Rapid-swimming worm -- possible parasite?

I found about six of these worms in an isolation tank I use for four Cynops ensicauda popei that have long been suspected of having internal parasites as they remain skinny despite eating normally. Can anybody identify them? Ed maybe?



They are definitely not tubifex worms or blackworms. They frequently swim to the surface of the water. Very rapid movement.

I should note that while they look large in the photo, they are quite small, about a 1-1.5 centimeters, and very thin.

I had a problem a couple of years ago with a worm that looked and moved similarly, which emerged from (and might have caused to begin with) a nasty wound on a Cynops ensicauda ensicauda. That animal has since fully recovered and is not among the suspected cases of internal parasite infestation.

See: http://www.caudata.org/forum/messages/7/1758.html

I'm guessing it's a nematode -- but hey, what do I know?

Here's what Ed had to say about the worm in the previous case:

(begin quote)

"Its very hard to tell with the picture but the shape (and behavioral description)looks sort of like a nematode. Many herps can carry very large parasite loads and show little to no symptoms from the parasites. (I saw a Phelsuma grandis once that had five different parasites encysted in various organs. It only had about half of one lung functioning due to pentastomes, and it actually died due to a abcess caused by an encysted tapeworm in the liver). Heavy nematode loads are very common in wild caught amphibs (as are false positives in ones fed earthworms as earthworms tend to have high levels of soil nematodes residing in their gut). The lump may have been caused by the nematode encysting in the skin or moving around under the skin. In the first case this is usually caused by a parasite that the newt is not the end host for. In these cases the parasite encysts and waits for the newt to be eaten by the proper end host (usually bird or mammal). In the second case it may indicate a very high parasite load. To determine this do not feed earthworms for several days but use frozen foods instead and get a fecal check on the animal. The vet should be able to give you an idea on the level of the parasite load based on the amount of eggs/larva in the fecal (usually + to +++++ is how its scaled with the more + the higher the load). The type(s) and parasite load will determine the treatment(s) required to clear up the parasites. I have seen in Ceratobatrachus death from the nematodes migrating through the various organs to escape the worming agent as well as animals that have died due to shock as the massive parasite load is killed due to improper dosing of medications.
You should be able to get the proper worming agents from a vet once the fecal has been done. (I've used panacure, Droncit, and Ivermectin safely in newts and salamanders in the past depending upon the type of parasite indicated)."

(end quote)

Actually, I recently found a scientific paper that went into some detail on the kinds of nematodes found in C.ensicauda and other amphibians of the Ryukyu Islands. I'll try to find it...

Here's a link to a pic that Frank Pasmans posted at this site showing nematode infestation in freshly imported T. kweichowensis:

http://www.caudata.org/forum/messages/13/18024.html

(Message edited by TJ on July 24, 2005)

Tim,
Its hard to tell in the picture. Are these segmented? One of the pics gives that impression.


Ed

Hmmm. I'll post a couple more pics later which may help clarify that. In the meantime, here's some info on nematodes found in Ryukyu newts:





(Source: HASEGAWA Hideo. Nematodes of Okinawan Amphibians and Their Host-Parasite Relationship. Current Herpetology in East Asia. 1989)

Segmented? I'm not sure, but I got a pretty clear picture of one today.



Check out the head and antennae.

I'm pretty sure they're coming from the newts as they appear even after the water has been changed completely.

What do you use to deworm with Tim?

What I have on hand is Panacur (fenbendazole), which I got from my vet but haven't used yet. For now, I'm simply taking the advice of a Japanese friend of mine, who suggested I just feed them more. And it works I feed them 2-3 times as frequently as my other newts, and they've really filled out. I have four C. ensicauda and C. pyrrhogaster together in my "infestation" tank. This evening they (and ultimately their parasites!) feasted on wax worms and live bloodworms.

Until my fridge broke down the other day, I also had a packet of frozen discus burger containing dewormer. I tried this just once with a newt, and it ate the burger. But I didn't follow up, so I can't say whether this is an effective treatment or not.

I intend to eventually use the Panacur on one of the 5 affected newts before using it on the other 4.

Hmm, this one goes out to Ed I suppose. Doesn't the newts immune system combat the parasites?
If so it should be enough, as Time says, to feed the newt properly until healthy enough for the immune system to take care of the parasites.

The ability of the newt to combat the parasites depends on many items but you have to consider that parasites are masters at decieving the immune system of the host they infest (otherwise the animal (and people) would be better able to resist the parasite. If the parasite load is heavy it is usually better to treat the animal. (This is also often necessary with some nematode species as they can cause "super" infections in the animals in enclosed spaces.)

In my humble opinion it is often better to acclimate the animal, stabalize it and then consider deparasitization treatments based on a fecal exam. One of the items to consider when deciding to treat is to consider the total parasite load. Heavy parasite loads can indicate a stressed animal or one that has another underlying issue which should be examined and corrected as well as being treated.

Ed

Tim, that mouth part in the later pictures looks pretty odd for a parasitic worm, also the body structure is odd for a parasite. Is this the same worm that is in the top pictures?
Are you sure this is not some kind of free living contaminate?

Ed