# Fenbendazole vs Nematodes?



## Aqua'd (Dec 20, 2009)

Hey all,
So here's my problem, one way or another I got a pretty massive infestation of squiggly dudes all over my tank. Definitely not hydra and in my opinion not planaria. They mostly live in the aquasoil, but come out to visit. I don't think they are harming anything, but I don't find hundreds of worms as a clean uP crew very.. Attractive.
I got some panacur (fenbendazole) from aquarliam.com and dosed as per his instructions. I would say I even overdosed a bit. Its been in the tank for 2 days, and i just retreated, no visible effect. It is a 10" cube so I'm working with about 4 gallons ballpark.
Home to Rcs/Crs, a baby albino bn ancistrus and a guppy. Soon to be home to some SSS Crs, which is why I'd rather have a mass worm die off now instead of when the shrimp come in 2 weeks.

Watch the vid and see if you think the panacur will work on these bugs, suggestions and nematode knowledge very eagerly welcomed!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlfwLUdpC6A&feature=youtube_gdata_playerv=BlfwLUdpC6A&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Thanks!


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## Aqua'd (Dec 20, 2009)

If the video shows up tiny, I gotta troubleshoot the iPhone a bit and I'll get a better vid.


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## Abrium (Jan 7, 2011)

Ok I watched your video and that is definitely not planaria. I don't know what that is but I did see them free swimming in the water column and IMO the best treatement would be natural predation by a few small tetras or even better, for your shrimp, would be 3 or so harlequin rasboras.


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## doncityz (May 17, 2011)

Hey, I had those worms too.

So here's my story. I had my tank started in May 2011. In about end of June/July I start seeing 
a lot of these worms. Squiggly in the water. They like to cling at the wall too. If you watch really 
close, you'd be able to see some hairs on them.

Here's my vid. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaxkVdRn6ns

So here is what I did to remove them- Nothing. My danios loves to eat them. And I didn't 
really notice when exactly they disappear, but end of August/Sept, they are gone...

My opinion is that these worms are probably normal to all starting planted tanks. 
perhaps their eggs are already in the aquasoil. I see that u use ADA soil-like, same as me.
I googled and most of them says it is some kind of detritus worms.


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## mordalphus (Jun 23, 2010)

Fenbendazole won't kill them. Nothing does, lol


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## Aqua'd (Dec 20, 2009)

Dang, I Read that fenbendazole might make it impossible for them to intake carbs so they starve to death eventually... Haha
They are probly like cockroaches, months without food is no big deal for them.

My guppy won't touch these guys, he's interested and then decides Nevermind..
Will Boraras Brigittae eat them you think? Also, would boraras be "shrimp safe", at least with Crs larger than 1\4"? I have some coming for a different tank soon.


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## Aqua'd (Dec 20, 2009)

Yay? Nay?


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## HD Blazingwolf (May 12, 2011)

my neon tetras loved em.. they are shrimp safe


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## Chrisinator (Jun 5, 2008)

I think your guppy should be doing the job..


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## Aqua'd (Dec 20, 2009)

mordalphus said:


> Fenbendazole won't kill them. Nothing does, lol


I removed the guppy and continued to dose Fenbendazole with a half dose every other day since this thread started. I am pleased to say only a few nematodes are still in the tank. After searching through and disturbing the substrate (which previously unearthed a hundred at a time) I struggle to find one. I can also see dead ones accumulating in the filter.

I am positive that the Fenbendazole knocked back my nematode species, and will continue to dose until they are dead. 

Changing 20% water a day.


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## mordalphus (Jun 23, 2010)

Wow, I never thought of dosing every day. What has it done to any shrimp in the tank? Deaths? Deformities?


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## Aqua'd (Dec 20, 2009)

Well, it was minimally stocked with a solitary CRS (who looks amazing right now btw) and like 12-15 "higher grade" RCS. (10" cube). 
They look great and are acting normally, no death. I'm not treating anymore. My albino BNP is acting fine too.

That being said... can't find any more worms! I bet they will come back, but we shall see.

Also, I would hesitate strongly if I cared about the current inhabitants of this tank any more than I do, just wanted to experiment. Especially after I watched a lecture by the exotics vet in Bothell WA, Dr. Adolf Maas, about parasites in Koi last week. Nematodes and internal worm parasites were mentioned and I asked about Fenbendazole. He said out of the roughly 5000 species of internal nematodes, Fenbendazole is only known to be effective against like half of the common ones. 

These substrate nematodes are probably a different animal entirely, but I thought it was interesting.


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## mordalphus (Jun 23, 2010)

Nice! I wish I would have known about that lecture. Does he hold them often? Is it in that new building right by 405 off of beardslee blvd? I live about 2 minutes away from there.


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## garfieldnfish (Sep 25, 2010)

Those worms were detritus worms and would not hurt anything in your tank. I wish I had some of them left. I used to have them and my CPDs, goldfish and glowlight tetras loved them. I currently have a black morpho tetra that only eats live foods that those things
would be wonderful to have. They come from over feeding. Most live in the filter and only show up right after a water change. All of mine went away when I cut down on the feeding and allowing my MTSs to take over my tanks. But that is another story and I think I will post it next so not to steal your thread.


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## Aqua'd (Dec 20, 2009)

garfieldnfish said:


> But that is another story and I think I will post it next so not to steal your thread.


The more the merrier!



> Nice! I wish I would have known about that lecture. Does he hold them often? Is it in that new building right by 405 off of beardslee blvd? I live about 2 minutes away from there.


It was a program he did at the "downtown" Bothell Police Station for the non-profit Washington Koi & Watergarden Society (WK&WGS for short). I think he does a thing like that every couple of months, not really sure.


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## britnis (Dec 15, 2013)

What is the recommended dosage of 'Febendazole" on planted tanks?
Are the Beneficial Bacteria safe after treatment?
What is the frequency of the treatment and water change schedule?


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## Yukiharu (May 3, 2014)

http://www.planetinverts.com/killing_planaria_and_hydra.html


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