Camallanus Worms?

[pastorbob]

  HELP ! :) I am  fairly new to this, have run some smaller 250 gal systems from IBC's enlarged and moved fish to a 1000+ gal system with appx 150 sq ft of grow beds, rock & floats, trying to get "re-cycled" after adding more rock beds, have around 600-700 blue talapia, now appears to be infected with the camallanus worms? Finding small red worms in filter and rock bed... What to do now? From what I read this could be a major setback especially with a large system. And how and where does this parasite come from? I bought fingerlings, fish are now 4-8 "s ....HELP ! :-/ thx for any info...

[Scott Roberts]

Are the worms just in the filter and rock bed? It could just be chironomid larvae. If the red worms are actually attached to the fish, then it might be camallanus.

If you're sure this is camallanus - get levamisole. You can pick it up as bird dewormer. Reportedly leaves most of the good bacteria in the system intact. Standard dosing is 2ppm.  A good reference is http://plecoplanet.com/?page_id=48

Not sure about how this will affect plants. 

edit: Tom Barr, a wiz with planted aquariums, states Levamisole should not effect the plants. (http://www.barrreport.com/showthread.php/6277-Levamisole-and-plants).

[Vlad Jovanovic]

Yeah, like Scott suggests, try to positively identify them first before you take any action..

Midge fly larva (chironomid larvae) are quite common, and I often have them present in different systems. They make great supplemental fish food btw...

[pastorbob]

thx, I havent noticed any attached to the fish, but will double check with my guy that is tending and moving them around and such, as far as I know we have just seen them in the filter and the rock bed. thanks again !