Internal Parasites in Fish? Treatment for Internal Parasites in Fish 2023

What is the Internal Parasite (Camallanus)? How is it Treated? What are the Symptoms?

Internal parasite (Camallanus) refers to the worm-like nematodes that settle in the digestive system of fish, feeding off their food. If left untreated, these parasites can lead to the fish’s death.

It is not hard to diagnose them since they appear worm-like, move like them, and consistently stay in the anal area. Their colors, which can be red or brown, further make them distinguishable. While they might be confused with fish feces, a closer look can easily identify them as nematodes.

While the exact origin and method of infestation of this internal parasite are not definitively known, various reasons exist. While most commonly encountered in live-bearing species, other fish species can also be susceptible to nematodes.

What are the Symptoms of Internal Parasites in Fish? How do they Enter the Aquarium?

In fish habitats, internal parasites mainly target tropical freshwater fish. Like other nematode species, Camallanus worms can settle in your aquarium in various ways. The primary sources include:

• Low-quality fish food
• Live plants
• Crustaceans
• Newly added fish
• Live feed (Copepods)

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Using the same aquarium equipment in several different aquariums can cause internal parasites to spread to all of them. Diagnosing internal parasites in a fish that has recently been infested is not easy. During this process, they can continue to feed while hiding inside.

Symptoms of Internal Parasites

Internal parasites (Camallanus worms) can kill the fish if they infest in significant numbers.

Common symptoms of internal parasites include:

• Lack of interest in food
• Swelling in the abdominal area
• Darkening of the fish’s color
• Lethargy
• Jelly-like feces

The proliferation of internal parasites can be exacerbated by factors like poor water quality, low-quality feed, and overcrowded aquariums. These factors will increase stress, weaken the fish’s immunity, and worsen the disease progression.

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Treatment for Internal Parasites in Fish

For treatment to be effective, early diagnosis is essential. If, after observing your fish for a few days, you’ve determined they have internal parasites, the initial step is to weaken the worms by preparing food using garlic water or using feed enriched with garlic.

Additionally, you can start medication to eliminate the worms in a reasonable time frame. Among the effective medication options you can consider are Flagyl + Cipro and Permasol. You can obtain these medicines from pharmacies. It should be noted that these drugs can be dangerous for fish and may lead to their death.

Treating with Flagyl in the main aquarium:

1. Dissolve 5 Flagyl tablets in about 200ml of water from the aquarium.
2. Administer this medicated water to the fish through its mouth, 4 drops twice a day, ensuring the fish ingests it.
3. Continue the medication for 5 days.
4. After the treatment, change about 70% of the aquarium’s water and perform a general cleaning.
5. Observe your fish afterward. Apply treatment again to fish showing symptoms three weeks later.

Treating with Flagyl and Cipro in a quarantine aquarium:

Caution! Adhere to the measurements. Administer the drugs based on the volume of your aquarium.

To know your aquarium volume: [Aquarium Litre Calculator]

1. Slowly raise the water temperature to 30 degrees Celsius.
2. On the first day, for every 50 liters, dissolve 1 Flagyl and for 100 liters, dissolve 1 Cipro tablet and mix it in the aquarium.
3. On the second day, change 70% of the water and add to the aquarium a dissolved mixture of 3 Flagyl tablets per 100 liters and 2 Cipro tablets per 100 liters. Increase the temperature to 32 degrees Celsius.
4. On the third day, change 70% of the water and add a mixture of 3 Flagyl tablets per 100 liters and 2 Cipro tablets per 100 liters. Keep the temperature steady at 32 degrees Celsius.
5. On the fourth day, change 70% of the water and clean the aquarium and filter. Slowly reduce the temperature back to 30 degrees Celsius.
6. Throughout the treatment, monitor your fish and for fish that excrete white feces, apply the aforementioned method of administering medication via the mouth.

Treatment with Permasol in a Quarantine Aquarium:

For such parasite-induced infections, the healthiest approach is to treat the fish in a quarantine aquarium. Since the fish’s feces can also contain parasites, having a specific amount of the aquarium water medicated will contribute to the treatment. Permasol is an effective and good medication for such uses.

In addition to the above treatment, add half a tablet of Permasol for every 100 liters. Support your fish with high-quality feed until the end of the treatment.

Internal parasites can be found in many species, particularly live-bearing types like guppies and mollies. These worms, which are not easy to treat, may not be noticed until they emerge from the fish’s anus. At this stage, since the parasites have spread significantly, it’s crucial to start treatment immediately.

As always, in order to prevent these worms, it’s recommended to observe newly acquired fish in quarantine for a few weeks. Before adding plants you’ve purchased to the aquarium, you can also prevent internal parasites by giving them a bath treatment.

To clean the plants, dissolve a Permasol tablet in 5 liters of water, using the ratio of 1 tablet per 5 liters. Let the plants soak in this solution for at least 30 minutes.

Another important consideration is the feed you use. It’s recommended to stick to well-known, branded feeds. In addition to regular feed, feeding garlic-infused feeds 2-3 times a week can help in preventing internal parasites.