Anchor Worm

Anchor worm is one of the few parasites you can see without a microscope.  They are little worms that attach themselves to the skin of the fish - burying down under the scales and holding on with little pincher heads.  They can easily cause ulcers to pop up wherever they attach themselves and if you pull them off you are liable to leave the head intact inside the flesh of the koi or goldfish.

How to Recognize, Treat and Prevent Anchor Worm in Your Koi or Goldfish Pond

Anchor worm is easy to recognize and easy to treat so don't worry if you see one or two hanging around.   You shouldn't wait, however, to treat because if left unchecked these little devils can cause a lot of secondary problems such as ulcer disease which can lead to death.

Recognizing Anchor Worm

Anchor worm looks like tiny strings hanging off the sides or fins of goldfish and koi.  We have seen them mostly on goldfish but I can't swear that they prefer goldfish to koi.  You'll probably never see an anchor worm swimming about or anywhere but attached to a fish.  

Treating Anchor Worm

Resist the urge to pull the worm off the fish.  You'll just break the head off into the flesh of the fish and leave it there to fester.  It's much smarter and easier to treat the whole pond for anchor worm - plus you'll get them all - even the ones you don't see.  We suggest using Prazi Pond, Fluke Tabs or Anti-Fluke.  ProForm LA is best to use if it's cold when treating because it works in lower temperatures though it also works fine during summer.  Fluke Tabs are easier to use for quarantine tanks because each tab treats 100 gallons.  Anti-Fluke (which is part of our parasite pak) is best used in warmer weather.

Salt will do nothing for anchor worm.  It doesn't hurt to perform a salt treatment along with any of the treatments described above because it will encourage the fish's natural protective slime layer to form and it won't have any interactions with the medications.

You will need to have de-chlorinator on hand (if you use chlorinated water) because some water changes will be necessary.

Emergency Procedures

1. Treat the whole pond with either ProForm LA, Anti-Fluke or Fluke Tabs.
2. For added benefits, perform a salt treatment while treating for anchor worm.

What to Expect Next

Secondary conditions are not uncommon with anchor worm because it makes large holes in the skin of the koi or goldfish.  This often leads to ulcers which will need to be treated as they are noticed.

Preventing Anchor Worm

Quarantining and treating any new koi or goldfish is the key to preventing any infestation of anchor worm. 

More Information About Anchor Worm

• Buyer Beware - The Importance of Quarantine
• Flash Dance - A Closer Look at Parasites

Items You Might Need:

Parasite Pak

ProForm LA

Anti-Fluke

Fluke Tabs

Doc's De-Chlorinator

Know Your Gallons!

Heavy Duty Water Meter

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