▷ Hookworms in fish | Details, diagnosis and treatment

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symptoms

external symptoms

  • skin opacities
  • Splayed gill covers
  • Worms clearly visible with a magnifying glass
  • Fish breathe heavily.
  • Fish lose a lot of weight.

Behave

  • Fish scrub themselves.
  • Fish twitch their fins.

photos

Photos: C. Duchkovich

Hookworms, presumably skinworms, magnified 40 times. The hooks are clearly visible. In a seawater aquarium, all fish showed an increased respiratory rate and unclearly defined white spots. The photos are from a skin swab.

causes

The following movie of a hookworm was provided by Niki Halanek:
gillworms03

Hookworms are introduced into the aquarium exclusively with new fish, especially with wild-caught fish. Hookworms cling to the mucous membrane of infested fish with their hooks located at the rear end. They appear on skin and gill surfaces. In small numbers they are harmless, in larger quantities they often quickly lead to the death of infected fish. Since most types of hookworm each specialize in a specific species of fish, they rarely spread to other species of fish. As a rule, only closely related species are endangered. Due to the irritation and wounds caused by the hooks, infested fish produce increased mucus. If the gills are heavily infested, they can become very mucous. Due to the resulting lack of oxygen, there is a risk that the fish will suffocate. Through the wounds caused, other parasites or bacteria can easily infect the fish and cause subsequent diseases.

As soon as skin clouding is detected on fish, a magnifying glass must be used to check whether it is a worm infestation. This suspicion is particularly obvious when only one species of fish is affected. Hookworms are easily recognized with a magnifying glass by their worm shape and wriggling movements.

Due to their different reproduction and their preferred habitats, a distinction is made between skin worms (Gyrodactylidae) and gill worms (Dactylogyridae). Due to the different propagation, the treatment is slightly different. However, skinworms are also found on the gills, just as gillworms are also found on the skin of fish.

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