Just noticed what appears to be worms under my morays skin, anyone know what they are and what I can do to help him?
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May be nematodes but never seen them under skinJust noticed what appears to be worms under my morays skin, anyone know what they are and what I can do to help him?
Those are nematodes. I call it filigree disease. Tough to treat since praziquantel doesn’t work on them. I’m on my phone, but try looking at this article and see if you can find a medication to treat it:Just noticed what appears to be worms under my morays skin, anyone know what they are and what I can do to help him?
Those are nematodes. I call it filigree disease. Tough to treat since praziquantel doesn’t work on them. I’m on my phone, but try looking at this article and see if you can find a medication to treat it:
Cir 91/FA091: Nematode (Roundworm) Infections in Fish
University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension outreach is a partnership between state, federal, and county governments to provide scientific knowledge and expertise to the public. The University of Florida (UF), together with Florida A&M University (FAMU)...edis.ifas.ufl.edu
Jay
thank you so much
the article mentions fenbendazole and other thing I’ve been able to find suggests this is very effective
its sold as a dog dewormer in powder form so maybe I should give him some directly in his food and then maybe even dose the tank
would still love to hear any suggestions I’d hate to lose my buddy to these worms
My home Internet is back online, and I could look this up for you. Here is what I wrote about this problem in my fish disease book:
Filigree disease – Huffmanela sp. and related nematodes
Occasionally, marine fish will be seen with a highly distinctive skin lesion that looks a bit like a filigree tattoo, or sometimes, a single meandering line. Moray eels, freshly caught, will sometimes show these symptoms, as will certain sharks. Apparently, the meandering lines are formed as the nematode burrows under the fish’s skin, close to the surface, laying dark eggs that then create the line. Levamisole administered orally at 10 mg / kg may work to reduce the parasite numbers. However, fish showing these lesions are otherwise asymptomatic, and the lesions typically heal within a month or two. This may mean that these nematodes have a secondary host in their life cycle, and so are self-limiting in aquariums.
You could try fenbendazole in the water, but I worry about two issues: that it won't get deep into the tissue very well when used as a bath, and I've seen serious adverse reactions in some fish. The common dose for that is 2 ppm in the water, once a week for three weeks.
Jay
Did the other fish stop eating after you dosed with levamisole? That may be a separate issue …… but always very serious.He ate a silver side with the meds, he’s is acting completely normal otherwise
But my square Anthias had a white stringy poop him and the other fish aren’t eating
next step for the meds as instructed is to redose a week after the first
Did the other fish stop eating after you dosed with levamisole? That may be a separate issue …… but always very serious.
Jay
Unlikely, I’ve only seen these worms in eels or sharks. I’m worried something else is going on. I’ve only used levamisole in food, not in the water….so I can’t tell you if it is toxic like fenbendazole often is, or if it causes changes in water quality.Yeah between adding the meds, removing the carbon and not using any lights ( as per instructions on the box) the water is just a touch more cloudy and with the darkness I first thought that was just throwing them off but now that I saw that from the Anthias I’m concerned the worms went from the eel to everyone
Unlikely, I’ve only seen these worms in eels or sharks. I’m worried something else is going on. I’ve only used levamisole in food, not in the water….so I can’t tell you if it is toxic like fenbendazole often is, or if it causes changes in water quality.
Jay