Help! Ghost Shrimp with White Ribbon Inside

[Debi]

Hi Everyone,

I've have this shrimp secluded from all my other shrimp (in a very fine birthing net).

It has what looks like a white ribbon inside it, up by it's head it looks like a figure 8, it also runs the length of it's body.

I've taken several photos, but they are blurry, it kept swimming around and wouldn't stay still. The shrimp is very active, eating and acting normal. I will upload the photos and post them here later.

I think it may be a worm, that's why I took it out of the community tank.

I keep watching it, but so far I haven't seen any movement.

Any ideas, solutions.. any help would be most appreciated.

Thanks Everyone!!

-Debi

[Debi]

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Thanks for taking the time to help me and the little shrimp!!
-Debi[/img]

[badflash]

Not uncommon from wild caught ghost shrimp. One of mine had one. It passed it eventually. There is a recent post on this:
viewtopic.php?t=2229&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=15

[Neonshrimp]

If the worm is passed you will need to get rid if the worm. Please read the link posted by badflash above, it is very helpful .

[Annako]

Hi.
Where did you get this shrimp and howlong did you have it? Was this worm in it when youinitially bought this?

I know what you are talking of, for everytime I see these shrimp at those Big Box "Pet" places, I always see many with this parasite inside them. at the LFS who sells these as "feeders" and keeps them way to dense to be concidered "humane" I never come across this. Maybe they are farmed rather than wildcaughts, etc. Anyways, just pointing out another reason why I dislike the Big box "pet" places. I hardly see anythng healthy in them.

Best of luck with your shrimps. I have found several articles on the internet reguarding parsites/sickness of ghost shrimp, so I am sure you will find something helpful. Unless your LFS is worse, stay away for those big box "pet" places if you want something that will live or not be ill.

[marusempai]

Hey, that was my thread. All you can do, make sure they have CLEAN water, and enough food, and eventually the worm will pass. The blasted thing will get freaking huge before it does, but if the shrimp continues to be active, chances of it surviving are good I think. As you can see in the linked thread, my survival rate was two for two, small sample I know, but very good results. So don't worry, there's hope!

[Debi]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for all the replies. Right after I posted the help message, I changed my email and then got locked out of the forum. I then contacted petshrimp and they unlocked my account - so I'm back!! Thank you Petshrimp!!

Anyway, I read the journal and saw the discussion on the worm, but I still don't know what kind of worm it may be?

I've had the shrimp over a week and the ribbon insde has not changed it appearance.

When it deceides to exit the shrimp. do you think it will be able to get out of the birthing net? It's very fine netting.

I have the birthing net in a tank that I normally put ill fish, I also have a aqua blue lobster in the tank. I don't want the worm to get to my blue lobster, he is our pride and joy. He takes care of any fish who may not make it.

Any yes, the shrimp was purchased at Pet Smart - so I bet your right, it's probably a wild shrimp.

I really enjoy the shrimp and have a tank (10 gal) just for them.

I'm just worried about this worm. From what I read, once it comes out of the shrimp it is then an adult and won't infect others, but what about it laying eggs, how small are they, can they get through the birthing net?

Once I see it out of the shrimp I plan to put the shrimp back in with the others, unless it does not survive. Then I plan to take the birthing net and clean it well and let it dry before using it again.

From what I read here, nobody has been able to find the worm/parasite once it leaves it's host, that sure does scare me. I'll keep everyone up-to-date on what happens here.

Thanks again everyone!!

Debi

[badflash]

If you really want to be safe you should set up a small tank to keep this shrimp alive by itself. Once the worm passes (it took mine months) you can put the shrimp back with the others and dump the tank.

Not knowing what sort of worm this was, I can't say much about the life cycle.

[Neonshrimp]

Any yes, the shrimp was purchased at Pet Smart - so I bet your right, it's probably a wild shrimp.

Poor little shrimp I think you rescued it

When it deceides to exit the shrimp. do you think it will be able to get out of the birthing net? It's very fine netting.

Yes it will be able to get out! I was able to find the white worm when it exited. It actually threaded itselfs into a fine sponge filter just to give you an idea. It was about 4-5 inches long and felt like a rubberband when I grabed it with tongs . It took me at least 15 minutes to pull it out of the sponge and get rid of it because it had threaded itself several times into the sponge! I think these worms have a strong instinct for survival . The worms are very tough and mobile as it did not break during the gripping and removal procedure and it keep wiggling after being removed and placed in a small plastic container.

Like badflash, I would recommend moving the effected shrimp into a smaller container/tank until the worm is passed.

[Debi]

Ok, I've taken my blue snals and put them in the shrimp tank, now the ghost shrimp with the white ribbon worm is in the old snail tank all by itself. Hopefully the poor shrimp will survive all of this. Thanks badflash and Neonshrimp for all your advice, I sure do appreciate it!! -Debi

[Debi]

Hi Everyone,

The worm finally came out of the shrimp, the shrimp is now happy and with all it's buddy's... ok, now I have this hair thin white worm in the 2.5 gallon that I don't know what to do with.

We are on well water, so I don't want to put it down the drain, what happens if it has babies?

I'll try to get a little photo or movie and post it here so everyone can see.. nasty little thing.

Debi

[Neonshrimp]

I'll try to get a little photo or movie and post it here so everyone can see.. nasty little thing.

Good, this will help the other members ID what it is when it is outside of the shrimp By the way, how long is the worm you see?

It would also be helpful if someone posts a picture of a shrimp carrying a worm

Thanks.

[Debi]

Here you go everyone. I'm still trying to upload a little movie. The worm was very thin, white and long - I would have to say approx. 4" long if it was all straightened out, it tends to curl.

I tried to put Parasite Clear in the tank, and it was able to tolerate the medicine (at this point it was the only living thing in the tank).

I was able to scoop it out and place it in the blue bowl that I took the photo in, I placed one drop of bleach in the water, and this is weird, it broke apart all by itself and desolved.. that was really weird to watch.

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[Neonshrimp]

I was able to scoop it out and place it in the blue bowl that I took the photo in, I placed one drop of bleach in the water, and this is weird, it broke apart all by itself and desolved.. that was really weird to watch.

So it desolved in bleach? That would be weird to see, did you catch it in the movie?

[Debi]

Hi Neonshrimp,

I caught part of it in a movie, I've having a hard time uploading them, I will keep trying. You can see it starting to break up in the movie.