Deworming Treatment
Fish are susceptible to worms, emphasizing the need for regular deworming every 2-6 months or when signs of symptoms.
Identifying Worm Symptoms: Promptly address signs such as loss of appetite, weight loss, or transparent, white segmented poo indicating potential parasites or worms.
Preferred Deworming Approach:
At Kings of the Aquarium, we like the use of Levamisole/Praziquantel, a medication designed to eliminate parasites and worms. Given the egg-laying nature of these parasites, a targeted 10-day treatment is essential to eradicate both the parasites and their eggs.
A combined treatment of Levamisole and Praziquantel acts as a broad-spectrum dewormer, targeting both internal and external parasites in freshwater and saltwater fish. Levamisole eliminates internal nematodes (roundworms like Camallanus), while Praziquantel treats flukes, tapeworms, and flatworms. This combination is commonly used for quarantine and treating symptoms like wasting, stringy poop, and flashing.
What It Treats
- Levamisole (Internal Wormer): Primarily targets nematodes, including Capillaria (hairworms), Camallanus (red-tail worms), and Eustrongylides. It works by paralyzing the worms, causing them to be expelled.
- Praziquantel (Flatworm/Fluke Treatment): Targets cestodes (tapeworms) and trematodes (flukes/monogeneans). It is effective against both internal flukes and gill/skin flukes.
Commonly Combined For:
- Wasting/Thinness: When fish eat but lose weight, often caused by intestinal worms.
- White/Stringy Poop: A sign of internal parasite infestation.
- Flashing/Rubbing: Signs of external flukes.
- Quarantine: Treating new wild-caught or high-risk fish.
Treatment Breakdown:
● Day 1
● Turn off UV lights and remove carbon filtration from the aquarium.
● Perform a minimum of 50% water change before treatment
● Administer fish wormer at 1mL per 10L of tank water
● Make sure you have well oxygenated water with the use of an air stone as medications pull oxygen out of the water resulting in fish not breathing and causing death
● Allow the solution to act for 3 days 72 hours to eliminate tank parasites
Continue feeding as normal
● Day 4
● Perform a large water change (60% – 80%) on day 4 to remove the medication and vacuum all the fish poo and worms in the substrate and around the tank
● Continue feeding as normal and wait 3 days 72 hours before next course of treatment
● Days 7 - 10
● Conduct a partial water change of a minimum of 30% on day 7 to prepare for the next cycle of the treatment
● On day 7 administer fish wormer at 1mL per 10L of tank water
● Allow the solution to act for 3 days72 hours to eliminate remaining parasites
● Day 10:
● Perform a large water change (70% – 80%) on day 10 to remove the medication and vacuum all the fish poo and worms in the substrate and around the tank it is recommended to clean you filter out thoroughly with tank water only to remove any fish poo and worms that have been sucked into the filter this should be done on a regular basis regardless of the treatment
● Treatment completed
For stubborn infestations a 3rd dose can be used to eradicate the parasites or to clean up some fish that may have been suffering from parasites more than others or the fish hasn’t quite passed all the parasites.
Levamisole hydrochloride (HCl) is indeed considered safe and effective for treating internal parasites in aquarium fish, particularly nematodes, when used at appropriate dosages. It is known for its efficacy against various types of parasites without harming the beneficial bacteria in the bio-filter, aquatic plants, invertebrates, or uninfected fish. Besides its parasiticidal properties, levamisole HCl is believed to have immune-boosting effects on fish. This additional benefit can help fish recover more effectively from parasitic infections and improve their overall health.
When using any medication in an aquarium, it's crucial to follow the manufacturer's instructions and recommended dosages carefully to ensure the safety of the fish and the effectiveness of the treatment. Additionally, it's advisable to remove any activated carbon from the filter during treatment, as it can absorb medications and reduce their effectiveness.
Disclaimer: This is a guide only
Kings Of The Aquarium is not liable for any losses and holds no responsibility in the event of the death of the fish. Users of this guide are to use the information at their own discretion and accept all risks resulting from the use of this guide.
