This Chydorus has apparently been dead for a while, perhaps a day or so. Its eye is gone, probably consumed by an efficient scavenger. What's interesting, is the worm that's trapped inside the Chydorus's body cavity. These small worms are the larvae of flies - they can't see, and they move by wriggling their bodies, more or less aimlessly, until they bump into something worth exploring as a possible food source. Apparently the worm wriggled its way into the Chydorus through the mouth and was unable to find its way out. I watched the struggle for 30 minutes. The worm eventually worked its way into the head cavity, and stuck its head out the Chydorus's mouth. A little more squirming and it was free - none the worse for the experience. Back To Image Index Page