how to treat a freshwater puffer for anchorworms

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Anchorworms aren’t really worms…


• The name “anchorworm” is actually a misnomer of sorts because the “worm” isn’t actually a worm at all – the parasite is a small crustacean, not an insect, which is usually relatively rare with tropical aquarium fish because it prefers cooler water.


Anchorworm attached to Congo Puffer (Tetraodon miurus)


• Typically, anchor worms are only seen in pond fish and recently wild caught specimens – goldfish are another frequent victim of this pesky crustacean.

• You can also inadvertently introduce anchorworms, both eggs and in their free-swimming stage, by adding live plants to your tank or feeding your puffer live foods.


• However, since the majority of freshwater puffers are wild caught fish, you may end up having to deal with an infestation of anchor worms at some point.


What do anchorworms look like?


• The anchor worms that attach to your puffer are female, and they carry their egg sacs at the end of their body where the fork is located.

• The sacs are long and shaped like a tube. • Without a microscope they have the

appearance of little balls because they are normally twisted or rolled up.


• As their name implies, the head is shaped like an anchor, which makes it so that the parasite can attach firmly to your fish – this is necessary because the afflicted fish will often rub against rocks and other objects in an effort to dislodge the anchorworm.

• There are different types of anchorworms – they can be found on the eyes, skin, and gills of fish, sometimes burrowing deeply into the musculature to anchor themselves on their host.


• Depending on the species, anchorworms can be white, green, red, grey or brown.

• Sometimes, the females attached to your puffer may appear threadlike, lacking the forked body, because they are immature.

• They will develop the “Y” shape when they mature and produce egg sacs.


What symptoms will my puffer exhibit if it has anchorworms?


• Loss of appetite• Flashing• Dull coloration/darkened belly• Lethargy• Swollen bumps on skin• Difficulty breathing• Unexplained “puncture” wounds• Obvious anchorworms hanging off of body


What is the lifecycle of an anchorworm?


• Like fish ick, anchor worms have a free swimming larval stage, as well as an adult stage where they are attached to the body of the fish.

• The larval stage burrows into the muscle of the fish to develop, and will only emerge from the skin when it’s an adult.

• As the anchor worm is burrowing back out of the skin, you will probably notice your puffer flashing and rubbing up against objects in an attempt to get rid of the irritation.


• It takes the larvae several months to develop, emerge and then mate – once the female anchorworm attaches to the puffer, it will take a couple of weeks for the eggs to develop and hatch.

• When the eggs hatch, you will have a fresh batch of microscopic anchorworms swimming around in the water column searching for a host so that they can repeat the cycle again.


Can anchorworms kill my freshwater puffer?


• Yes and no – if your puffer dies after being infested with anchor worms it will probably be because of a secondary infection or an overdose of medication.

• Technically speaking, a heavy enough infestation could definitely kill a fish – but it would most likely be the result of weakened state of the puffer.


• When an adult female anchor worm burrows underneath the skin of your puffer, completes its life cycle by laying eggs, and then dies, the parasite will leave an open wound.

• This leaves your puffer susceptible to secondary infections, which can be difficult to treat because puffers are scaleless fish – in conjunction with the fish’s weakened state, medication can sometimes prove fatal.


How do I get rid of anchorworms?


There are three different methods of getting rid of anchorworms:

• Using medicine dips• Dosing the entire tank• Applying medicine directly to the adult

anchorworm


• The most common remedy for pufferfish with anchorworms is a medicine called Praziquantel.

• Although Prazi can be injected into food items, like snails and night crawlers, to treat internal parasites, I opt for treating the entire puffer tank because unlike IP’s, anchorworms have a free swimming stage.

• If you only dose the food with medication, you will not eliminate any of the larvae before they reach your puffer to repeat the cycle.


• If you’re having difficulty finding a pet store that carries Prazi, then you can always look online, as well – I buy the Jungle Parasite Clear Tank Buddies (fizzy tabs), which contain Praziquantel.

• You can treat 10 gallons with each tab, so a 30 gallon tank will need a little bit less than 3 tabs per dose. You will want to dissolve the tabs before adding the medicine to the water.


• I also follow up treatment for anchorworms with a dose of Melafix to help prevent the wounds left by the dead parasites from becoming infected.

• Melafix is widely accepted as a gentle enough medication to use on puffer fish, just remember to increase the amount of dissolved oxygen during treatment as a safety precaution.



• Always, always watch your puffer for signs of stress when you add any medication to the water – you may have to cut the dose in half because they are scaleless fish.

Don’t forget the water changes…


• In addition to treating your puffer with Prazi, you will also need to perform large water changes for the best results – when I treat my puffers for parasites, I try to change 50% of the water at least every other day.

• The instructions on the medication may have a different suggestion for water changes – make sure you read the container first.

• Doing so will not only help you maintain good water quality so that your puffer’s risk of secondary infection is lower, but the water changes will also remove any free-swimming anchorworms so they don’t have time to reach their host.


• Some sources suggest manually removing the adult anchor worms with tweezers.

• However, I don’t recommend trying to pull the parasites out because you will most likely do more damage to your fish than the anchor worm is doing.

• The parasites that are visibly hanging off of your puffer are very deeply rooted under the skin, and possibly the muscle, as well.


• If you feel that pulling out the worms is the best route for you, then you should at least consult with a vet before attempting the procedure.


Let’s do a quick recap…


• If you wake up one day to see a Y-shaped worm dangling off of your freshwater puffer – don’t panic!

• Although anchor worms can potentially kill a fish because they weaken their immune system which leaves them susceptible to secondary infections, the parasites are more annoying than anything else in most cases.

• It normally takes a large number of anchor worms to weaken a puffer to the point of death.


Want to learn more about keeping

freshwater puffers?Visit FreshwaterPufferfish.org!


how to treat a freshwater puffer for anchorworms

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