Are lice and worms in goldfish something that you need to be worried about?
This is one of the most common goldfish diseases!
These goldfish tank parasites should be dealt with as soon as possible as they can cause various issues in your fish.
The condition is seen in overcrowded goldfish tanks as the parasites reproduce and live off of the fish.
And, they cause several additional health problems.
In this article, we will go through everything that you need to know about lice and worms in goldfish including causes, symptoms, and treatment in as much detail as we can.
So, without further ado, let’s jump right in, shall we?
Here we go.
A Look at Some of the Causes of Lice and Worms in Goldfish
Did you know that anchor worms, body lice, and tapeworms are three of the most common parasitic problems in goldfish?
In fact, you can often find all three of these invaders together!
Lice and worms are found in overcrowded goldfish tanks—especially more so in fish that are recently purchased from a pet store.
This is why we highly recommend that you quarantine all newly-purchased fish in a separate tank for at least 15 days before introducing them to your main tank to ensure that the lice and worms don’t infect other fish as well.
Let’s Look at the Symptoms of Lice and Worms in Goldfish
In this section, we will look through some of the main symptoms of lice and worms in goldfish.
Take a peek.
- Disc-shaped, moving parasites on the fish’ body—these can be as big as 5 mm in size and indicate adult fish lice
- Stressed, irritated, and itchy fish which can be seen scratching themselves against anything and everything in the tank—even if the lice aren’t visible to the naked eye
- Visible wounds of the fish’ body
- Fungus on the body
- Visible anchor worms hanging from the fish’s flanks, head or fin
- Boil-like lumps and sores on the body
- Lack of appetite and weight loss in some fish
- Dead tapeworms hanging from the anus or in the stool
Now, let us take a look at the treatment options available, shall we?
Treatment Options: How Do You Treat Lice and Worms in Goldfish
Now that we know all that we need to about lice and worms in goldfish, it is finally time to take a look at some of the treatment options available.
Since lice and worms usually go hand-in-hand, we recommend that you use broad-spectrum medications in the tank to control the situation.
If your fish seem to be affected by anchor worms, we recommend physically removing the worms from the fish’s body using a pair of tweezers.
It is crucial to treat the main as well as the quarantine tank for the parasites to ensure full eradication.
Summing Things Up: All You Need to Know About Lice and Worms in Goldfish
Did we go through everything that you needed to know about lice and worms in goldfish?
These goldfish tank parasites should be dealt with as soon as possible as they can cause various issues in your fish. The condition is seen in overcrowded goldfish tanks as the parasites reproduce and live off of the fish.
Goldfish lice and worms often go hand-in-hand which is why we recommend using broad-spectrum anti-parasitic medications in both the tanks.
It is also wise to quarantine the affected fish.
