Hi Guys...I got a bunch of ghost shrimp from my LFS...and most of them were tiny ones so I went to Walmart and found a big one...which I wanted to use for breeding...so I picked this unique one with some white markings on its back/head area...didnt think much of it but after about a week now...I started to look carefully and see the white stuff in my other "clear" ghost shrimp too...not all but some of them...so I am thinking could these be tape worm?
I am posting some pictures here...
If they are indeed tape worm will my trumpet snails and apple snails get them too? whats the remedy?
Whats with my Ghost Shrimp???
Started by
Guest_bearskookums_*
, Jan 03 2007 02:40 PM
19 replies to this topic
#2
Guest_teleost_*
Guest_teleost_*
-
- Guests
Posted 03 January 2007 - 03:41 PM
In all of the grass shim I've sampled, I've never seen that. I can't say I've sampled any more than the average Joe but I'd get them out of your tank right away. I'm squeamish when it comes to invaders 
#3
Guest_bearskookums_*
Guest_bearskookums_*
-
- Guests
Posted 03 January 2007 - 03:43 PM
In all of the grass shim I've sampled, I've never seen that. I can't say I've sampled any more than the average Joe but I'd get them out of your tank right away. I'm squeamish when it comes to invaders
Me too
& ....I started feeling sick thinking they could be tape worm! Yuck! They are in a tiny nano tank with nothing but shrimp and snails....lucky I didnt put them in my main tank...
#4
Guest_teleost_*
Guest_teleost_*
-
- Guests
Posted 03 January 2007 - 03:55 PM
Those "things" inside your shrimp made me forget to tell you, those are nice pictures.
#5
Guest_bearskookums_*
Guest_bearskookums_*
-
- Guests
Posted 03 January 2007 - 04:01 PM
Those "things" inside your shrimp made me forget to tell you, those are nice pictures.
Hey Teleost thanks...I just reedited the pics...was too big...whats the general resolution to post pics here? I sized them down to 600x372 pixels...
#6
Guest_dsmith73_*
Guest_dsmith73_*
-
- Guests
Posted 03 January 2007 - 04:35 PM
We get all white ones on occasion. I believe this is due to some type of bacterium. Can you actually see the white thing moving or is it just cloudy? It may be the same thing.
#7
Guest_bearskookums_*
Guest_bearskookums_*
-
- Guests
Posted 03 January 2007 - 11:25 PM
It doent move...looks just like white ribbons in the body...in that particular pic with the big shrimp you can see them...like its swirled inside the head...the smaller shrimp has it running lenght wise...it looks just like tape worm...are there any remedies for this? Right now I have CLOUT and Melafix...but I dont know how these do on shrimp and snails...
#8
Guest_teleost_*
Guest_teleost_*
-
- Guests
Posted 03 January 2007 - 11:55 PM
I doubt melafix will work on internal parasites (if this is what you have). I sure see a thread like thing inside your shrimp.
Clout says not to use with inverts.
clout instructions
Clout says not to use with inverts.
clout instructions
#9
Guest_AndrewAcropora_*
Guest_AndrewAcropora_*
-
- Guests
Posted 04 January 2007 - 03:45 AM
Inverts are extremely sensitive to most medications; especially copper base medications, they will almost certainly kill the invertebrate in question.
Medicating the shrimp may prove to be fatal. I would leave it be and hope for the best.
If you intend to have a breeding stock, you may want to start over with new uninfected (preferably non-Wal-Mart) shrimp. It would be best to quarantine the current specimens. Ghost shrimp are fairly long-lived, and capable of living over 10 years.
Medicating the shrimp may prove to be fatal. I would leave it be and hope for the best.
If you intend to have a breeding stock, you may want to start over with new uninfected (preferably non-Wal-Mart) shrimp. It would be best to quarantine the current specimens. Ghost shrimp are fairly long-lived, and capable of living over 10 years.
#10
Guest_bearskookums_*
Guest_bearskookums_*
-
- Guests
Posted 04 January 2007 - 02:22 PM
Yeah I think I am keeping off the meds for now...I kept them in a quarantine now....will just observe and see any changes...I would think if its an ip wouldn't it affect the big shrimp? she seems to be doing well eating and fighting...
#11
Guest_AndrewAcropora_*
Guest_AndrewAcropora_*
-
- Guests
Posted 04 January 2007 - 03:45 PM
By the way,
Your shrimps' parasite(s) are probably horsehair worms, a close relative to nematodes. (You can find more info about them here) Isolate the shrimp immediately and try dosing with a little iodine.
If you have a microscope lying around when a worm decides to pop out, you might want to take a closer look at it.
He/she is next!
Your shrimps' parasite(s) are probably horsehair worms, a close relative to nematodes. (You can find more info about them here) Isolate the shrimp immediately and try dosing with a little iodine.
If you have a microscope lying around when a worm decides to pop out, you might want to take a closer look at it.
I would think if its an ip wouldn't it affect the big shrimp
He/she is next!
#12
Guest_Skipjack_*
Guest_Skipjack_*
-
- Guests
Posted 04 January 2007 - 06:12 PM
I am certain it is a parasite, as I recently got quite a few ghost shrimp, and several had the same look, But I witnessed the parasites moving. I culled those.
#13
Guest_bearskookums_*
Guest_bearskookums_*
-
- Guests
Posted 05 January 2007 - 01:40 AM
The one big shrimp I isolated doesnt have that white ribbon look anymore...just a big white spot on the head...I hope thats just the pellet I fed to it...and hopefully the "worm" is gone...still watching them...hopefully it will all come out and die off or something...
#14
Guest_teleost_*
Guest_teleost_*
-
- Guests
Posted 05 January 2007 - 02:17 AM
Could the white stuff just be something it ate? I know the bodies of these little guys are nearly transparent. Maybe you're just looking at some white food item it ate in it's digestive tract?
#15
Guest_bearskookums_*
Guest_bearskookums_*
-
- Guests
Posted 05 January 2007 - 02:21 AM
It could be...not sure but I will keep watching...some of them have the white stuff running lenghtwise like the vein of the shrimp...but what caught my attention at first was the "ribbon" look on the head part of the shrimp...it almost has a figure 8 look to it...
#16
Guest_bearskookums_*
Guest_bearskookums_*
-
- Guests
Posted 05 January 2007 - 04:08 PM
ITs A WORM!!!! &
I saw last night that the bigge shrimp had lost its white ribbon in its head area and checked carefully and saw a thin white thing about 2 inches long in the bottom...looks like a cat's whisker...I looked carefully and it started to move...so AndrewAcropora, it might actually be a horsehair worm...I hope it is...and nothing else...thanks for posting that link...
Bad news is that the shrimp died...must have left some pretty bad holes in its body as the worm left...
Just saw this on youtube! Horsehair worm...anyone actually seen one in person??? Yikes
warning video not for those with weak stomach!
& I saw last night that the bigge shrimp had lost its white ribbon in its head area and checked carefully and saw a thin white thing about 2 inches long in the bottom...looks like a cat's whisker...I looked carefully and it started to move...so AndrewAcropora, it might actually be a horsehair worm...I hope it is...and nothing else...thanks for posting that link...
Bad news is that the shrimp died...must have left some pretty bad holes in its body as the worm left...
Just saw this on youtube! Horsehair worm...anyone actually seen one in person??? Yikes
warning video not for those with weak stomach!
#17
Guest_edbihary_*
Guest_edbihary_*
-
- Guests
Posted 05 January 2007 - 06:12 PM
I saw a whole bunch of them in a puddle at a job site here in southwestern Pennsylvania a few months ago. I was there with two colleagues, and none of us could figure out what those things were. After following this link:Horsehair worm...anyone actually seen one in person??? Yikes
http://www.extension...4horsehair.html
posted above by AndrewAcropora, I realized that is what we had seen some months ago. I sent them the link via e-mail as an FYI, and got back the response "You have too much time on your hands browsing the web. I completely forgot about the puddle, let alone anything swimming in it..." They apparently thought I have been spending months obsessed with figuring out what they were. They don't know that the information just found me here on the forum.
#18
Guest_nativeplanter_*
Guest_nativeplanter_*
-
- Guests
Posted 06 January 2007 - 02:59 PM
I've had that worm in some shrimp before, which also eventually expelled it into the tank. It was about 3" long, if I remember correctly. Icky-poo. Does anyone know if this type of worm can infect fish?
#19
Guest_edbihary_*
Guest_edbihary_*
-
- Guests
Posted 06 January 2007 - 03:19 PM
If you read the University of Minnesota article at:Does anyone know if this type of worm can infect fish?
http://www.extension...4horsehair.html
you will see "When they are immature, they are parasites of insects, arthropods, and other invertebrate animals. As adults, they are free- living." Apparently, they only infest inverts. Just the same, I think I'd keep infested inverts away from my fish.
#20
Guest_bearskookums_*
Guest_bearskookums_*
-
- Guests
Posted 06 January 2007 - 05:43 PM
Apparently they are white when inside inverts and when the emerge and mature they turn brown...I wonder if crickets sold in petstores have these lil worms in them...
1 user(s) are reading this topic
0 members, 1 guests, 0 anonymous users
NANFA Youtube Channel 
