Can too many internal parasites dying at once kill fish?

[Carla2]

I've been battling intestinal worms in my neon goby using MetroPlex food and since yesterday the goby has been acting strange. Sometimes it eats like there's no tomorrow and other times it's lethargic and lying, twitching at times. Now it seems as though it's at death's doorstep, huddled up in one corner of the quarantine refusing food. The 3/4" goby has expelled at least eight sizable worms in the last few days, which I removed, but I think there are still more in its gut. Can too many worms dying inside kill fish? Has anyone had similar experiences?

Thanks!

 

[Humblefish]

This doesn't really answer your question, but is the fish twitching it's head? That would indicate there are parasites and/or worms inside the gills, a different problem in addition to internal parasites.

 

[Carla2]

Yes, the goby was twitching its head. I saw its twitching for the first time yesterday. I'd already treated for flukes with PraziPro for three weeks, so flukes are less likely but not completely ruled out, I guess ...
When I came back I couldn't find the fish, but I probably can if I flip every PVC in the tank. Hopefully I can find the fish alive, but would you do a freshwater dip to confirm flukes even if the fish was dying/dead?

 

[Maritimer]

Not a bad idea ... flukes can be transmitted fish-to-fish.

~Bruce

 

[Carla2]

Thanks Humblefish and Bruce. I've found the goby dead close to one of the pipes. So sad.
I'll do a freshwater dip on the goby anyway because I've lost the other goby in the same way and I still have a springer's damselfish in the same quarantine. After that I must decide what to do with this damselfish, the only one that remained unaffected throughout this ... but the fish could be carrying something now.

 

[Maritimer]

Very sorry for your loss, Carla2.

Those little gobies are real charmers.

~Bruce

 

[4FordFamily]

I too am sorry for your loss

 

[Humblefish]

Sorry for your loss; did any flukes show up in the FW dip postmortem?

 

[Carla2]

Thank you for your kind words.

No flukes dropped off (at least not that I could see). I watched for the first ten minutes of the dip and the goby is still in the freshwater just in case. If it was flukes I wanted to know since I'll have to treat the damselfish then ... still no sign, so probably it wasn't flukes or they were too deep in the gills.

I took a photo during the freshwater dip.

Don't you think the anus looks as though it was ripped open?

 

[Jose Mayo]

Thank you for your kind words.

No flukes dropped off (at least not that I could see). I watched for the first ten minutes of the dip and the goby is still in the freshwater just in case. If it was flukes I wanted to know since I'll have to treat the damselfish then ... still no sign, so probably it wasn't flukes or they were too deep in the gills.

I took a photo during the freshwater dip.

Don't you think the anus looks as though it was ripped open?

I've only seen fish so skinny in infestation by parasitic isopods; look into his mouth to see if there is a parasite clinging to his tongue.

I'm sorry for your loss.

 

[Carla2]

Thank you Jose, for shedding light on the situation ... my goby did twitch and shake its head yesterday, so something may have been on its head, either in the gills or mouth. When it was found dead the mouth was open rather wide. (The other goby that had died two weeks ago had its mouth wide open as well, though it might be normal for gobies.)

I tried opening the mouth a little more to take a pic.

The inside of the mouth seemed empty. But I found a white spot (1mm) like an ulcer on the roof of the mouth near the lip.

The thing is, this neon goby/sharknose goby had probably been captive bred because I got it so small. Can captive-bred fish host tongue-eating isopods too?

 

[Jose Mayo]

Can captive-bred fish host tongue-eating isopods too?

If on the farm they use natural marine water, yes, they can be attacked by parasites.

I regret your loss again.

Regards

 

[Carla2]

I see. With so many types of parasites around, having to be our own fish's vets definitely makes fishkeeping harder ... hope you all have better luck with your fish!

I'll keep an eye on my damselfish and continue feeding MetroPlex food for now.