Anchor Worms: Identifying and Curing Anchor Worms in Freshwater Fish
No Customer Reviews
Anchor worms are one of the more common freshwater fish parasites out there. They can show up seemingly out of nowhere. And once they arrive it can be difficult to get rid of them because many traditional medications don't work so well on them. What are anchor worms and how can we cure them in our fish?
What are Anchor Worms? Parasites hold special horror for us humans, especially people who grow up in first world countries where such infections are relatively rare. Well cared for pets typically have few to no parasites as they receive good quality food, medications, and are kept in clean living conditions. But sometimes parasites can still find their way into our fish tanks. Most of these tend to be either completely internal, such as many worms and flukes, to so tiny that they don't freak us out. Ich (Ichthyophthirius multifiliis in freshwater tanks and Cryptocaryon irritans in saltwater tanks) is a parasitic protozoan infection but the spots are too tiny to look like much to us.
Anchor worms, on the other hand, are just large enough to look truly disturbing. They protrude grotesquely from the skin of their host, catching the current and fueling our imaginations. But what are anchor worms, anyway? Believe it or not, anchor worms are not worms at all, they just happen to look like them! Anchor worms are parasitic copepods of the genus Lernaea. All copepods are actually a type of crustacean, so they are more closely related to shrimp, crabs, and lobsters. Many types of copepods are even an important source of food for marine fish and corals that eat zooplankton. So they can be found in specialty aquarium pet stores for sale fairly easily! Anchor worms are not edible, unfortunately. In fact, they find your fish to be rather delicious!
What are Anchor Worms? Parasites hold special horror for us humans, especially people who grow up in first world countries where such infections are relatively rare. Well cared for pets typically have few to no parasites as they receive good quality food, medications, and are kept in clean living conditions. But sometimes parasites can still find their way into our fish tanks. Most of these tend to be either completely internal, such as many worms and flukes, to so tiny that they don't freak us out. Ich (Ichthyophthirius multifiliis in freshwater tanks and Cryptocaryon irritans in saltwater tanks) is a parasitic protozoan infection but the spots are too tiny to look like much to us.
Anchor worms, on the other hand, are just large enough to look truly disturbing. They protrude grotesquely from the skin of their host, catching the current and fueling our imaginations. But what are anchor worms, anyway? Believe it or not, anchor worms are not worms at all, they just happen to look like them! Anchor worms are parasitic copepods of the genus Lernaea. All copepods are actually a type of crustacean, so they are more closely related to shrimp, crabs, and lobsters. Many types of copepods are even an important source of food for marine fish and corals that eat zooplankton. So they can be found in specialty aquarium pet stores for sale fairly easily! Anchor worms are not edible, unfortunately. In fact, they find your fish to be rather delicious!
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:B0BRM1X84R
ISBN13:9798372523623
Release Date:January 2023
Publisher:Independently Published
Length:36 Pages
Weight:0.14 lbs.
Dimensions:0.1" x 6.0" x 9.0"
Customer Reviews
0 rating
Copyright © 2026 Thriftbooks.com Terms of Use
| Privacy Policy | Do Not
Sell/Share My Personal Information | Cookie Policy | Cookie Preferences | Accessibility Statement
ThriftBooks® and the ThriftBooks® logo are registered trademarks of Thrift Books Global, LLC
ThriftBooks® and the ThriftBooks® logo are registered trademarks of Thrift Books Global, LLC
