Worming axolotls?

[michael]

Their are round white worms floating around in my one 55 gallon axolotl tank. They are about 3/4 to 1 inch long and about 1/32 in diameter. If I decide they are something bad and want to get rid of they what is the best approach.
A couple months ago my niece had a fire at her house. I got her axolotls and just popped them in the tank with mine. I also rarely feed earthworms to the axolotls. The majority of the time I use salmon pellets for food. The worms might have come from my nieces axolotl or the earthworms. The axolotls seem healthy.
What do you think?

 

[edward]

Hi Mike,
These sound more like the typical flatworms that infest tanks that have too high an organic load. They are harmless but in very high numbers they can stress the animals by crawling on them. If you increase the water changes for a while they should disappear.

Ed

 

[michael]

Hi Ed,
Aren't flat worms flat? These are round. I've had planaria and I know they ain't them.

 

[edward]

Hi Mike,
There aren't any on the glass or other solid objects that you can see? I've had them become suspended in the water column (when cleaning the tanks) with the Typhlonectes at work and they appear much more round then almost like a nematode. When I had the vet techs put some under the microscope the were the little white planaria.
(I do admit that they could be something else).

Ed

 

[jesse]

can axys get intestinal worms of somekind? other animals can so im going on the assumption that they can as well. if this is true then could an axy be given an anthelmetic?

 

[mik]

I had this problem when my tank was relatively new. At 1st I was irked so effected a major water change but they came back. As the tank settled down they disappeared. I am guessing that my younger axies (prob about 4 months at that time) feasted on them as they became noticable or they simply died from water ever my water/chemical balance was.
I agree with Ed, and think they will disappear soon.
Regards,
Mikki

 

[leighton]

Hi Jesse,

When our leucistic was at the Dick Vet they administered anti-worming medication. I'm afraid that I don't know what it was, though.

 

[abbey]

levimasole would be a good one to start with, but praziquantel is ore readily available.

Go for fish anthelmintics that say they are safe for use with scaleless fish, and while using them have the surface agitation increased.

Take all charcoal OUT of the filter before you start treating and replace it after you finish. the charcoal will suck up residual wormer in the water.