As you may already know we decided to get Little Guy a friend to keep him company now that he is in the tank all alone. We purchased Greta on Friday night. She is a sweet little thing. However, on Sunday night I noticed she had red spots on her. I treated the water with an antibiotic I had as I had thought it was septicemia. I have been keeping a close eye on her and she seems fine - eating and swimming happily. This morning when I went to check on her she still had the red spots but she also had this white "stick" coming out of her! I looked it up and I think it's Anchor Worm - Sasami - do you think that is what it is?
I feel terrible b/c I don't think the first antibiotic was meant for that and now she has had them longer than she had to. I am going out tonight and getting the medication that is meant for Anchor Worm. Her daddy already did a 25% water change and put in more stress coat and melafix before he left for work this morning. I am not overly concerned b/c she is still eating and I keep checking Little Guy and I don't see anything on him.
Sasami - I am also going to get some salt for her tonight as well - do you have any other suggestions?

thanks!

If it is indeed anchor worms I believe the actual worms have to be removed by hand...but maybe you won't have to because you caught it so quickly. I've heard of using something called "Dimlin Powder" to kill them but I don't know much about it.

I pulled up this from a website, though:

"The only known method of killing this parasite, without killing the Koi is DIMLIN POWDER which can be used safely at any water temperature and has an action of sterilizing the adult and larval stages of this parasite which insures that all eggs produced, after the application of Dimlin, will not hatch.

Method:- Dimlin Powder at the rate of 1 gram per ton of pond water. Measure out the quantity required and mix in a plastic bucket with pond water ensuring that the powder is dissolved then add to the pond in the previous manner. A second dosage may be needed to ensure that the life cycle of the Anchor Worm has been halted. After this second application the dead adults, which will still be hanging from the Koi, can be removed using tweezers but making sure that the hooks, as well as the tail of the Anchor Worm are removed and then apply a proprietary Topical dressing to prevent a secondary infection.

There is another way of removing Anchor Worm but more care has to be taken to remove all parts of the Anchor Worm ... that method is.... mix a strong solution of Potassium Permanganate crystals of 1 gram into 25 mls of hot water. Mix well until dissolved and then dip the tweezers into this solution prior to the removal of the Anchor Worm, once the solution touches the body the Anchor Worm releases its grip immediately and it can then be lifted clear of the Koi and the water, wipe the end of the tweezers on a clean tissue to remove all traces before attempting to remove another Anchor Worm."

(http://www.koicarp.net/koi_medication/parasites2.html)

It's for koi but goldfish are very simular.

Sorry I can't be of much help...I've never dealt with anchor worms before. Usually the only fish that get them are goldfish and koi...and I haven't kept either species.

Good luck .

I appreciate the info! I purchased a Jungle product today called Parasite Clear. It contains diflubenzuron which according to an article I saw is Dimlin. I believe that Dimlin is the brand name and diflubenzuron is the generic name for it. Besides I didn't see Dimlin at the store. It's so gross b/c there are these stick like things coming out of her and they have a forked tail! I was all set to try and pull them off of her until I came home and looked at them again! I asked the girl at petsmart and she said that the black moors sometimes get them they treat the water with this stuff and the just fall off themselves. I am so hoping that is what happens I will be a nervous wreck to take them off ourselves b/c I wil be afraid to leave a piece behind. She is doing well though. Very alert. Always begging for food. I am determined to get this cleared up. It's pretty easy too. This package says for anchor worms and fish lice to use 1 tablet per 10 gallons of water every 7 days doing a 25% water change each time. Do this up to 3 times. I am going to do the full 3 treatments. I will add the melafix every day as well. I also finally got the salt for the water. I plan to add that tomorrow. The poor things never had salt. I saw a product on line that was fish food that had an antiparastic in it. I forgot to look for it at the store. I don't want to overdose her - she is so tiny but I want these disgusting beasts off of her! Have you ever seen this food?
I would take a picture of her but I cannot figure out how to post from my home computer. It's a mac and I don't use it too often so I am still pretty clueless even though I have had it for at least 2 years. Now the PC at work - I can use that! I will have to take them and download them from my camera at work. She really is a cutie!

I've seen that food and it does help...if they'll eat it . I know with bettas they usually won't touch those kinds of things but maybe goldfish aren't as picky.

I hope the meds work! Good luck with her.

I will try to find it. She eats so well I think she may eat it! Heck it's worth a try.
Oh and I bought her flakes b/c she is so tiny. She eats them but she also loves eating Little Guys food which is round balls. They are too big for her but she is stubborn and gobbles one down and just sits and works on it.
I am afraid she will choke but she seems to be able to get it out and back in until she gets it small enough to swallow.
Silly little girl! I really do not think we have ever had a new fish that was so friendly!