Tropical Fish Parasites

When dealing with tropical fish illness and disease, it's always a good idea to have a good guidebook at your side. We recommend this book as a handy desktop reference.

Tropical fish parasites are generally brought into your aquarium via new fish, plants, or even ornaments from an infected environment. Always check the tank of a new fish or plant that you are buying, for visible signs of infestation, such as the jelly-like cysts of ick, or fish with unusual body spots.

If fish in your aquarium should acquire a parasitic problem, there are medications that will help. For larger parasites, such as flukes, leeches, and worms on the fish’s body, it is possible to raise the fish gently in a net, and carefully remove the parasite with tweezers. You will then need to treat the area of broken skin to prevent a secondary bacterial infection.

Sometimes a parasitic infestation will show itself as tiny white spots on the bodies of your fish, much like a dusting of salt. These fish may also have cloudy eyes, gasp for air, or be rubbing themselves against objects in the tank. This is generally either a case of fish lice or ick.

Ick is an extremely infectious condition, which generally requires treating the entire tank, as their reproductive capacity is so great, and very rapid. The white spots of ick generally develop around the gill area.

Velvet can sometimes be confused with Ick, as it also produces tiny white spots, but these will be distributed all over the body, and the spots of Velvet (Oodinium) are smaller. Infected fish may hold their fins against their body and be unstable in the water as they swim.

Redness and irritation under the tail, when accompanied by bloating, and/or thin, thread-like pieces emerging from the body, may be indications of an intestinal parasitic infestation, including nematodes such as roundworm or tapeworm. Intestinal parasites tend not to be the urgent concerns that external parasites are, but they still need to be treated carefully, according to the species of fish’s tolerance to the medication. 

Recommended! A-Z of Tropical Fish Diseases and Health Problems: The aim of this book is to help aquarists recognize signs of illness so they can identify and resolve problems. Divided into three sections, the first focuses on health and husbandry, describing the signs of a healthy fish, anatomy and general care; the second provides signs of diseases and health problems and is cross-referenced to section three, which covers the treatment of diseases and health problems. Illustrated throughout with top-quality color photos, the book is an invaluable reference for novice to experienced fishkeepers. Click here for your copy.

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