Worm ID       8/14/19
Hi WetWeb!
<Hey Orlando!>
I have cultured daphnia for years and have currently run into a worm I have never seen before.
After water changes, I usually see the normal thin, white detritus worm wiggling around the containers.
But a month ago, I started noticing these clumps of red/pink worms at the bottom of my containers. The info I found online was that Tubifex worm is a type of detritus worm, but I failed to ID the worms I have.
If they are Tubifex, how would they manage to get indoors and in my containers?
<Mmm; well, from the looks/clumping and color... these do appear to be Tubificids, at least Oligochaete worms. Could be something like a bug blew in with the beginnings of the culture... most anything wet could. Do you have a microscope there, maybe one w/ a USB connection? I'd like to see these up-close. Bob Fenner>
Thank you Wetweb!

Snail ID      8/13/19
Hi,
<Tina>
Wondered if you might be able to ID this snail I just found after introducing a plant to a new tank (not cycled yet).
I don't mind snails, just wanted to get one Nerite once the tank has food for it.
<Ahh, do see here: http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwsnailidfaqs.htm re Physa.>
Thanks, Tina
<Welcome. Bob Fenner>

Pike cichlid ID/question        8/9/19
Greetings, WWM fishy folks …
<Hello Linda,>
I have a bonded pair of pike cichlids I got as juveniles (about the size of an average index finger when purchased) from a local big box store — they were unhelpfully labeled ‘pike cichlids’ and of course the staff had no idea what species they were or proper care instructions for them.
<My first introduction to Pike Cichlids was much the same.>
I raised them among other SA cichlids at around neutral pH, and they are now between 20-25 cm long (the one I believe is the male is larger) with the approximate girth of a hefty banana. Internet resources have had a lot of conflicting information, and I haven’t been able to determine whether I have C. strigata or C. sp. “Venezuela.”
<I do not think these are the true Crenicichla strigata, which probably aren't imported much, if at all. But do agree we're looking at the Crenicichla lugubris group of species, which includes both C. strigata and C sp. 'Venezuela'. I suspect that given the hazy understanding that scientists have of this species group, and the hopelessly muddled (and misidentified) photos in the aquarium press, pinning down the precise species would be difficult. Indeed, if these were tank-bred species we might even be dealing with hybrids.>
The male in the photo has his ‘threat dress’ on, which he adopts whenever he’s trying to warn me away from taking photos; the lateral stripe is usually absent similar to the female.
<Yes, and the rosy belly on the female is indicative, too.>
Have you any idea from the photos what they might be?
<See above; Crenicichla lugubris group, but precise species hard to say. But if I was pushed, I'd probably go with the C sp. 'Venezuela' sold as Crenicichla strigata over the years, but probably not that species as such. Crenicichla lugubris itself is another option, but the lack of red would seem to indicate against that.>
The pair currently reside in a 180 gallon tank with a silver Arowana and a young giant gourami who, as you might observe, is an avid photobomber. There used to be an adult short-bodied marbled bichir in there as well, but the pikes began harassing her as they seemed to want to claim the entire tank bottom as their own — at least the parts with hides — so I moved the bichir.
<The smaller Bichirs are rather too gentle to keep with potentially aggressive cichlids; indeed, have seen such Bichirs stripped of their fins when kept with "peaceful for Mbuna" Yellow Lab cichlids.>
Recently, however, the pikes have shown what I believe is nesting behavior.
<Oh dear!>
They’ve been digging out hollows under logs and spending much of their time there, and over the past few days the larger of the pair has been harassing the gourami and even the 18” Arowana when they comes near their burrow. So far there hasn’t been any damage inflicted (except when the Aro got startled and jumped into the center brace, knocking off a few scales), but I worry that if they do start spawning they might cause major havoc in the tank, particularly with the Arowana being naturally prone to jumping.
<A correct analysis. Breeding Pikes is not something to be undertaken lightly. They produce large broods of eggs, potentially thousands of them, and the market for juvenile Pike Cichlids is tiny, at best. So it's arguably not even worth doing. But yes, once defending their eggs, the Pikes will attempt to destroy anything that gets too close. Your problem with moving the Pikes to a smaller tank is if they're stressed enough to de-pair, there's a risk of them becoming aggressive towards each other.>
Would a 75 gallon aquarium be large enough to isolate them long enough to finish spawning provided they get frequent water changes?
<Yes.>
Thanks in advance for any assistance you can offer!
Cheers,
Linda A
<Good luck with these fabulous and evidently very healthy fish! Neale.>

Re: Cory Catfish with stubborn fin rot.     8/2/19
Hi Neale,
A lot has happened since I received your answer, which is why you have not heard from me in so long. I very much appreciate your reply!
<Most welcome.>
I am afraid that "Stubby" is slightly worse.
I have moved my albino aeneus (+ 5 fry) and trilineatus to a new 40 gallon (total 9 adults). I then moved the sterbai (and 3 harlequin rasboras, fry I found when rehoming the adults a few months ago) out of the hospital tank and into the old albino tank, where the former occupants prospered and spawned. Temp is 78-80F. I broke down the old sterbai tank. At one point I was planning to put all the catfish in the 40 (albino, trilineatus, and the sterbai) but because of temperature differences I guess I should keep
them separate? The sterbai don't seem very active although they do eat fine, and I believe I have 2 ladies because they are getting chubby. They are not too lively though, and I feel they must be bored with only the 5 of them. I'm afraid to get more because I don't want this problem, whatever it is, to spread to any new fish. If I put the sterbai in the 40, would they benefit from having a bunch of buddies, despite the temperature difference?
I keep the 40 gallon at 76F. During the summer though, it can get up to 78F.
<Do add an airstone, and be sure the water level is low enough they can easily swim to the surface to gulp air; generally, Corydoras shouldn't be kept in depths greater than 30 cm/12 inches, and ideally less.>
I am still keeping them partially covered but have stopped changing water every day thinking that maybe it's stressing them out more.
<Possibly, but weekly water changes should be maintained.>
I did 2 days of Furan-2, but had to stop treatment because one of the fish stopped eating and was hiding. I did water changes, ran carbon, and he's fine now. I guess the medication was too strong.
<Possibly, but antibiotics shouldn't really affect fish in any harmful way.>
I now change the water every 5 days, although they've only been in their new tank about 10 days. Plus, we had a 4 day power outage last week, so they ran on a single sponge and water changes every other day. I can't win with these fish! I have sent two new photos, the best I could get...Stubby is slightly worse. I think Chuck must be better because I can't figure out which one he is now.
Their new tank has a Tidal 35 hob and 1 large sponge filter. The hob is pretty gentle, and the albinos and 3lines never had a problem with it. I have the 3 rasboras, but they love to peck at each other and never bother the catfish. They've been moved around a few times and have lived with the albinos before the sterbai and were never a problem, not even the 9 adults I used to have. I know the rasboras need buddies or rehoming. I think I'll probably try to find them a new home.
It is very weird :/ I always make sure everybody has their barbels and that they're long and pointy.
<Good.>
There is no whisker damage on any of the sterbai. I can't think of anything else I can do except to put them in the 40 with more friends, or get more sterbai and put them in the 20.
I thank you very much for your help and patience! I'm so in love with these catfish, I want them to have the best lives I can give them. I have included 2 new photos of Stubby. I apologize for the bad quality of the latest pic, I am keeping them with low lighting for now.
-Lisa
<Hard to tell the colours of the fish because of the low light, but do see the fin damage. I'm wondering about Red Blotch disease, a bacterial disease that can plague Corydoras, particularly newly imported (i.e., stressed) ones. Tetracycline or Minocycline are usually used to treat this, with varying degrees of success. Nonetheless, provided the fin damage on 'Stubby' is clear, without evidence of decomposing tissue (off-white) or congested blood vessels (orange or pink) then I'd not worry too much about his fins. Clean fin damage should heal, given time. Cheers, Neale.>

Sexes guppies      7/31/19
I have a female guppy who looks like it for be a male chafing my one male I know is make almost to rough all the time how can make sure of what sex the bigger guppy is can to help me? The big ones is what I don't know.
Thanks
Tracy Nilson
<The shape of the anal fin is definitive in Guppies... Males have tubular gonopodia (for gamete transmission), while females have fan shaped anal fins. Your pix show two males and one female (the one w/ fecal material attached). Bob Fenner>

Anchor worms in a freshwater aquarium      7/29/19
Hello Crew,
I want to start by saying what a great resource your website is for everything you need to know about keeping fish and more. I have spent hours reading through articles and FAQs about parasites and swordtails.
<Thanks for the kind words.>
Although I did learn a bunch, I couldn't find an exact match to the odd situation I am experiencing. I have been keeping planted aquariums for about 7 years. I have had this 25 gallon setup for a while...only 1 male guppy and 2 shrimp have been in here for quite some time. I sold my 120 gallon tank, so I revamped my 25 gallon with some plants and driftwood from the big tank (and a Fluval 405), and set out to buy a few fish from a local fish place that sells its livestock out of outside concrete block *ponds*.
<Understood, and the outdoor maintenance does indeed explain the Anchor Worm situation.>
I bought fancy guppies, crystal shrimp, long fin Bristlenose Pleco, and 3 Kohaku swordtails (1 male, 2 females). Everyone is happy. A couple weeks later I am staring down the male swordtail as he's munching on some Repashy, and I notice this whitish/greenish thing dangling...so well camouflaged next to his white anal fins ...after some research it turns out to be an anchor worm...which is common in *ponds* and in koi...and my fish came from a pond but aren't koi...so after a round of treating with API general cure and nothing happening (better or worse), I realize whatever chemical would kill the crustacean parasite will also kill my beautiful shrimp (and/or plants)...
<Correct. Anchor Worms are very difficult to treat without specific medications, and these are, as you understand, toxic to other types of crustaceans as well, including shrimps and crabs.>
So I caught the fish and pulled the worm, it came out easy, so I think the worm was dead. I have been doing 50% water changes every day since (3 days) I pulled the worm in hopes to remove any eggs/larva swimming in my system...I also started treatment with Maracyn for 2 reasons.
<Won't do much for Anchor Worms, but yes, can be useful if infected wounds are a risk. Antibiotics have a low level of toxicity towards fish and invertebrates, so your main risk is making sure the filter bacteria aren't bothered. Always worth doing a nitrite test every few days following use of antibiotics. Mostly you'll be fine, because these antibiotics are formulated for use in aquaria, but it's worth checking even so, especially if you see evidence of filter problems, such as fish gasping at the surface.>
1. Because of the tiny wound the parasite left on my fish from being removed and because 2. ever since I bought the swordtails, their gills have the slightest red coloring...not sure if it's their normal coloring or an irritation from the anchor worm larvae or another annoying bacteria/fungus/parasite. I also have 5 guppy fry that are getting pretty big and starting to swim among the adults. The male swordtail is recovering nicely and his wound is barely noticeable anymore. So after that long winded story, I guess my question really is, can or would this parasite keep living in a tank vs. a pond?
<Anchor Worms switch between a free-living juvenile stage and a parasitic adult stage. Provided the juveniles are not removed by the filter, they can swim about and either infect the same fish or some other fish in the tank. This is different to the case with many other pond parasites that have a second host, such as a snail or fish-eating bird, that the parasite needs to go through to infect another generation of fish. So short answer, yes, Anchor Worms can and do reinfect fish under aquarium conditions.>
Most of the information I find online is about anchor worm in koi ponds, not fish tanks. I am starting to hope they just won't complete their life cycle in the aquarium setting as this seems to be quite a nasty bugger to deal with.
<Among the nastiest, and a major problem to fish farmers, let alone aquarists. There are some highly effective medications, but you will need to remove the shrimps while they're being used. After the full course of the treatment is done, a series of water changes, plus the use of carbon in the filter, should return the tank to being "shrimp friendly" but I'd suggest only putting a few shrimp in first to see how they do.>
I am so worried I am going to come look at my tank one morning to see everyone covered in anchor worms. What else can I do besides water changes?
<See above. The old school approach of using potassium permanganate is deprecated nowadays because this stuff is rather toxic and difficult to use safely. Likewise, physical removal of the adult Anchor Worms is difficult without stressing the fish or exposing the wounds to secondary infections.
If all you had were livebearers, then making the tank brackish for a while (5-10 gram/litre; 4-6 weeks) would probably kill off all the Anchor Worms, and this sort of approach is similar to what fish farmers do when moving trout in and out of sea lochs to kill off skin parasites of various kinds.
But your catfish won't appreciate salty water. Generally, the safest approach is to use specific Anchor Worm medications, but as we both understand, these are toxic to shrimps. Cheers, Neale.>

Electric Blue Acara   Hlth.    7/27/19
When he tries to eat seems like he can't swallow his food and puffs of white cloudy stuff (looks like smoke) comes out of his gills and mouth.
<Electric Blue varieties are notoriously disease prone. Going to direct you to some reading:
https://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/features/electric-blues/
As a general rule, avoid them.>
He's sluggish and won't eat most of the time, not even blood worms so I got a live garden worm today that he attempted to eat but again, the clouds of whitish stuff puffing out the gills and his mouth.
Getting worse by the day. In quarantine now with General Cure day 2.
<A good choice re: Hexamita, but do remember to remove carbon from the filter, if used, when medicating. Medicines might work inconsistently in old, mature tanks with a lot of organic material. A hospital tank with few decorations beyond ceramic caves is best.>
Have tried conservative treatment first #1 salt and higher Temps (82),
<Would be careful about higher temperatures, given Acaras tend to prefer cooler conditions than cichlids in general. Certainly provide plenty of aeration.>
#2 bloodworms soaked in PraziPro, #3 PraziPro in the water (all separate treatments over the last 2 weeks) and currently the General Cure.
<Understood, and these will help re: worms, but not much else.>
All water parameters are good. No different at all in the discharge from gills.
<Velvet is the classic infection of fish gills, but white spots on the body would be apparent as well. Hexamita is the ubiquitous threat to farmed cichlids, but again, your symptoms are not typical. Gill parasites are difficult to diagnose without examining pieces of gill tissue under a microscope. Dactylogyrus is one common example, but really, its guesswork.
Tetra Lifeguard is a product that treats a variety of gill infections, and might be worth trying.>
Thanks!
Michelle
<Most welcome. Neale.>
Re: Electric Blue Acara      7/29/19
Thank you so much for your quick response.
<Welcome.>
So I continued the General Cure to give it a chance and although the fish hasn’t gotten worse, I would say he’s not getting better. The fish is still not eating, even when I throw an earth worm in the tank. Here are my questions:
<Fire away.>
1. Are you ok with me giving him a Epsom salt bath for 30 min 3xs a day?
<Sure. Won't do much on its own except reduce swelling slightly and provide a slight laxative effect. It is quite useful alongside suitable medications though.>
2. Finished full coarse of General Cure and would like to try Lifeguard as you suggested. I put carbon filter back in, will do a 25% water change in the morning. When can I start Lifeguard?
<New medications can be added immediately after water changes, and all organic medicines (as opposed to salts, etc.) can be assumed to 'used up' after 24 hours. So if you need to add a second course of medicine, doing a water change and waiting 24 hours should be safe.>
3. I have 1 tbsp of aquarium salt in the quarantine tank, is that ok?
<Doesn't do much. As stated elsewhere on this website, doses of 2 gram per litre (about 0.25 US gal) can be used against Whitespot and Velvet. But other than this dosage and usage, 'aquarium salt' doesn't really do much.>
Additional info:
1. He finally pooped after being in quarantine for 4 days which is a good sign to me.
<Agreed.>
2. When I look in his quarantine tank with a light, I can see little strands floating around about 2-3mm long. They are all identical in diameter (similar to a strand of hair) but some slightly longer than others and they are very pliable. I’m wondering if it is some kind of dead parasite making its way out?
<Might well be; see Nematomorphs and Nematodes, for example. But could be other things too.>
3. Can’t tell if the white puffs of smoke that come out of his gills and mouth have stopped because it only happens when he eats, not when he is breathing.
<Indeed.>
Thanks again. Is there a way you accept donations to your site? I’d like to support your efforts. I really appreciate your help.
<We do have a tip jar somewhere on the front page (http://www.wetwebmedia.com) that goes towards running costs, so please do feel free, though by no means obliged.>
Michelle
<Most welcome, and glad to help. Cheers, Neale.>
Re: Electric Blue Acara      7/29/19
Thanks again. I read everything on the link you sent me, so you are in agreement with me trying Lifeguard?
<Up to a point. It's better than nothing. But any product that's advertised as curing everything (from skin flukes to fungus, no less!) is unlikely to be especially good at any of them. The most effective meds are designed specifically for one particular type of organism. So I'd be skeptical, though as I say, better than nothing.>
Or do you think something else would work better?
<With cichlids, the old Metronidazole + Nitrofuran combination is usually the best approach if you don't know precisely what you're treating.>
I'm slightly concerned about destroying his kidneys but it sounds line you really are knowledgeable so I want to move forward with your recommendation.
<Fish kidneys aren't like ours, and correct use of different medications,
with suitable water changes and time intervals between courses shouldn't
cause problems. Cheers, and thanks for the kind words! Neale.>
RE: Electric Blue Acara        7/30/19
Neale!!! Was able to catch video footage!!! Here's what we're dealing with.
https://youtu.be/MbKdhNYMNGA
<The things on the glass? White wiggly things? Could be harmless nematodes, or could be parasitic ones that have been evacuated from the host fish by anti-helminthic drugs. Hard to say. The former is, to be honest, more likely, since these worms do exist in varying numbers in many tanks. Still, a reliable anti-helminthic should kill them off (though sometimes multiple courses are required). Cheers, Neale.>
RE: Electric Blue Acara        7/30/19
Neale!!! Great news. While I was doing a water change, I observed the little white strands I mentioned in the tank and they for sure are worms of some sort. I found one still wiggling. Now that I have been able to identify that, what would you recommend? This is a pretty amazing revelation if you ask me. At least now we know what we’re dealing with.
<Or at least part of the problem. Intestinal worms are very common in farmed fish, and likely harmless in small numbers where the fish's own immune system keeps them in check. Put another way, this could be a secondary problem separate to what actually ails your fish, so keep an open mind. Cheers, Neale.>
RE: Electric Blue Acara        7/30/19
I’m sorry, I didn’t see your reply.
<Oh?>
They also have a head on one side of the worm and when I looked it up it looks like flukes. Best med to kill flukes in you mind??? I’m sorry for the bother, but I have the fish in the salt bath container until I know what to add to the quarantine tank.
On hand I have Lifeguard,
<This should treat skin flukes, Platyhelminthes.>
PraziPro,
<This for treating intestinal worms, Annelida and Nematoda, if you believe your fish is suffering from a worm infection.>
Kanaplex, EM Erythromycin, Tetracycline
<Antibiotics, for bacterial infections.>
and Ich X.
<Treats Whitespot and Velvet.>
All left over from that one sick fish and that one dose needed that leaves you with 15 more does. Lol.
<Lol, indeed. Be sure to choose the right medication for the pathogen you're dealing with. Over-medication can cause harm, and inappropriate medication wastes time that allows the fish to become sicker. Cheers, Neale.>
RE: Electric Blue Acara        7/30/19
The worm in the background on the black part of the tank is what I was referring to. And yes, the little flea like things hop from the bottom to the sides.
Correction, on gill flukes, I checked the tab I have open and they look identical to anchor worms.
<Anchor Worms require specific anti-Anchor Worm medications, such as Waterlife Parazin. Despite the name, these are crustaceans, not worms, and any medications that kill Anchor Worms will kill shrimps, crabs, etc., too. So be careful when using such medications. Cheers, Neale.>
RE: Electric Blue Acara        7/30/19
There are also little white flea like creatures in the aquarium that I cannot see without the sunlight behind the tank. Since he isn’t eating how can I treat these intestinal worms? I separated them into two different clear vases and tried PraziPro in one vase and lifeguard in the other and neither medication seems to be killing them. Any suggestions?
<If the little white flea things are stuck to the glass, they're likely harmless crustaceans. Commonly seen in many tanks, particular older or somewhat neglected ones. Cheers, Neale.>
RE: Electric Blue Acara        7/30/19
They are free swimming, not on the glass.
<Could be anything, really! If long and thin, with no obvious legs, then would seem to be worms of some kind. Whether harmful or not, hard to say -- so treating with anti-helminth drugs worthwhile. Cheers, Neale.>

Re: Electric Blue Acara       8/7/19
Update. He's still alive and active but won't eat. I've had him in fresh clear water since we last talked.
He still isn't eating, even live fry. He popped once and it looked normal. Pooped yesterday and I found a little normal and then a lot of the attached pic (stringy white).
I would say parasites but I've heard constipation and also not eating can cause white stringy poop.
Any suggestions?
<Hello Michelle. The white, stringy spiral faeces is mucous, and indicates that the guts are irritated and expelling (at trying to, anyway) whatever is irritating them. It's quite commonly seen in two situations: Hexamita infections and during treatment for intestinal worms. Constipation, for obvious reasons, has the reverse effect: absence of faeces and general bloating of the fish as the intestine becomes stuffed with waste matter. Constipated fish usually still eat readily, which is why the main treatment is increasing the amount of fibre in their diet, ideally cooked peas, but failing that, small algae-eating crustaceans such as Daphnia and Brine shrimp. Epsom salt is often used alongside the change in diet. Dried foods are not used at all, because they can cause constipation in some fish, and it tends to be that dried foods are fine with small predatory fish (such as tetras) but more of a problem with omnivorous or herbivorous fish that would naturally consume a lot of roughage (generalist cichlids and goldfish are the classic examples). Anyway, I don't think that's the issue here.
Copious faeces is the precise opposite of constipation, and I think you're either dealing with Hexamita (common in farmed cichlids generally) or else intestinal worms. No reason you can't treat for both simultaneously. By the way, don't expect your cichlid to eat much if he's sick: they often don't, and won't get their appetite back until they're getting healthier again.
Cheers, Neale.>

Re: Electric Blue Acara       8/7/19
What would you recommend? I have general cure in the tank right now.
<I'd be treating as per Hexamita; i.e., Metronidazole plus a suitable antibiotic, Nitrofurans most often recommended in this combination. Outside of the US, or anywhere antibiotics are only accessible through a vet, you may need to use a one bottle Hexamita treatment, such as eSHa HEXAMITA, though these are likely less effective than Metronidazole. Cheers, Neale.>