Care library / Health

Health guide, not a diagnosis · Serious if left

Internal worms & parasites

Also called camallanus, red worms, white poop

Signs

Thin body despite eating
Stringy white poop
Red worms sticking out of the vent (Camallanus)

Cause

Worms or protozoa, often brought in with new or wild fish.

What to do

Deworm with praziquantel, levamisole or fenbendazole, repeated after 2–3 weeks.

If a fish is badly ill, talk to an aquatic vet.

Prevention

Quarantine and deworm new fish.

Medicines used for it

Always read the label first

DewormersParasite treatments

MetronidazoleParasite treatments

Species often affected

440 species

Tiger barbPuntigrus tetrazona

Easy7 cm20–26 °C

Cherry barbRohanella titteya

Easy5 cm23–27 °C

Rosy barbPethia conchonius

Easy10 cm16–24 °C

Odessa barbPethia padamya

Easy4.6 cm16–25 °C

Gold barbBarbodes semifasciolatus

Easy7 cm18–24 °C

Denison barbDawkinsia denisonii

Moderate15 cm18–25 °C

Black ruby barbPethia nigrofasciata

Easy6 cm20–27 °C

Tinfoil barbBarbonymus schwanefeldii

Hard35 cm20–28 °C

GuppyPoecilia reticulata

Easy6 cm22–28 °C

Endler's livebearerPoecilia wingei

Easy2 cm24–28 °C

PlatyXiphophorus maculatus

Easy6 cm20–26 °C

Variatus platyXiphophorus variatus

Easy7 cm20–26 °C

SwordtailXiphophorus hellerii

Moderate14 cm22–28 °C

MollyPoecilia sphenops

Easy8 cm24–28 °C

AngelfishPterophyllum scalare

Easy15 cm24–30 °C

DiscusSymphysodon aequifasciatus

Moderate13.7 cm26–30 °C

German blue ramMikrogeophagus ramirezi

Moderate4.2 cm27–30 °C

Bolivian ramMikrogeophagus altispinosus

Moderate8 cm24–28 °C

Cockatoo dwarf cichlidApistogramma cacatuoides

Moderate7.5 cm24–28 °C

KribensisPelvicachromis pulcher

Easy10 cm24–27 °C

Convict cichlidAmatitlania nigrofasciata

Moderate10 cm24–28 °C

Jack DempseyRocio octofasciata

Moderate25 cm22–28 °C

Firemouth cichlidThorichthys meeki

Moderate17 cm24–28 °C

SeverumHeros efasciatus

Moderate20 cm22–29 °C

Green terrorAndinoacara rivulatus

Moderate20 cm20–24 °C

Electric blue acaraAndinoacara pulcher

Easy15 cm22–28 °C

Electric yellow cichlidLabidochromis caeruleus

Easy10 cm24–28 °C

Peacock cichlidAulonocara stuartgranti

Moderate13 cm24–28 °C

FrontosaCyphotilapia frontosa

Hard33 cm24–27 °C

Bronze corydorasOsteogaster aenea

Easy7.5 cm22–26 °C

Panda corydorasHoplisoma panda

Easy5 cm22–25 °C

Sterbai corydorasHoplisoma sterbai

Easy6.5 cm24–28 °C

Julii corydorasHoplisoma trilineatum

Easy6 cm22–26 °C

Pygmy corydorasGastrodermus pygmaeus

Moderate2.5 cm22–26 °C

Bristlenose plecoAncistrus cf. cirrhosus

Easy13 cm21–26 °C

Common plecoPterygoplichthys pardalis

Moderate50 cm20–28 °C

Zebra plecoHypancistrus zebra

Moderate8 cm26–30 °C

Gold nugget plecoBaryancistrus xanthellus

Moderate22 cm27–32 °C

Royal plecoPanaque nigrolineatus

Hard43 cm22–26 °C

Clown plecoPanaqolus maccus

Easy9 cm23–28 °C

Glass catfishKryptopterus vitreolus

Moderate6.5 cm20–26 °C

Upside-down catfishSynodontis nigriventris

Moderate10 cm24–28 °C

Red tail catfishPhractocephalus hemioliopterus

Hard130 cm21–26 °C

Tiger shovelnose catfishPseudoplatystoma fasciatum

Hard100 cm22–26 °C

Iridescent sharkPangasianodon hypophthalmus

Hard130 cm22–26 °C

Kuhli loachPangio kuhlii

Easy10 cm21–26 °C

Clown loachChromobotia macracanthus

Moderate30 cm25–30 °C

Yoyo loachBotia almorhae

Moderate16 cm19–27.5 °C

Zebra loachBotia striata

Moderate9 cm23–26 °C

Hillstream loachSewellia lineolata

Moderate6 cm20–24 °C

Dojo loachMisgurnus anguillicaudatus

Moderate28 cm18–23 °C

OtocinclusOtocinclus vittatus

Moderate3.3 cm20–25 °C

Siamese algae eaterCrossocheilus langei

Moderate15 cm24–26 °C

Chinese algae eaterGyrinocheilus aymonieri

Moderate28 cm22–26 °C

Silver arowanaOsteoglossum bicirrhosum

Hard90 cm24–30 °C

Alligator garAtractosteus spatula

Spotted garLepisosteus oculatus

Rainbow snakeheadChanna bleheri

Easy17 cm14–28 °C

Red-bellied pacuPiaractus brachypomus

Hard88 cm23–28 °C

Senegal bichirPolypterus senegalus

Moderate50 cm24–28 °C