Wormlike thing on fish?

[bquarium]

Hi all!

I recently started the hobby and added my first fishes to my qt tank, I noticed this wormlike thing on my firefish’s fin area. Should I be worried and try to treat it? Its been about half a day now only.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Hi all!

I recently started the hobby and added my first fishes to my qt tank, I noticed this wormlike thing on my firefish’s fin area. Should I be worried and try to treat it? Its been about half a day now only.

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

That is actually the egg case of a femal copepod parasite. Here is an excerpt from my upcoming fish disease book on that:

The purple firefish, Nemateleotris magnifica has a copepod parasite specific to that species – Serpentisaccus magnificae. Described by George Blasiola in 1979, this parasite is seen on newly imported firefish. The body of the parasite is buried in the flank of the fish, behind the gills, either on one or both sides. When the female copepod develops its egg sacs, these emerge from the fish’s skin as tiny coiled strands. Treatment should not be attempted for this parasite, as the adults are buried too deeply into the body of the fish for physical removal to be done safely, and no known chemotherapeutic will eliminate internal crustacean parasites without also harming the host fish. This copepod is thought to have indirect development with a series of planktonic larval stages, so there is no real concern of the eggs hatching and then fully developing and causing reinfection of the host.

In some cases, the fish recovers, but it is fatal in other cases, nobody know why for certain, it may be dependent on how deep the female attaches, and if vital organs are involved.

In the video, your fish also seems to be breathing a bit fast/heavy. Is the water quality good, no ammonia?

Jay

 

[bquarium]

Hi Jay,

Thank you for your response, I looked at my firefish and it is breathing around the same rate as yesterday.

Is there anything I should be concerned? I looked online and said it possibly could be oxygen I was running my air pump about half on the bar yesterday, I am letting it run full since you mentioned it’s breathing.

As for my paramaters:

I have an amonia alert badge and it currently is in the (yellow) safe area <.02. The ph reads 8.7, 79 degrees, 35.5 ppt for the salinity as of this morning.

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

That is actually the egg case of a femal copepod parasite. Here is an excerpt from my upcoming fish disease book on that:

The purple firefish, Nemateleotris magnifica has a copepod parasite specific to that species – Serpentisaccus magnificae. Described by George Blasiola in 1979, this parasite is seen on newly imported firefish. The body of the parasite is buried in the flank of the fish, behind the gills, either on one or both sides. When the female copepod develops its egg sacs, these emerge from the fish’s skin as tiny coiled strands. Treatment should not be attempted for this parasite, as the adults are buried too deeply into the body of the fish for physical removal to be done safely, and no known chemotherapeutic will eliminate internal crustacean parasites without also harming the host fish. This copepod is thought to have indirect development with a series of planktonic larval stages, so there is no real concern of the eggs hatching and then fully developing and causing reinfection of the host.

In some cases, the fish recovers, but it is fatal in other cases, nobody know why for certain, it may be dependent on how deep the female attaches, and if vital organs are involved.

In the video, your fish also seems to be breathing a bit fast/heavy. Is the water quality good, no ammonia?

Jay

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Hi Jay,

Thank you for your response, I looked at my firefish and it is breathing around the same rate as yesterday.

Is there anything I should be concerned? I looked online and said it possibly could be oxygen I was running my air pump about half on the bar yesterday, I am letting it run full since you mentioned it’s breathing.

As for my paramaters:

I have an amonia alert badge and it currently is in the (yellow) safe area <.02. The ph reads 8.7, 79 degrees, 35.5 ppt for the salinity as of this morning.

Your pH is very high, but that won't cause rapid breathing, and to be honest, pH measurements are quite often wrong, so it is probably lower.

Adding the aeration is the best thing to do.

If the fish is eating, I wouldn't worry about it too much right now....

Jay

 

[bquarium]

Your pH is very high, but that won't cause rapid breathing, and to be honest, pH measurements are quite often wrong, so it is probably lower.

Adding the aeration is the best thing to do.

If the fish is eating, I wouldn't worry about it too much right now....

Jay

Hi Jay,

Unfortunately I loss the Firefish this morning. I've been checking the parameters' of my water and everything was even my PH as I last reported it was high. I tested it with another PH meter and it read 8.2. I'm guessing it must've been the parasite.

Regardless, my two clowns still look healthy, they aren't breathing rapidly, they are eating fine.
My anomia levels is in yellow, ph 8.2, 78.7 degrees, 35 ppt, should I do anything with the water? This is my QT tank so I can dose them if needed or should I drain everything and restart?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Hi Jay,

Unfortunately I loss the Firefish this morning. I've been checking the parameters' of my water and everything was even my PH as I last reported it was high. I tested it with another PH meter and it read 8.2. I'm guessing it must've been the parasite.

Regardless, my two clowns still look healthy, they aren't breathing rapidly, they are eating fine.
My anomia levels is in yellow, ph 8.2, 78.7 degrees, 35 ppt, should I do anything with the water? This is my QT tank so I can dose them if needed or should I drain everything and restart?

As long as the clownfish have no symptoms, I think it was the parasite. That parasite only infects that species of firefish, so I do not think you need to treat the tank for anything.

If you want to confirm this assumption, you could post a video of the clownfish for me to check their respiration rate and overall demeanor.

Jay

 

[bquarium]

As long as the clownfish have no symptoms, I think it was the parasite. That parasite only infects that species of firefish, so I do not think you need to treat the tank for anything.

If you want to confirm this assumption, you could post a video of the clownfish for me to check their respiration rate and overall demeanor.

Jay

Hey jay thanks for your help, here are my clowns

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Hey jay thanks for your help, here are my clowns

They look fine to me!

Jay