Nematode?

[mattb2989]

Hi all upon id algae under microscope. Found this guy wriggling around. Algae Was pulled from my wave maker. Is it a nematode? All my fish have been qt in copper had gc, metroplex and final hit of prazipro before being transferred. Is it a nematode?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hard to tell with microscope image but common amongst algae is detritus worm, baby bristles and peanut worm

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Hi all upon id algae under microscope. Found this guy wriggling around. Algae Was pulled from my wave maker. Is it a nematode? All my fish have been qt in copper had gc, metroplex and final hit of prazipro before being transferred. Is it a nematode?

Looks like it is pointed at both ends, so probably a nematode. Most nematodes are free living and non-parasitic. If found outside of a fish, then pretty much 100% not a parasite. I wouldn’t worry about this at all.
Jay

 

[mattb2989]

Looks like it is pointed at both ends, so probably a nematode. Most nematodes are free living and non-parasitic. If found outside of a fish, then pretty much 100% not a parasite. I wouldn’t worry about this at all.
Jay

Thanks @Jay Hemdal and @vetteguy53081 would you not dose any prazipro then to kill them? In the microscope was also another worm but it was dead. The 1 that was alive was anchored to a piece of the algae

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Thanks @Jay Hemdal and @vetteguy53081 would you not dose any prazipro then to kill them? In the microscope was also another worm but it was dead. The 1 that was alive was anchored to a piece of the algae

Prazipro doesn’t kill nematodes. These are harmless and normal in aquariums that have set up for any length of time.
Jay

 

[mattb2989]

Prazipro doesn’t kill nematodes. These are harmless and normal in aquariums that have set up for any length of time.
Jay

@Jay Hemdal i have some esha ndex which kills nematodes. Contaibs leviamsole. (Excuse spelling) are these worms not found in fish then? Do they pose a danger to fish?

 

[vetteguy53081]

@Jay Hemdal i have some esha ndex which kills nematodes. Contaibs leviamsole. (Excuse spelling) are these worms not found in fish then? Do they pose a danger to fish?

Known as roundworms, fenbendazole will rid of them

 

[mattb2989]

@vetteguy53081 if its living in the algae. As jay said not a parasitic one. Is it gonna do any harm leaving them in there?

 

[MnFish1]

Hi all upon id algae under microscope. Found this guy wriggling around. Algae Was pulled from my wave maker. Is it a nematode? All my fish have been qt in copper had gc, metroplex and final hit of prazipro before being transferred. Is it a nematode?

There are up to 40,000 species of nematodes in the world (some say more). I agree - would not worry about it - If you looked through your gravel - you would probably see hundreds of different living things that are difficult to identify including hundreds of worms. Scientists have difficulty telling exactly which nematode is which. There would be no reason to treat the tank, etc for this. Treat for symptoms IMHO. NOW, if you could be sure that this was a parasitic nematode (which you cannot) - thats a different story.

 

[mattb2989]

@vetteguy53081 agreed. Its living and eating the algae. If it was a parasitic one then it would be in the fish and not the algae. All fish eating like pigs. No skinny fish. No stringy white poo

 

[MnFish1]

PS - here is an article from the university of FL - which will tell you more than you ever wanted to know about nematodes in fish - how to diagnose, when to treat, etc etc. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/FA091

 

[MnFish1]

@vetteguy53081 agreed. Its living and eating the algae. If it was a parasitic one then it would be in the fish and not the algae. All fish eating like pigs. No skinny fish. No stringy white poo

I do not believe that you can say 'for sure' that this is not a parasitic worm either - since they can be released in feces. In fact one of the ways parasitic nematodes reproduce is that they build up in fish 1 - are released in the feces. Larvae from the feces can also infect other fish.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

@Jay Hemdal i have some esha ndex which kills nematodes. Contaibs leviamsole. (Excuse spelling) are these worms not found in fish then? Do they pose a danger to fish?

There are parasitic nematodes. However, when you see one out in the aquarium, it is NOT parasitic and is of no concern. If your fish had internal nematode infections, it would be from a different species, and the fish would likely not show any symptoms.

A nematode recovered from the body cavity of a studfish. The studfish had been apparently healthy, and then was found moribund. The nematode had broken through the stomach wall of the fish, causing peritonitis.


Jay