Anchor worm is more common in
coldwater fish, especially newly imported specimens. Infected fish are
vulnerable to secondary infections, such as fungus and heavy infestations can
cause weight loss and even death.
Its the female Anchor Worm
which causes the most problems, as males die soon after mating. She attaches
herself to the fish, and stays embedded in the body wall, while her egg sacs
develop.
The eggs hatch into free-swimming parasites which need to find
a host fish within a few days in order to survive.
The pond or tank can
then be dosed with one of the appropriate remedies on the market to kill off
any juvenile Anchor Worms.
If possible, remove the fish for a week or
so while this is being done, as without a suitable host to live on, the
free-swimming parasites will die.
In high infection situations more
appropriate treatment is needed.
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