Pond talk

[Dreartist]

Hi folks. New on any forum so excited to get in the field opinions on pond maintenance. Last year pond infested with anchor worm. Removed visible worms from fish and drained pond. Kept fish in treated exterior tank for 3 weeks, refilled pond and found new worms on fish this spring. Any advice on killing this little crustation.

 

[DrCase]

Welcome to the forum !!

 

[sissy]

welcome dreartist to the forum and not sure how to get rid of them but did you bring an infected fish in to your pond .I hope someone can help you as my fish have never had them that I know of

 

[DrDave]

Welcome to the Forum!

 

[j.w]

Dreartist

 

[fishin4cars]

Anchor away, may have to treat two or three times. If there are visible worms They need to be reoved, If not they will fall off and re-produce. They are brought to the pond by birds that eat snails that carry the parasite. Salt treatment is very helpful while treating.

BTW Welcome aboard

 

[CometKeith]

Hi Dreartist Welcome!! What part of Wisconsin? I love Door County and went to school eons ago in Madison.
Fishin4cars, Do you recommend against snails in general because of disease?

 

[addy1]

welcome drertist. good luck with the worms.

 

[taherrmann4]

Welcome.

 

[fishin4cars]

Hi Dreartist Welcome!! What part of Wisconsin? I love Door County and went to school eons ago in Madison.
Fishin4cars, Do you recommend against snails in general because of disease?

No I don't. Snails in general aren't the problem. In fact snails are very good cleaners and do far more good in general than harm. The disease part is not something you can easily stop unless you completely stop birds from showing up at the pond entirely which introduce the snails that have parasites in the first place.

 

[Dreartist]

this is very helpful info. I'll let everyone know how the cure works in a month or so. I've done lots of Anchor surgery last hear and was hoping I was rid of it.

 

[Dreartist]

I've heard from several folks that snails bring in the worm. I am now sure that's how I keep getting infested. The snails are going byby. I'll be treating water and doing surgery.

 

[Dreartist]

yes. no more snails.

 

[Dreartist]

The only bird visitors I've noticed are a pair of ducks who come every spring for a few weeks then they are gone. Do ducks bring in the parasite?

 

[fishin4cars]

Wild ducks visiting are probably where they came from. They eat the carriers, then release them in your pond as poop. Double bad whammy! You can get rid of snails with a copper sulphate solution. Not sure what the names was. I've had rams horn and pond snails for most all the years I have been ponding. Killing a bunch at one time can cause a massive die off and spoil the water so use caution if you go to eliminate them. The one time I did get anchor worms I treated the whole pond added salt and started removing them from the fish, had a small secondary out break a few weeks later and then no more problem, In most cases if the water isn't in prime condition the anchor worms seem to attack more. Not sure why but the cleaner the water the less (in most cases) parasite attack.