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Hello.
As some of you may know, i recently had a severe outbreak of the dreaded camallanus worms in my 10g tank. It wiped out the entire population of guppies and platys, and now the corys and rubbernose pleco seem to be recovering.(no more visible worms at this point).
I dosed with Jungle Brands fizzing Antiparisite tabs, but instead of doing dose, then water change, I have done 3 doses now with no water changes, in the hopes it will kill the worms by building up in the system. So far it seems to be working.
However, when watching my fish in my 75g tank the other day, I spotted a Bolivian Ram acting strangely. Upon closer observation I see yes, it too is affected. How I dont know. I never use the same equipment in any two tanks.
It appears that my 2 mollies, 2 bolivian rams, and a couple other fish are affected. This has been my worst fear all along. Now I have a parasite that is immune to almost all medications in my big tank. With over 1000 dollars of fish in there, including a pair of discus, a rare inspector pleco, and some other very rare/sensitive fish. What do I do? My boyfriend is suggesting catching and euthanizing all affected fish, then treating with the fizz tabs. I would have to remove the shrimp prior to doing this as the meds say shrimp will be killed.
It has the active ingredients metrinidazole combined with acriflavine and 2 other long winded chemicals I suppose must be antibiotics. For this tank to get the same effect I would have to dose 7.5 tablets ($5.00 for 8) every 2nd day for at least 3 doses with no water changes.
Will this kill my Discus/loaches/other sensitive fish?
I am going to call a Vet tomorrow and see if there is any broad spectrum wormers I could buy from them and use that may be stronger.
I do not want to lose all my fish in my 75g tank, yet I foresee it happening, and monetarily, and soulfully, I cannot stand to see that happen.
Please Help.


Last edited by So_Very_Sneaky at 02-Jan-2006 19:06

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You have given your self the best advice by seeking out a specialist. Even if your vet cannot solve your problem they certainly will be able to steer you directly to the people who can.

Please let us know how you are progressing.

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Thank you Keith.
By browsing online I see there are several broad
spectrum worms for dogs and cats that are available
only through a Vet.Some are good for treating all of the worms "Rounds, Whipworms, Hairworms, Tapeworms", maybe that would help. I am going to contact my vet
tomorrow and see what they can offer or suggest,
or whether I should bring one of the fish in for them
to see.
I think at this point it is the best idea.
I am going to quarantine any affected fish I can find to my 10g immediately tonight after a water change.
I think that would be best.


Last edited by So_Very_Sneaky at 21-Dec-2005 21:00

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Ok an update!
So I have decided to treat the whole tank instead
of quarantining fish.
besides, I have cured the infestation in my 10g tank!!
Yippee!!!!
I have also cured the paradise fish I had that was
so badly infested you cant imagine. I cannot believe she has survived! She is doing well, her anus is healing up and she is eating well. After one more dose of the fizzy tabs to the 10g tank and a good cleaning, she is finally going to go home. No more 1g bowl with nothing for her.
This has given me confidence. I have ordered the meds from Big Als for the big tank. Enough to do 5 full doses of pure crystalline Metronidazole, which I will accompany with a medicated gel food "Ultra Tek PX", which also contains metronidazole and praziquantal and flubenol.
Prior to treating I am going to do 3 large water changes on 3 days and vaccuum the gravel very thoroughly.
Then I will begin treatment.
It is still contained to just a few fish.
I will beat these worms!!! They will not rule my tank nor my life!!!
I will keep anyone who is interested posted on this thread.


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You go girl! Don't let those nasty little things get your fish!
Good luck, and keep us posted.

There's only one sure fire way to beat Camallanus. Metrodizanole won't do it. When the worms are visible from the fish's anus it is in breeding mode and is likely dropping babies into the water column.

You need a product called Levamisole. It's a de-wormer widely used for sheep and cattle. Google for more info.May be available from a farm supplier or vet.

It works a treat. Cleared up an infection in a couple of days. Will also treat any micro scopic young un's in the water.

Some of the dog and cat de-wormers may work if they have an ingrediant I've forgotten the name of - pepsi-something.

But Levamisole is the only 100% effective treatment known. Never known Metrodizanole to work long term, it's more of a anti parasitic med.

Be aware that because you cannot see the worms does not mean they are not there. They only become visible very late in their life cycle. The fish can be infected for months before showing signs. Also even after clearing the worms they may have done enough damage in the fishes gut to cause problems later.

I urge you to get the Levamisole.

A product call Disco-med, a medicated food for Discus also contains Levamisole and is good if the fuish are still eating.

Last edited by bensaf at 02-Jan-2006 20:29

---

Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.

Ah, Camallanus.

Allow me to reproduce a TFH back number article from the 70s which should still be informative - after the line of asterisks! At the end of the article, I'll follow up with more comments (after another line of asterisks) ...

*************************************************

Camallanus by Dr Mark. P. Dulin
Tropical Fish Hobbyist, April 1977

Have you ever noticed semi-transparent to blood-red worms protruding from the ánus of your aquarium fishes? These ¼ to ½ inch (6 to 12 mm) worms may be small, but they can be quite deadly. As you may have guessed, the parasites' red colouration comes from the fish blood they have ingested. These parasites cause anaemia, poor growth, eventual emaciation and often death.

Most aquarists that write to us about these intestinal nemaodes describe their occurrence in livebearers (Poeciliidae) such as guppies, mollies, platies and swordtails. They describe them as sticking out of the ánus: when an infected fish is agitated or handled, the worms retreat into the réctum. Although other parasitic nematodes lead an equally disgusting existence in aquarium fishes, most of the preserved specimens that readers have sent to me were members of the genus Camallanus. Judging from the extensive list of fishes reported to have Camallanus infections [1], all freshwater fishes should be considered susceptible to parasitic infection. These parasites also occur in amphibians and certain reptiles.

Undoubtedly many fish die without a sign of a Camallanus protruding from the ánus. In these instances, a post-mortem examination would reveal these parasitic nematodes. When aquarists write to us about these worms, they want to know two things: how did they get there, and how can I get rid of them?

How Did They Get There?

Among coldwater fishes, Camallanus are distributed worldwide. The species infecting fishes in our rivers and lakes amy not survive in the warm-water aquarium, but they certainly are a threat to production ponds, minnow farms and backyard goldfish. Whenever items are collected in natural waterways and placed in fish ponds, the threat of disease transmission exists. This is especially true if copepods are brought into ponds. Both in fresh water and in salt water, free-living copepods often act as intermediate hosts in the transmission of parasicit helminths such as tapeworms and roundworms. Camallanus is most commonly transmitted by Cyclops. Unfortunately, Cyclops is commonly ingested by fishes in the natural environment, in outdoor production ponds where Cyclops exists and when Daphnia is harvested from the wild and offered to captive fishes - don't kid yourself into thinking you can harvest Daphnia from a pond and not include Cyclops!

If our native American species of CAmallanus are generally not associated with disease in the tropical aquarium, where are these parasites coming from? No doubt the varieties we're dealing with originated in the tropics and were transmitted here along with the imported fishes. Singapore is considered the source of origin for the tropical species which have worldwide distribution in tropical aquaria [4]. As you may be aware, many of the inexpensive livebearers come from outdoor production ponds in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Florida. The more valuable strains are generally raised indoors. If outdoor production ponds are inhabited with infective Cyclops (and possibly other copepods), a Camallanus infection could occur. It was previously thought that Cyclops was necessary for the successful transfer of Camallanus from fish to fish. Therefore, if you could eliminate Cyclops you could perhaps eliminate the spread of Camallanus. Unfortunately, recent experimental evidence showed that this is not the case. Dr Gottfried SChubert and M.Stumpp [4] recently shed new light on the cycle of Camallanus cotti, the tropical species imported from Singapore. Schubert and Stumpp demonstrated that it is possible to maintain three successive generations of these parasites without an intermediate host. Transfers past the third generation were unsuccessful. Even though Camallanus cotti cannot survive indefinitely without its intermediate host (Cyclops) it is interesting that this parasite has adapated to temporary survival of the species in the temporary absence of an intermediate host. Schubert and Stumpp further pointed out that this imported species has adapted sufficiently to infect cold-water fishes such as Sturgeon and Chinese Carp. It is entirely plausible that it could infect native American freshwater fishes as well.

Treatment

Dr Schubert recommends the organophoshorus insecticide trichlorfon to destroy both the internal nematodes and the copepod intermediate hosts. Trichlorfon is commonly used to kill insects on plants and for ectoparasite control of cattle, horses and sheep. It is also used for endoparasitic control in swine and rhinos. Its use with fish is generally limited to removing ectoparasitic copepods such as the "Anchor Worm". It is sold at both plant supply stores and livestock outlets under a variety of trade names such as Dipterex, Dylox, Dyrex, Chlorphos, Bot-X, Masoten, Neguvon etc. The concentration of the active ingredients varies with the different products. Therapeutic doses are based upon the level of active ingredient. Dr Schubert recommends placing 0.32 mg/litre of trichlorfon into the aquarium after the (carbon) filter has been deactivated. Because trichlorofon (Dylox&#174 is used extensively for control of ectoparasitic copepods (0.25 ppm for freshwater fishes, 1.0 ppm for saltwater fishes) we know that the drug is rapidly dissipated and becomes ineffective. The rate of hydrolysis varies depending upon water temperature, pH, hardness etc., but generally speaking, when placed in warmwater aquaria the chemical is considered to have no more therapeutic value after several hours. Dylox® does not harm the beneficial flora in the biofilter, but it is highly toxic to crustaceans and Camallanus. Accidental overdoses can kill your fishes, and it is also a potent toxin to man and other living things. Every precaution must be takne to assure that pets and children do not come into contact with this poison.

I do not encourage the average aquarist to use contact insecticides such as trichlorofon. A safer and more readily available drug for removal of intestinal nematodes is piperazine. Most veterinary clinics have piperazine, a dewormer for kittens and puppies, in assorted milligram sizes. When mixed with food, the suggested dosage for fishes is 25 mg/10 grams of food. The medicated food should be fed daily, up to a maximum of 10 days. If you don't have any method to measure out 10 grams of food or if your fishes refuse the medicated food mixture, you can mix finely pulverised granules of the drug with a prepared gelatinous food mixture.

As far as I know, controlled experiments evaluating the efficacy of piperazine as a dewormer for fishes have not yet been conducted. Aquarium firms promoting medicinal agents for use in fishes could provide a valuable service by sponsoring such research. Until such time that this work is done and an antihelmintic (dewormer) is marketed for use in aquarium fishes, the aquarist will have to prepare his own piperazine-impregnated food or use the organophosphorus insecticide trichlorofon to rid his fishes of Camallanus.

References

1. Hoffman, G.L., 1967. Parasites of North American Freshwater Fishes, pp 253-254. University of California Press, Berkely and Los Angeles.

2. Schubert. G., 1972. A New Fish Enemy. IN: Tropical Fish Hobbysit,pp 14-21, December 1972.

3. Schubert. G., 1974. Cure And Recognise Aquarium Fish Diseases, pg. 38, TFH publications, Neptune City, New Jersey.

4. Schubert. G., 1976. Camallanus cotti (Nematodes), A Danger, Not Only For Exotic Fishes, pp 19-21, Revue Francaise d'Aquariologie et Herpetologie, 3:1.

*************************************************

Additional thoughts of my own while perusing this article include:

First, the Pepso Food product I've heard mentioned on this board - Cory_Di uses it to deworm her Otocinclus and Corys - can anyone tell me if this contains piperazine, or a related antihelmintic? If so, then perhaps Dr Mark Dulin's plea at the end of his 1977 article was taken up by at least one aquarium medication company. If piperazine has proven effective in the past at dealing with Camallanus, and is present in Pepso Food, perhaps a course of that will be sufficient to deal with the Camallanus problem noted at the beginning of this topic.

Next, the use of trichlorofon and related compounds. If anyone needs any prompting with respect to the handling problems posed by organophosphorus compounds, then bear in mind that they were first developed on a large scale for use as nerve agents in chemical warfare! Examples of such compounds include Sarin, Tabun, Soman and VX. Even though compounds such as trichlorfon will have been subject to safety testing with respect to their use in gardens and on livestock, they are VERY toxic if ingested accidentally. Here in the UK, litigation is in progress with respect to organophosphorus ectoparasiticides used on farm livestock in sheep dips, and their alleged association with cancers and long-term toxicological complications in exposed farm workers. If you are sufficiently desperate to save a valuable fish by resorting to a compound such as trichlorofon, handle with EXCEPTIONAL care. Treat ALL organophosphorus compounds as potentially lethal to humans, not least because many of them are, and in surprisingly small doses!

Finally, since 1977, the world has moved on, and piperazine is no longer the state of the art with respect to antihelmintics. Indeed, now the word is that Levasimole as cited above by several posters is the way to go - an effective antihelmintic (de-wormer) that has been tested on multifarious fishes (including the troublesome Discus, which are always a headache in this regard), which furthermore is available in a range of forms that you can dispense to your fishes including medicated food (which should be the ideal means of dispensation if your fishes are still eating). Camallanus is troublesome, but is no longer the 'death knell' for your fishes that it once was.

Hopefully, this long post will help a lot ...


Last edited by Calilasseia at 02-Jan-2006 20:47

Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

Hi Calli thanks for the info.
I tried Levamisole and Piperazine and couldnt
get rid of it.
The Jungle fizz tabs that worked on the paradise
fish and 10g tank occupants is metronidazole, prazinquental, and 2 mild antibiotics, and acriflavine.
I have opted for pure metronidazole, but also have liquid praziquental which i already tried by itself on hand.
I also got a gel food that contains metronidazole, praziquental and flubenol.
I hope these two together, combined with a lack of intermediate hosts (no snails in this tank),
i can kick it out.


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Good luck in your battle ...

By the way, the intermediate hosts aren't snails. They're Cyclops - small copepod type crustaceans that are found in waters alongside Daphnia in quite a few ponds. You recognise them because they're like an elongated teardrop in shape, about 2-3 mm long maximum, and females have twin egg sacs at the rear. They are called Cyclops after the mythological Greek one-eyed giant, because - hey presto - they only have one eye!

Here's a fact sheet complete with an illustration which should show you what they look like


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002

For a little more info on parasites and disease, check out this link



http://www.fishpalace.org/Disease.html

Last edited by firecontrol at 03-Jan-2006 00:30

The most effective way to nail internal parasites/worms is to soak the food in metronidazole, then feed to the fish.. Discus breeders de-worm with this all the time. (where I got my metro from) You could do up a batch of food with Metro and freeze the leftover food.

This won't hit the ones in the water column but appears that has been covered
Good Luck



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