AquaticSuppliers.com     Cafepress Store

Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 33

Thread: Massive tapeworms coming out of my discus

  1. #1
    Registered Member fishbubbles's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    Florida
    Posts
    221
    Real Name
    Kevin

    Default Massive tapeworms coming out of my discus

    I had a sneaking suspicion that some of my discus had tapeworms, some of them would always eat but weren't putting on any weight. I had dosed my tanks with levamisole before but 2 days ago I decided to dose the whole system with prazipro. I dosed 75 milliliters in my 300 gallon system and this popped out just a few moments ago. NASTY!!!

    20180529_201332.jpg

  2. #2
    Registered Member
    Join Date
    May 2018
    Location
    Pensacola, Florida
    Posts
    139
    Real Name
    Gabriel

    Default Re: Massive tapeworms coming out of my discus

    Wow! Glad you caught that!

  3. #3
    Registered Member + MVP danotaylor's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2018
    Location
    Aussie living in Cincy
    Posts
    3,217
    Real Name
    Daniel

    Default Re: Massive tapeworms coming out of my discus

    wow mate, that's no joke! Is prazipro a 1 time kills all dose?

  4. #4
    Registered Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Posts
    230

    Default Re: Massive tapeworms coming out of my discus

    No, with worms you almost always need a few follow-ups. It's also never guaranteed that you're rid of them so it's not a bad idea to de-worm regularly. We do it for mammals, right?

  5. #5
    Administrator and MVP Dec.2015 Second Hand Pat's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    Central Florida
    Posts
    31,724
    Real Name
    Pat

    Default Re: Massive tapeworms coming out of my discus

    Quote Originally Posted by Megalodon View Post
    No, with worms you almost always need a few follow-ups. It's also never guaranteed that you're rid of them so it's not a bad idea to de-worm regularly. We do it for mammals, right?
    It is not a good idea to deworm fish on a regular basis. Do it once in QT and be done with it. You can however reinfect your fish if exposed to fish which have not been dewormed or other sources like snails, plants, live foods etc.
    Pat
    Your discus are talking to you....are you listening


  6. #6
    Homesteader Adam S's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Posts
    741

    Default Re: Massive tapeworms coming out of my discus

    Regular basis no, but it is a good idea to do a follow up dose in 2-4 weeks for any eggs that hatch.

  7. #7
    Administrator brewmaster15's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2002
    Location
    Northford,CT,USA
    Posts
    26,829

    Default Re: Massive tapeworms coming out of my discus

    I would follow up with at least one more dose of Prazi in a few weeks since you had tape worms just in case but the vast majority of tapeworms require a secondary host to continue their life cycle. The can't reinfect your fish directly like nematodes do when fish ingest their eggs. If you got all the tapeworms first shot(very likely).. You probably wont see them again unless you introduce an intermediary host like found in live foods.

    Just so you know, Levamisole is not effective against Tape worms.. it works on most other worms.Prazi is the med of choice for tapes.
    AquaticSuppliers.com Freeze Dried BlackWorms and other foods your Discus will Love!!!


    >>>>>I am a science guy.. show me the science minus the BS

    Al Sabetta
    Simplydiscus LLC Owner
    Aquaticsuppliers.com


    I take Pics.. click here for my Flickr images

  8. #8
    Moderator Team LizStreithorst's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Moselle, MS
    Posts
    13,060

    Default Re: Massive tapeworms coming out of my discus

    Quote Originally Posted by brewmaster15 View Post
    I would follow up with at least one more dose of Prazi in a few weeks since you had tape worms just in case but the vast majority of tapeworms require a secondary host to continue their life cycle. The can't reinfect your fish directly like nematodes do when fish ingest their eggs. If you got all the tapeworms first shot(very likely).. You probably wont see them again unless you introduce an intermediary host like found in live foods.

    Just so you know, Levamisole is not effective against Tape worms.. it works on most other worms.Prazi is the med of choice for tapes.
    Any idea what the secondary host is in Discus. I have often wondered. In dogs it's a flea. In goats it's a mite in the soil. In cattle it's humans (eeew).
    Mama Bear

  9. #9
    Administrator brewmaster15's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2002
    Location
    Northford,CT,USA
    Posts
    26,829

    Default Re: Massive tapeworms coming out of my discus

    Liz,
    Its hard to say because its likely multiple species of Tapeworms we are seeing.Typical intermediary hosts are thought to be snails, invertebrates like shrimp ,bloodworms, copepods etc.Possibly even smaller species of fish.

    I also " think" its possible raw fish and shrimp could potentially carry in parasites though I dont know about tapeworms.

    Be nice to know definitively though.

    al
    AquaticSuppliers.com Freeze Dried BlackWorms and other foods your Discus will Love!!!


    >>>>>I am a science guy.. show me the science minus the BS

    Al Sabetta
    Simplydiscus LLC Owner
    Aquaticsuppliers.com


    I take Pics.. click here for my Flickr images

  10. #10
    Homesteader RogueDiscus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
    Location
    OR
    Posts
    3,130
    Real Name
    Steve

    Default Re: Massive tapeworms coming out of my discus

    Quote Originally Posted by brewmaster15 View Post
    I also " think" its possible raw fish and shrimp could potentially carry in parasites though I dont know about tapeworms.
    There was a recent news article about a guy who brought a long tapeworm (5 ft?) he wrapped up on a toilet paper roll (get the picture!) to the doctor's office. The most likley culprit was raw salmon from the sushi he at on a regular basis.

    Found the story:

    http://time.com/5110153/sushi-lover-five-foot-tapeworm/

  11. #11
    Registered Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2011
    Location
    Honolulu, Hawaii
    Posts
    261

    Default Re: Massive tapeworms coming out of my discus

    Nice discus...glad you figured out the problem!

  12. #12
    Administrator brewmaster15's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2002
    Location
    Northford,CT,USA
    Posts
    26,829

    Default Re: Massive tapeworms coming out of my discus

    Quote Originally Posted by RogueDiscus View Post
    There was a recent news article about a guy who brought a long tapeworm (5 ft?) he wrapped up on a toilet paper roll (get the picture!) to the doctor's office. The most likley culprit was raw salmon from the sushi he at on a regular basis.

    Found the story:

    http://time.com/5110153/sushi-lover-five-foot-tapeworm/
    Thats why I skip the sushi and stick with the sake
    AquaticSuppliers.com Freeze Dried BlackWorms and other foods your Discus will Love!!!


    >>>>>I am a science guy.. show me the science minus the BS

    Al Sabetta
    Simplydiscus LLC Owner
    Aquaticsuppliers.com


    I take Pics.. click here for my Flickr images

  13. #13
    Moderator Team LizStreithorst's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Moselle, MS
    Posts
    13,060

    Default Re: Massive tapeworms coming out of my discus

    I eat the meat of the fish not the parts in the guts. I don't care if the fish has a huge tape worm as long as the sushi is good,
    Mama Bear

  14. #14
    Administrator brewmaster15's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2002
    Location
    Northford,CT,USA
    Posts
    26,829

    Default Re: Massive tapeworms coming out of my discus

    Quote Originally Posted by LizStreithorst View Post
    I eat the meat of the fish not the parts in the guts. I don't care if the fish has a huge tape worm as long as the sushi is good,
    Ah but Liz its only the adult stage of the tapeworm that lives in the gut.The intermediate stages of alot of parasites live in and encyst in the flesh.
    AquaticSuppliers.com Freeze Dried BlackWorms and other foods your Discus will Love!!!


    >>>>>I am a science guy.. show me the science minus the BS

    Al Sabetta
    Simplydiscus LLC Owner
    Aquaticsuppliers.com


    I take Pics.. click here for my Flickr images

  15. #15
    Administrator brewmaster15's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2002
    Location
    Northford,CT,USA
    Posts
    26,829

    Default Re: Massive tapeworms coming out of my discus

    http://www.simplydiscus.com/library/...es_intro.shtml
    CESTODES
    Cestodes, also called tapeworms, are found in a wide variety of animals, including fish ( Figure 23 ). The life cycle of Cestodes is extremely varied with fish used as the primary or intermediate host. Cestodes infect the alimentary tract, muscle or other internal organs. Larval Cestodes called plerocercoids are some of the most damaging parasites to freshwater fish. Plerocercoids decrease carcass value if present in muscle, and impair reproduction when they infect gonadal tissue. Problems also occur when the cestode damages vital organs such as the brain, eye or heart.

    Figure 23: A close-up of a tapeworm.

    One of the most serious adult Cestodes that affect fish is the Asian tapeworm, Bothriocephalus acheilognathi . It has been introduced to the United States with grass carp and has caused serious problems with bait minnow producers.

    Praziquantel at 2 -- 10 mg/L for 1 to 3 hours in a bath is effective in treating adult cestode infections in ornamental fish. At this time, there is no treatment that can be used for food fish. Also, there is no successful treatment for plerocercoids. Ponds can be disinfected to eradicate the intermediate host, the copepod.
    AquaticSuppliers.com Freeze Dried BlackWorms and other foods your Discus will Love!!!


    >>>>>I am a science guy.. show me the science minus the BS

    Al Sabetta
    Simplydiscus LLC Owner
    Aquaticsuppliers.com


    I take Pics.. click here for my Flickr images

Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Cafepress