# Best Parasite Remover?



## Soldat (Aug 28, 2004)

I've tried changing water and using a sponge to get them off the glass, but I can't get rid of the dang little white worms and white dots jumping around. I think it's flat worms or something. Anyway, what is the safest and best parasitic remover. I was told that they would not all be compatible with P's. Thanks for your help..KEv


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## redbelly4 (Sep 13, 2004)

I have used this mardel stuff and worked well.


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## piranhapat (Oct 11, 2003)

I BEEN DOING RESEARCH ON THIS TOPIC. THE BEST WAY OF KILLING THESE WHITE WORMS IS REMOVING YOUR PIRANHA FROM YOUR TANK. THEN RAISE THE PH TO 9.0 INCREASE TEMP. TO 90 AND ADD SALT TO WATER ALSO ADD COPPERSAFE TO TANK. I WOULD WAIT 5-7 DAYS AND BRING BACK THE PH TO 7.0 AND DO A 50 % WATER CHANGE. I ADDED SALT IT DID NOTHING TO KILL THEM. THESE WHITE WORMS ARE VERY HARD TO KILL . THIS WHAT WORKED FOR ME.


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## DonH (Jan 25, 2003)

piranhapat said:


> I BEEN DOING RESEARCH ON THIS TOPIC. THE BEST WAY OF KILLING THESE WHITE WORMS IS REMOVING YOUR PIRANHA FROM YOUR TANK. THEN RAISE THE PH TO 9.0 INCREASE TEMP. TO 90 AND ADD SALT TO WATER ALSO ADD COPPERSAFE TO TANK. I WOULD WAIT 5-7 DAYS AND BRING BACK THE PH TO 7.0 AND DO A 50 % WATER CHANGE. I ADDED SALT IT DID NOTHING TO KILL THEM. THESE WHITE WORMS ARE VERY HARD TO KILL . THIS WHAT WORKED FOR ME.


 If you are going to do that, you might as well tear down the whole tank and start all over again...

They are not parasites. They are nematodes and crustaceans that are a natural part of the tank. When you start overfeeding or have a lot of detritus in your gravel, they will appear in greater numbers. They are harmless to your fish, but if you want to get rid of them, be patient, increase the frequency of your water changes, clean out your filter material with aquarium water and do more thorough gravel vacs. Their numbers will diminish over time.


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## piranhapat (Oct 11, 2003)

Even if you break the tank down their will come right back. All these post about adding salt and cleaning the gravel will NOT work. I added these worms to a small tank with fresh chlorine and no GRAVEL AND NO food introduced to the tank for a month and still alive. Next week added 3x amount of salt to tank. Still alive..... ADDED COPPERSAFE STILL ALIVE.....Only time I notice they died at a fast clip was when I change the ph......


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## Soldat (Aug 28, 2004)

Well, I have no way of storing my fish for days on end. They aren't my small reds, they are 8-10 inches. I added salt a while ago, and my temp has been lowered to about 77-78. I guess I will have to keep scrubbing them out also. I also added a parasite remover, but I guess they aren't parasites. My only concern is for the fish getting stressed out. I know they're harmless to them, but my fish still seem slightly stressed about them. I'll just have to wait and see what happens.


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## Soldat (Aug 28, 2004)

By the way, Thanks for the help..KEv


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## DonH (Jan 25, 2003)

They are not stressed out due to the presence of those things... They are stressed out due to the water conditions that brought about those things. Just reduce your feeding and it will slowly disappear with good tank maintenance.


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## Soldat (Aug 28, 2004)

I do have good tank maintenance. I just went on vacation for four days and come back to find these worms. My friends are the ones that overfed the poor guys. I didn't think my tank could go bad in that amount of time either. I'm also starting to think putting the mice in the tank a week or so before definitely may have something to do with it and just didn't notice till I returned from vacation. I defintely wouldn't recommend mice now. The stuff I'm treating with isn't working, so I'll just have to wait and see what happens with changing my water every four days and cleaning the gravel every other day. I appreciate all of the advice and hope this doesn't happen to you guys.


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## dpwright (Aug 17, 2003)

i dont know if this will help u or not,but,i read an article that said pearl gouramis will munch on planaria(what i believe u have).the species of fish im talking about is trichogaster leerii.might be a good alt. to tearing down your system/starting over?good luck.


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## a_plus1234 (Jul 26, 2003)

I used coppersafe to kill ALL the planaria worms in my tank. its been three months since i treated my tank, and i haven't seen 1 worm in my tank. just don't overdose.


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