Parasitic Fish Diseases

The fish , Chipmunks louse is a flattened mite-like crustacean about 5 mm long that attaches itself to the body of fish. , St. Bernard - Saint Bernard They irritate the host fish , St. Bernard - Saint Bernard which may have clamped fins, become restless, and may show inflamed areas where the lice have been.

With larger fish , Sphynx and light infestations, the lice can be picked off with a pair of forceps. Other cases can best be done with a 10 to 30 minute bath in 10 mg per liter of potassium permanganate. Or treat the whole tank , Fish Feeding Stimuli with 2 mg per liter, but this method is messy and dyes the water. , Chipmunks

Anchor Worm (Lernaea)
Symptoms: The fish , Belgian Heavy Draught Horse scrapes itself against objects, whitish-green threads hang out of the fish's skin with an inflamed area at the point of attachment.

Anchor worms are actually crustaceans. The young are free swimming and borrow into the skin, go into the muscles and develop for several months before showing. They release eggs and die. The holes left behind are ugly and may become infected.    

The anchor worm is too deeply imbedded to safely remove. Treatment can best be done with a 10 to 30 minute bath in 10 mg per liter of potassium permanganate. Or treat the whole tank , Yorkshire Terrier with 2 mg per liter, but this method is messy and dyes the water. , Missouri Fox Trotter

Ergasilus
Symptoms: The fish , Chinchillas scrapes itself against objects, whitish-green threads hang out of the fish's gills.

This parasite is like the anchor worm, but is smaller and attacks the gills instead of the skin. Treatment can best be done with a 10 to 30 minute bath in 10 mg per liter of potassium permanganate. Or treat the whole tank , Samoyed with 2 mg per liter, but this method is messy and dyes the water. , Samoyed

Flukes 
Symptoms: The fish , Skinks scrapes itself against objects, rapid gill movement, mucus covering the gills or body, the gills or fins may be eaten away, the skin may become reddened.

There are many species of flukes, which are flatworms about 1 mm long, and several symptoms that are visible. They infest gills and skin much like ich, but the difference can be seen with a hand lens. You should be able to see movement and possibly eye spots, which is not found in ich. Gill flukes will eventually destroy the gills thus killing the fish. , Scorpions Symptoms of a heavy infestations are pale fish , Ponies with drooping fins, rapid respiration, glancing off aquarium , Falabella and American Shetland decor, and /or hollow bellies.

Treatment can best be done with a 10 to 30 minute bath in 10 mg per liter of potassium permanganate. Or treat the whole tank , Belgian Shepherd Dog(Tervueren) with 2 mg per liter, but this method is messy and dyes the water. , Fish Feeding Stimuli

Nematoda
Symptoms: Worms hanging from the anus.

Nematodes (threadworms) infect just about anywhere in the body but only shows itself when they hang out of the anus. A heavy infestation causes hollow bellies. Lighter infestations usually cause no problems with the fish. , Cirneco dell'Etna Dog     

Short of destroying the fish, , Dutch Warmblood which is easier, two treatments have been suggested. First treatment; soak the food , Missouri Fox Trotter in parachlorometaxylenol and give the fish , Irish Horse a bath or treat the aquarium , Skinks with 10 ml per liter. The bath should last for several days. Second treatment; find special food , Cat Breeds containing thiabendazole as a nematode (threadworm) cure and hope the fish , Sphynx will eat it.

Leeches
Symptoms: Leeches are visible on the fish's skin.

Leeches are external parasites and affix themselves on the body, fins, or gills of the fish. , Cat Breeds Usually they appear as heart shaped worms (they are just curled up) attached to the fish. , Nonius and Furioso Horses They are usually introduced to the aquarium , American Cream Draft Horse via plants or snails.

Since leeches are sucking and borrowing into the surface of the fish, , Tibetan Spaniel removal with forceps can cause great damage, if not death, to the fish. , Feeding Stimuli If the fish , Budgie / Budgerigar is bathed in a 2.5 percent solution of salt for 15 minutes, most of the leeches should just fall off. Those that do not will be affected enough to remove with forceps with minimal damage. Another treatment is to add Trichlorofon at 0.25 mg/l to the aquarium. , Quarab Horse Live plants should be removed and treated with potassium permanganate at 5 mg/l before replanting.