, Marine Worm Parasites
3, & FAQs on Marine Worm Parasites: Diagnosis/Symptomology, Cures That Don't Work, Cures That Do Work, Products/Manufacturers... Flukes/Trematodes, Tapeworms/Cestodes, Leeches/Hirudineans, "Other" Worms and Worm-Like
Parasites... Paravortex/Black
Spot Disease, Anthelminthics/Vermifuges... De-wormers
(Piperazine, Praziquantel...) & FAQs, Yellow
Tang Disease, Parasitic Disease 2, Parasitic Disease 3, Parasitic Marine Tanks, Parasitic Reef Tanks,
Cryptocaryoniasis, Marine
Ich, Marine Velvet Disease Biological Cleaners,
Treating Parasitic Disease,
Using Hyposalinity to Treat
Parasitic Disease, Roundworms, Yellow Tangs, Tang
Health/Disease,
|
Many "thinning" syndromes, anomalous
losses can be traced to the debilitating effects of worm
parasites, external and internal.
What can be done then to prevent or exclude these
parasites? Prophylactic treatment mostly... in the
quarantine/acclimation process...
|
Re: was UV/skimmer, now Tang
parasite... 3/6/07 Bob et al., Well, some small
progress on the BGA situation. It seems to be slowing
down. Friday it was going through one of it's
let-go-and-float-to-the-surface phases, so I picked as much out
as I could. It seemed to be more cohesive and pick
able than usual. It has been regrowing slower than
usual since. So the UV and/or the water changes with
homemade RO/DI water may be helping slowly. <Yes, likely>
Another siphon attack and water change tonight and
see what happens. The new problem of the day is that I am
concerned about my yellow tang. I added a yellow tang and a baby
purple tang about 6 weeks ago. <Mmmmm> They had
been in quarantine after purchase, and did develop
ich. I treated with hyposalinity (1.009) first,
<For how long? Tangs don't like reduced salinity...>
that didn't work and the next wave of the parasites was
pretty bad. I ended up treating with copper <Nor much copper
exposure> and the ich resolved and they both were symptom free
for 4 weeks before going in the display tank. The
yellow tang had gotten pretty thin, as he did not eat well in QT,
the little purple was a pig and seemed to always beat him to the
food, and I tried to be conservative about the feeding, as the
tank was small and so quickly polluted. <Good> I assumed he
was thin because he was too stressed to eat much.
<Yes, likely so> He was not thin when I purchased him, but
lost weight during the quarantine. So right after
adding him to the main tank, I noticed an apparent cyst in his
muscle just below his dorsal fin, on the left side. It
was not visible in QT with normal lighting, but only under the
reef lights. You can only really see it as a shadow
when the light comes through him. You can't see it from the
right side. It is about halfway between the skin and
the bones on the left side about 1/4" below dorsal
fin. There is no visible skin lesion, but if the light
hits it just right, an opaqueness in that spot, about the size of
a sesame seed. I did not worry too much about this, as he seemed
fine, and it could have been some scar tissue or
something. He began eating well right away, and his
behaviour has been very normal. He has the typical
night-time color change with a dark spot and a white stripe when
the lights go out. He is not quite as aggressive as
the others at feeding time, but seems to be eating
well. He does not show any interest in the Nori, so he
only eats when I feed flakes or frozen, but I worry he is not
grazing enough. Their new favorite food is Formula 2 with
garlic. They all seem to love it. He is still thin,
and I am worried that this cyst is a tapeworm or
nematode. His guts do have a lumpy kind of appearance,
and he could have worms of some sort. But this could
just be the normal intestinal appearance that is visible because
he is so thin. I have not seen any abnormal protrusions or
worm-like excrement. I have tried to get a picture,
but he is not cooperating with that of course. If I
don't have a camera he poses very nicely right in front of
me. All the other fish are fat, and he is not gaining
weight. He is not losing more weight, he is just not
improving. In reading all I could find here on cysts
and intestinal parasites, it seems there are not a lot of answers
without a positive ID on a parasite. <Not possible w/o
necropsy... microscopic examination> I found a few with
identical descriptions but no one knows what to do because of
unclear identification. I can't find any similar
pictures or descriptions on the external links. And I
have not seen this particular intra-muscular cyst described in
any of my books. It seems it would be impossible to ID
without a biopsy anyway. <Yes> The purple tang who was
quarantined with him is doing great. He is fat and
growing. I will need a bigger tank soon if he keeps it
up. He had some stress lines on his face after QT, but
he is beautiful now. <Good> Should I try to get the yellow
tang out and put him back in quarantine? <I would not. I'd
leave in the main display... and hope for the best> I
don't want to infect the whole tank if it is something that
doesn't need an exotic intermediate host. <Not likely to
spread> I don't want to overreact since he
doesn't seem ill. I am just getting more concerned
because he is still so thin, and the other references to this
mysterious cyst involve fish who expired suddenly. The
only choices I see are to quarantine and treat as worms and try
to get his intestines cleared out and feed him without
competition for a while -or- leave it alone and watch to make
sure he does not go down hill. He is so thin I just
worry that he doesn't have much reserve for additional
stress. He seems fine otherwise. Fins are
good, behavior seems very normal. Even in quarantine,
I wouldn't know what to do about the cyst. It is
deep in the muscle, so would be unaffected by fresh water
dip. Without an ID it seems futile to throw
medications at it. <There are purposeful anthelminthics...
covered on WWM... that one could try...> Some of your writings
suggest that these parasites may not be a problem if the other
stresses are low, so may not be a plague if the other fish are
healthy? <Yes> Very much enjoying reading "Reef
Invertebrates"! Thanks so much! Your website is so
addictive. <Methinks you may be coming up to being
a responder...> I am wondering how I survived 12 years of
fish-keeping without it! (or how my fish survived anyway! :-))
Seriously, it is great to have somewhere to go for current and
trustworthy answers. Alex Miller 75 gal, Instant Ocean, Aqua-C
Remora, Emperor 400 filter, 9 W UV sterilizer, too-small
refugium/sump, 2 powerheads, Coralife Deluxe PC
4x96W. Aragonite substrate, plenum, live rock. Fish:
Sailfin Tang, Purple Tang, Yellow Tang (LFS convinced me 3
different tangs would work, but am expecting to have to get a
bigger tank soon - <Good... Zebrasomas can become real tussles
at times... stress levels escalating respectively> I really
wanted the purple tang, already had the Sailfin, the yellow was
to make it an odd number), maroon clownfish, watchman goby,
yellow-tail damsel, flame angel. Inverts: emerald
crab, Lysmata cleaner shrimp, pistol shrimp, a few hermits, a few
snails. Corals: Xenia (going crazy), Euphyllia, mushroom polyps,
Zoanthids. pH 8.2, NH3 = 0, NO2 = 0, NO3 = 0, P = 0, Ca = 360, KH
= 8, temp = 75 F, SG = 1.025 <If it were me, mine, I would not
medicate here... Bob Fenner>
Re: was UV/skimmer, now Tang parasite...
and new WWM Crew member! - 03/06/07 Thanks Bob! <Welcome
Alex> I agree, the yellow tang is probably better off in the
main tank. Watching him more closely last night and this morning,
I think the appearance of his abdomen is only due to his thinness
and it even seemed slightly better. I tried again to
get pictures, but cannot get any of it to show up in a
photo. I will keep trying to get him to eat more. He
is just not as good at grabbing the food as the others, so I will
try to sneak him extra while the others are
distracted. Hopefully this cyst will not develop into
something more sinister. <Mmm, not likely> I
will keep an eye on it. Stressing him further right
now does not seem indicated. <Agreed... that this may be
embedded Metacercariae for instance... would it help the host to
have them die, dissolve? How might this organisms complex life
cycle be completed w/o a requisite predator consuming it? Perhaps
this is simply a "twisted muscle" sort of
injury/growth...> I will work on convincing my husband that we
need a bigger tank! <Ahh!> Wow, your comment
"<Methinks you may be coming up to being a
responder...>" is very nice! Weird, actually,
as I was thinking the same thing last night. You read my mind.
<!> I begin to wonder if I might have some
value to add here at some point. My background is
somewhat eclectic. I am certainly not an expert, but I
have learned from mistakes and struggled with and overcome a lot
of the standard problems over the years. I understand the basic
mechanical, chemical, and biological processes. My
weakness is probably in pathology and taxonomy. I am a
mechanical engineer, so could address
pumps/head/flows/siphons/gravity, etc. <We have plenty of
these... all are encouraged not to answer anything they're
not comfortable with> I have done my fair share of DIY
projects, and am pretty handy with plumbing in
general. I have not had a full-blown reef yet, but
grew up with freshwater fish, and have had a FOWLR for a decade,
moving toward a reef in the last couple of years. So I have seen
the evolution in the best-practices and have tried to keep
up. I had a short stint cleaning tanks as a part-time
helper at an LFS, and have seen local businesses come and
go. I appreciate their challenges, and the challenges
of hobbyists who get varying advice from their LFS. I
like to keep it simple, and do appreciate your emphasis on
natural sustainable approaches. I also am picky about
spelling and proper English, <Heeee! Yay!> and appreciate
your efforts on this front. I would be glad to proofread
anytime. I am also a diver (I am the one floating
upside down looking under things to see the details that everyone
else swims right by), although haven't been able to go in a
couple of years. I am a life-long aquarist, captured by the
challenge, the beauty, and the serenity (in-between crises)
offered by our own little piece of the reef. <All
good traits, experiences... It is obvious you have good command
of the written word, a positive approach, are desirous of aiding
others...> So, I will keep reading for now, and maybe I can
help out one day. Thanks!! Alex <Mmm, please do
make it known when you have the sensation that you have
suitable/sufficient "free time" for joining us.
BobF>
Re: was UV/skimmer, now Tang parasite...
and new WWM Crew member! - 03/06/07 Hi Bob, <Alex> Yes,
on further reading I see that you have a wide range of experience
levels and backgrounds making up the crew. I would
indeed like to help if you are in need of more
responders! I do enjoy sharing/communicating and can
continue to learn on the job. It would be an honor to
be part of your team. <Ahh!> It sounds like the responding
is done through your webmail system, <Yes> but I should
probably set up another personal email for contact, <Please do
send this along> since this is my work email (although it is
certainly the quickest way to reach me for now - we have no
access to webmail at work due to virus threats & productivity
issues). Actually, my blackberry email may be the best backup for
contacting me directly (copied above). <But hard to respond
on... is this an address/system you would like to use just the
same?> But if most of the communication is handled through
logging into your site, then that may not be
necessary. I will be available in the evenings and
weekends, as I do work days. Let me know what I do
next. <Respond to the last question, or make it known how
we can reach you... You are welcome to have an address...
Alex@WetWebMedia.com if you'd like. But the mail does come/go
through a webmail svc.> Oh, and I am 99% sure that the
cyst on the Z. flavescens is a Metacercariae. I may
have lost my appetite for sushi for a few days after reading up
on that. Yikes! <Mmm, yes... Anisakine
("Green" "Herring") worms are not my faves...
I do like the sushi bar experience, but find myself
"candling" fish flesh more and more as the years go
by> He seems even better tonight, and I think he will be
fine. He is just still recovering from the QT stress
and is not as piggy as the others and needs more food and time.
Thanks! Alex <BobF>
|
Naso Tangs Hello Bob, <Hello Sanjay> I'm unsure if
you remember, but approx 3 months ago I wrote to you regarding Naso
tangs and intestinal worms. My plan was to investigate intestinal worms
in Naso tangs as a reason for their decline in captivity.
<Interesting possibility> I purchased a healthy six inch Naso and
introduced it to my QT system. It settled in well and after
a week or so I began my experiment. To half a cube of
frozen food I added approx 20mg of an anti-thelmic preparation called
Mebendazole. I obtained the liquid form which sticks to
frozen food. I fed this twice a day for two days without any ill
effects to the Naso. However I did not see any worms.
<Have you taken a look to and through the scientific literature on
issues involving such worms and Surgeonfishes?> On the third day,
hey presto, hundreds of tiny round worms (confirmed by the local vet)
about 1 cm in length. Nasty looking organisms might I add.
<Have any pix?> The QT tank had a little live rock, which proved
to be a great mistake. Many worms sought refuge in this
rock. At the same time the anti-thelmic agent seemed to
dislodge the worms, but did not kill them. I tried to remove
as many as I could. The tang re-ingested the worms and
began to decline in the same manner as my previous Naso did in my main
system. The Naso became increasingly thin over a few days. Eventually
the tang died from what I suspect to be an over load of worms. I
decided to discard the live rock, but as I was about to do so, I
spotted a very large round worm about half an inch thick and six inches
in length. My conclusion from the above may provide a reason for why
Naso tangs decline for no apparent reason in captivity. <One
hypothesis... how will or might you go about devising experiments to
prove, disprove it?> I am not repeating this exercise as I do not
want to be responsible for another Naso death. However I believe that
importers of these beautiful creatures may find my studies interesting
and take on the responsibility of de-worming these fish before they are
passed on to retailers, (in an Ideal world). <... better
to have a larger sample size... and more "cures" folks can
attempt> I also conclude that those who read this post and decide to
de-worm a fish in QT, must do so with either a more
effective anti-thelmic drug or a greater concentration of
Mebendazole. Ensuring the tank is devoid of live rock is
also essential. <Okay> Hope this has been of interest to you,
thanks in advance for taking an interest. Regards Sanjay Patel <And
thank you for writing. Bob Fenner>
- Parasite Problems - Hello guys/gals I have a problem with
one of my tanks and wanted to see if you guys could help me. I have a
75 gallon tank in the garage with about 80 lbs of live rock with a blue
dot puffer, a clown trigger and a Hawkfish that is my holding tank
until my 375 gets in. Well everybody was doing fine for the longest
time then about a month ago I noticed that my blue dot puffer was
getting very skinny but he would still eat a lot therefore I went from
feeding every other day like I've always done to feeding every day
even though the other 2 guys were very fat. Well even with me feeding
every day the puffer kept getting skinnier and skinnier until he died a
few days ago and now my Clown Trigger is starting to look skinny. Is
there some sort of disease or parasite that could cause this or am I
just not feeding them enough. <Yes, I'm afraid so... nematodes
and Cestodes are the most common culprit - like tapeworms, they can
out-compete for nutrients.> I had the blue dot puffer for over a
year and he was a nice size for the longest time. I feed them all sorts
of stuff such as Mysis Shrimp, Blood Worms and Squid. Thanks for your
help. <Do try to get a hold of some Fenbendazole from your local
veterinarian. Your best bet is to put this fish in quarantine for about
three weeks and treat the quarantine tank directly with the
Fenbendazole for that entire time. The Noga book of Fish Disease
recommends 2mg/liter or 7.6mg/gallon of tank water. This should give
your fish the upper hand against these parasites. Cheers, J -- >
|
|