Can you identify this Parasite

[Shanet]

I have this Powder Brown Tang, about 100mm long (4 inch). He has been in the tank for 3 months, went through TTM, 2 rounds of Prazi, 3 weeks of observation as did every fish without fail before being introduced to the tank.

Nothing new (Coral, Invertebrates, fish) has been introduced for 3 months. 1 week ago he displayed like this. It looks like worms hanging out of him about 5-8mm or 1/4 inch long. Pretty much looks like a Porcupine with the area where these worms are attached raised.

I initially dosed Prazi Pro and they disappeared, about to redose 9 days later and they returned. I dosed again and made a little bit of difference to the number of them so dosed 3 days later and this is what he looks like. Prazi seems to halt them but not kill them.

Any suggestions as to what they are and how to kill them? I have researched for what they might be and the beat I can do is Hook worms.

None of the other 2 Tangs, 2 Angels, 6 Anthias have this condition.

 

[code4]

@HotRocks @Big G @Humblefish

Hoping to get you some help.

 

[Humblefish]

Have you tried a 5 min FW dip?

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/freshwater-dip.248898/

If these are truly worms, that should cause most/all to dislodge. And the fish will look clear. We can discuss followup treatment after worms have been confirmed.

 

[HotRocks]

If they are hanging off they could be anchor worms. Fully possible in saltwater fish but more uncommon.

Do these move around on the fish or stay in the same spot?

 

[Humblefish]

If these are anchor worms, the tail end of them will make a V:

 

[Shanet]

Thanks for the Replies.

 

[Shanet]

Im in the process of catching them and will then give them a FW dip.

They dont move around the fish, they stay in one spot and only get longer or shorter.

They dont have a V tail, they look like a piece of spaghetti. are very white in colour. Sort of rules out anchor worms.

Will post the results of the FW dip when I catch him. Another Naso Tang now has them.

 

[DancingShark]

If you zoom in to your second picture the two above the eye looks like Y to me.

 

[HotRocks]

You may need a magnifying glass to see the fork in the tail.

Let us know the result of the dip.

 

[Shanet]

good observation, does look like a V. Will look tommorow with a Magnifying glass.

 

[Reefahholic]

If it's not worms...it could possibly be a fungal infection.

 

[Humblefish]

If it's not worms...it could possibly be a fungal infection.

Fungi are rarely found on marine fish. It’s more of a freshwater fish disease.

 

[Reefahholic]

Fungi are rarely found on marine fish. It’s more of a freshwater fish disease.

I agree, it's not very common, because most reef tanks have good water flow/quality unlike a lot of freshwater tanks which is why it's commonly observed in FW systems. However, I've definitely seen it before in a marine environment. If you have a tank that's overcrowded or with very poor water quality or flow.... a fungus that may otherwise be harmless and feed on waste in the tank- may now start to attack your fish. Especially if the fish have wounds. For most of us....this will probably never happen, but you never know when the perfect storm might come especially for the lazy reefer. I don't rule out anything. If it's left untreated, it can quickly spread throughout the fishes body. White patches of funk all over. Glad it's easy to treat.

 

[Humblefish]

I agree, it's not very common, because most reef tanks have good water flow/quality unlike a lot of freshwater tanks which is why it's commonly observed in FW systems. However, I've definitely seen it before in a marine environment. If you have a tank that's overcrowded or with very poor water quality or flow.... a fungus that may otherwise be harmless and feed on waste in the tank- may now start to attack your fish. Especially if the fish have wounds. For most of us....this will probably never happen, but you never know when the perfect storm might come especially for the lazy reefer. I don't rule out anything. If it's left untreated, it can quickly spread throughout the fishes body. White patches of funk all over. Glad it's easy to treat.

Most fungi are intolerant of salt. This is the reason that body fungus infections are not often seen on saltwater fish. Whales, porpoises and dolphins are susceptible to fungal diseases; so are salmon. The latter usually pickup fungal infections while spawning in freshwater rivers.

You can actually take a freshwater molly with full blown fungus, convert it to full SW, and the fungal infection will completely clear within a few days.

 

[Reefahholic]

Most fungi are intolerant of salt. This is the reason that body fungus infections are not often seen on saltwater fish. Whales, porpoises and dolphins are susceptible to fungal diseases; so are salmon. The latter usually pickup fungal infections while spawning in freshwater rivers.

You can actually take a freshwater molly with full blown fungus, convert it to full SW, and the fungal infection will completely clear within a few days.

In prestine conditions with good flow.

 

[code4]

Did you do a dip?

 

[Shanet]

Not yet, I put the Fish trap in but they wont go anywhere near it. Will give him a couple of days to get used to it. There's no way I can catch them with a net besides dismantling the tank and I will only do that as a last resort.

 

[code4]

Hope you can catch them out soon.

 

[Shanet]

Ok, thought it only right to update the thread as to whats happening as everyone was good enough to offer advise.
I left the fish trap in for 5 days and the fish just would not go anywhere near it, so, I decided to redose PrasiPro again and again 3 days later. This removed most of the worms from the Brown and all from the Naso. The Brown had 3 or 4 white things hanging off him (as of 3 days ago) which to me look like Lymphocystis but they are on the body, not on the fin edges, where I usually see it.

I work 2000 km away from home at a Mine and only get back home every 6 to 7 weeks so the tank pretty much looks after itself with the help of a Profilux Controller, Cameras and the Wife.

The main reason I think it could be Lympho is that before all this happened I have a Clarisea Roller Filter that had run out of filter paper and the wife didn't know how to put a new roll on so I left it offline and combined with the skimmer offline for a few weeks when I got the wife to initially dose PraziPro, the water quality had gone down the tube according to the Profilux monitoring PH and Redox. After all the dosing of Prazi I did daily water changes of 100 litres (700 ltr system) for 3 days in a row. Put a new roll on the filter and then put the skimmer back on line.

The Browns condition has not changed (as of today, I'm at work) he still has a couple of white things hanging off him and he flashes in the evening, no other fish have anything.
Hopefully it will get better with water clarity improving, if it doesn't I will have to break the tank down and treat the fish. This may not be too bad as the Naso is growing at a great rate and will need a larger tank soon. We all know you dont need much of an excuse to get a bigger tank so I'm going for a 10 footer.