You can, as Bob suggested, remove them with tweezers to no ill effect. I've
pulled anchors off of fish that were so thick you could barely see the fish. As
logn as they're not rough-handled in the meantime, kept calm and wet (try
keeping the fish in a bucket of cool water while you work on him), the fish is
just fine.
The bad news is that if these buggers are established in your gravel bed, you're
going to be regularly pruning them. Even-in-that, chances are you will miss a
few, and only be doing this a few weeks from now again. You may want to try
some of the various commercial products that treat flukes and anchor worms. My
favourite, especially for larger aquariums and ponds, is jungle's Anchors Away.
I understand, though, that they've recently changed the formulae and while it is
more "environmentally friendly," it may not be as effective. I always liked the
pretty purple it turned my tank, too. :) Be aware that using a commercial
treatment may kill snails, scuds, and anything else that you want living in your
gravel.
Joshua.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: "Dean A. Markley" <damarkley-in-earthlink.net>
> Sent: Jan 12, 2005 7:55 AM
> To: nanfa-l-in-nanfa.org
> Subject: NANFA-L-- Parasitic Critters?
>
> Hello fellow nanfas! I am having a bit of trouble with a pumpkinseed in my
> tank. This little guy is about 3 inches long and was acquired from the
> Chiques Creek in Lancaster County, PA last summer. I've recently noticed
> that he has some "critters" attached to him. They are small wormlike things
> about 1/4 inch long and rather thin and somewhat flattened. They are a
> translucent yellowish-white color. Most are attached to his tail fin and his
> anal fin. Now the pumpkinseed does not seem to be distressed by this. He
> looks healthy and certainly eats.
>
> Any suggestions on this?
>
> Oh, other details: He's in a 110 gallon tank . He shares it with a 7 inch
> longnose gar (yeah, absolutely no problems there...how about that?) and a
> pair of 2 inch tadpole madtoms. At any given time there are also about
> 15-20 inch long rosy reds in as feeders for Mr Gar. The pumpkinseed eats his
> share too.
>
> I am using a natural gravel obtained from the Susquehanna River and as such
> there are also a few small local clams in it too. Additionally, there are
> about a dozen snails with spiral shells that also seem to have come in with
> the gravel.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Dean A. Markley
>
>
> Dean A. Markley
> 3628 Peregrine Circle
> Mountville, PA 17554
>
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> / visit http://www.nanfa.org Please make sure all posts to nanfa-l are
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/ This is the discussion list of the North American Native Fishes
/ Association (NANFA). Comments made on this list do not necessarily
/ reflect the beliefs or goals of NANFA. For more information about NANFA,
/ visit http://www.nanfa.org Please make sure all posts to nanfa-l are
/ consistent with the guidelines as per
/ http://www.nanfa.org/archive/nanfa/guidelines.html To subscribe,
/ unsubscribe, or get help, visit the NANFA email list home page and
/ archive-in-http://www.nanfa.org/archive/nanfa/