Common aquarium parasites
Despite our best efforts, most aquarists will need to deal with parasitic infection. The most common parasite in both fresh and saltwater aquariums is "Ich" or white spot disease. Other common fish parasites include anchor worms, black spot, costia, gill flukes, hexamita, fish lice, and velvet. All can pose a serious threat to the health of your fish. Because of their size, the presence of parasites is often diagnosed initially through abnormal fish behavior. Once the parasites are well established, physical damage can be observed on the infected fish.

Parasite Symptoms and Treatments
If you observe the behaviors described below, you may need to take corrective action*:

Disease	Signs	Recommended Treatment*
Anchor Worm	Whitish red worm-like threads approximately 1/4" in length, found anywhere on the body, fish may scratch on fixed objects	Treat with Formalin or other anti-parasitic medication; or treat aquarium with Fluke-Tabs to control free floating juvenile parasites
Black Spot	Black spots about 2 mm in diameter, found anywhere on the body	Remove all snails; Use CopperSafe
Costia	Grayish-white film or excess mucous over entire body; reddening under the mouth and pectoral area; scratching on fixed objects; listlessness	Use Formalin, Malachite Green, or CopperSafe; treat all fish and aquarium
Gill Flukes	Gills become covered with parasites, red and inflamed; fish may gasp for air at surface; listlessness	Use Clout, Fluke-Tabs, Formalin, or ParaGuard
Freshwater: Ich (Ichthyophthirius multifiliis) Marine: Ich (Cryptocaryon irritans)	Labored breathing; dwelling near the surface, filters, or aeration devices; white spots; scratching on fixed objects	Freshwater: Use Aquari-sol or Maracide Scaleless fish: Use Rid-Ich+ or Ich-Attack Marine**: Use Cupramine as recommended. Use Garlic Xtreme as a preventive.
Hexamita (Hole-in-the-Head)	Small holes may appear over the entire body, but most frequently on the head; mucous string from lesions; loss of appetite; faded color	Use Hole-N-Head Guard; also feed a high quality food and vitamins
Fish Lice	Visible parasite attached to fish, approximately 3/16" long and semi-transparent	Use Cupramine, Fluke-Tabs, Aquari-sol, or Maracide
Freshwater: Velvet Marine: Amyloodinium ocellatum	Loss of normal color, scratching against fixed objects, labored breathing, golden "velvety" growth on skin	Freshwater: Use Parasite Clear or CopperSafe Marine**: Use Probiotic Marine Formula or Cupramine

*Please note: Activated carbon will remove all medications from the aquarium. When using medication, activated carbon must be removed from the filtration unit. - Perform a 25% water change before and after treatment period. - In addition to treatment, be sure to determine and correct aquarium conditions that contributed to fish stress and susceptibility to disease.

**We recommend that treatment of marine fish be done in a separate quarantine aquarium.