@#!%* Now it's ANCHOR WORMS!!!

[perplexed ponder]

  I really don't know how much more of this I can take!
Treated the last 2 weeks for parasites, gill flukes most likely. Everyone seemed fine,so thursday we move them back into the pond (which had been drained to catch them). Today i notice a fish with a sore on it's back and something sticking out of it. I was lucky enough to catch the fish right away and i pulled out the "thingy" and looked at it under the microscope. Checked it on the net and it's defientaly an anchor worm. Of course it's Saturday night and no one that carries anything to treat it is now open!! I can see one other goldfish that has a white sore on it's back, most likely getting attacked too.

Where the heck did these come from? I'm about ready to let them all die and forget fish for good!

[GAjen]

Kathy I don't have an answer for you I lost a Red Devil to those things. I do know how you feel I'm about ponded out myself, fact is if it wasn't too late I'd get rid of it all. It's always something......

[perplexed ponder]

Geez Jen, I'm sorry about your devil. we went for 3 years without any diseases or issues, now this year has been one thing after another! I'll be glad when winter comes and I close it down. Not only is it a royal pain in the patootie, but it's REALLY expensive too! There is no way I can drain that whole pond again to catch that one fish. we're talking 3500 gallons.

[marla]

Kathy, sorry your having problems this year but I know you don't mean it when you say you'll let them all die. We had anchor worms last year.  Simple treatment is dimilin, worked great, if you want to catch them and give them a salt bath and hand pull the worms you can do that also.  Don't know how they got in our pond either, someone told me they are always there, but then why don't I always have them on the fish? 

[perplexed ponder]

Problem is every place that has dimilin is closed now. I'm afraid by Monday I'll have an epidemic. I can't catch the one fish lef tinthere I can see with a problem without draining the 3500 gallons again. Can't do that. My water bill won't handle it. We tried fro hours to get him yesterday. He keeps staying just 0ut of reach. hopefully Monday I can get the med and treat.

Is the dimilin toxic if the dog drinks from the pond?

[Pa Nancy]

Anchor worms themselves from what I understand do not kill fish, it's the open sores that fish get from them that kills them. I've had ponds for 12 years and never had an issue with any kind of parasite till this year.

Parasites are ALWAYS in the water. It's just when the fish are weakened in some way that they can attack fish. Spring is the most prevelant time for parasites, as they attack fish that have been weakened thru winter.

I sure wouldn't want my dog drinking out of the pond with a med in it. Not sure but, I believe Dimilin contains formaldahyde. It is used by exterminators.

[tinkster]

SOOO sorry to hear of your problems.. I had a massive outbreak of something earlier this spring and the same delima you did.. I ended up draining my pond down to almost nothing to catch all the ones with open sores.  I left the 3 big koi and a few  goldies that I didnt see anything on.  two of the koi then developed small spots.. one on his head one on his tail and I know this is NOT popular but it worked for me for so many years with my small pond that I went back to doing it..... I stopped adding dechlor when I top off my pond.  I really believe the small amounts of chlorine help..all the koi have healed up just fine now and no more outbreaks of any sores on the few remaining goldfishes in there. Water is crystal clear so its not harming the bioloigcal or maybe I am just lucky but I am gonna stick with what has always worked for me.

Sure hope you can solve your problem so you can enjoy the pond!

tinkster

[perplexed ponder]

Ya know tink I was thinking about that! I used to skip the dechlor when adding smaller amounts of water. I think I'll try it.

Thanks Nancy! I decided not to get the meds. The fish were probably stressed from being moved and medicated before that. Maybe the healthy ones won't be effected? My husband refuses to drain the pond again. The water we have used filling the pond a few times now when you add up the water changes and catching the fish, plus the new pool...geez I dont' want to open the next water bill!

The fish I caught and have been treating seems to be healing up. I can't get the other bugger. He stays just out of reach. I imagine if he starts to feel badly, he'll slow down. So far I can't see any others effected. Too bad you can't stick a cleaner wrasse in the pond to take care of the parasites!

[joeyb5980]

Gosh Kathy, you have had quite a time with those fish!  I hope you get these anchorworms knocked and then hopefully you can enjoy healthy fish for the rest of the summer    When our fish had anchorworms, the fish didn't seem to notice or act sick- I just visibly noticed the anchorworms on the fish.  I think I know the way they were introduced to my fish at the time- I had dug up some native cattail plants along the road in a marshy area, and potted them up- mud on the roots and all- and placed them in the pond- didn't even rinse the roots off, let alone disinfect the plant.  I have always felt that my fish got anchorworms from that, but who knows?  Anyway, good luck- I sure do hope that you get them cleared up easily and quickly.......

[perplexed ponder]

Joey-
The fish dont' act upset about it at all. I have the one that I caught being treated, the other is going to have to fend for himself since I can't get close to him. It's like he KNOWS I'm after him.

I did add some water without dechlor today. Jungle labs returned my call on teh treatment. They do not test with animals, but said they wouldnt' recommend a pet drinking it straight from the bottle but an occassional drink from the pond SHOULD be o.k. That's not quite good enough for me to feel safe about trying it. I did appreciate their return call though.

Who knows where it came from? We had drained the entire pond. New plants? Duck visits? Other critters i dont' even know about stopping by? It's impossible to keep everything out. I guess it just goes with the territory.
I wish I didn't get sad every time I lose one, and feel so responsible.

[perplexed ponder]

The fish I pulled out of hte pond and was treating in the house was returned to the pond yesterday looking really good! I had pulled the anchor worm out and treated with a few drops of melafix in a bucket, changing water and retreating each day all week.

I topped off the pond with tap water without dechlor and it SEEMS to have worked. The fish I coul dnot catch doens't appear to have it anymore and I don't see any other new fish effected. We are on community water so we dont' have high levels of chlorine.

Leaving on vacation for a week tomorrow morning. Hopefully no new horrors will await me on my return!!

[joeyb5980]

   So glad to hear that your fish are better!  Now you will be able to enjoy your vacation     I hope you guys have a great time next week!  I am sure everything will be fine while you're gone