# red spikes from pregnant guppies anus



## chirpchirp (Jan 6, 2013)

Hi there,
This is my first time posting on this site.
I have a pregnant female guppy who has already dropped four babies ( one live and healthy) and three still curled up. I'm sure she has many more to go however I have noticed her rather erratic behaviour then I saw a couple of red spikes coming out of her anus. 
my fiancé bought me a microscope last year so I managed to remove three of the red worms with tweezers and then viewed under the microscope to see moving worms... Lovely! one or two were smaller but the other two were perhaps a CM possibly a little longer.
after looking at some internet sites I have come to the conclusion that they are an internal parasite?
I think their actual name starts with a C but I can't remember it now.
If someone could give me some more information that would be great.
I am interested in finding out about the parasite, is it in the tummy? What does it do to the carrier and any fry or eggs inside the carrier in the case of a pregnant female.
I would also be very grateful to hear any treatment successes / fails so as I know my best option for treatment as I do want to get onto treatment asap.

Thanks in advance 
Meg
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## SeaHorse (Dec 27, 2010)

I don't know anything about what you are describing but wanted to make sure you have seen this "Sticky" in the Disease area of our Forum. I will be listed above your thread on the sub menu above your own thread. (if that makes any sense). 
It is a list of sites to help you research. 
http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/tropical-fish-diseases/freshwater-saltwater-diseases-8179/

Good luck. Please let us know what you find and if you are successful. It helps us all.


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## MoneyMitch (Aug 3, 2009)

definately a internal parasite as you found with the nifty microscope. i would look at meds and do soem homework then treat. from what i understand about parasites its from a poorp diet/water conditions. but the root cause is uaually stress (a bad diet can cause stress too)


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## chirpchirp (Jan 6, 2013)

I had just gotten the fish in question from the LFS. I am friends with them so I have notified them and they are looking into it and treating it 
Unfortunately the fish died however I did a dissection (not nice I know) and wow about 25 worms through the intestines and gut of the fish. I'm fairly certain that it was camalanus ( I think that is wrong but i'm sure you know what I mean) worms.
Currently treating with paracid and tetracycline.
P.s I an a nurse I am used to dissections etc from uni I don't just like doing it lol  but I have to say it can be very very helpful i'm getting to the bottom of fishy health issues. Please note. I never ever do dissections on living fish.
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## SeaHorse (Dec 27, 2010)

Sorry you lost the fish but I'm glad you took it further to find out what was inside and not just throw it away and carry on. And thank you for sharing what you found. 
Ewww by the way. But most of us likely would have just thrown it away.


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## jentralala (Oct 5, 2012)

Just out of slightly morbid curiosity, how were you able to perform a dissection on such a small fish? No offense to anyone but I think that's amazing and a great thing to do, it does give you a lot more information as to what is going on inside the fish and how it affects it.


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## chirpchirp (Jan 6, 2013)

Thanks guys i'm glad I haven't been condemned for doing a dissection on a fish lol.
On something so small its not easy pretty much have to hold it the while time and be super careful and gentle. Honestly without doing it a couple of tones I wouldn't even know what was wrong with my fishy friends. Its not the nicest thing to do and don't enjoy it but I do enjoy the peace of mind of knowing what actually happened to the fish and then being able to find out what to do for the rest of the tank. 

I have two other things in my tank which I am concerned well more wondering about one being copepods I think it is? Cyclopses? time to research on them 

If anyone has any more info on the worms I find eg. What to do with the remainder of the tank that would be awesome 
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