Quote Originally Posted by TheArtist View Post
Does that look like what you're seeing on your feeders?
Unfortunately, no - at least not the original problem I described. Anchor worms attach to the surface of the fish and stick out into the water - they're not parasites of the fish so much as they just use the fish as a place to live, and filter-feed from the water. (They do cause damage to the fish's skin, though, especially in large numbers.)

(Warning! Gross comparison coming up!) Getting the worm out of the cysts I found was very much like popping a zit - the worm was most definitely all balled up under the skin, and only unraveled after I popped the cyst.

It sounds like justme is finding the same thing - not surprising given our proximity. Sounds like Shannon's seen the same thing too, though the tanks I saw this past week were much more heavily infested than in her past experience.

As for the danger to the snakes, Shannon is dead on there. It totally depends what life stage this is, and whether it (or any other life stage the fish may be carrying) can live in the GI tract of the snake - or even escape to encyst within the snake's body. I'm going to see if any of my parasitology or fish medicine acquaintances are willing to help ID these creepy crawlies, which might help determine if they pose any threat to the snakes.

Justme - I would definitely STOP feeding our local feeder guppies for now! A lot of the same stores that sell feeders will also sell frozen silversides (you'll need to cut them up for your babies). I also found that my Puget babies were VERY eager to take cut-up pinky mouse pieces, didn't need to scent them or anything, so you could try that too.