What Is Camallanus And How To Treat It

Last Updated on April 24, 2023 by Coral Realm

Camallanus worms are red thread-like parasites that situate themselves in the gut of a fish that are a few millimetres in length; they can affect any marine fish species, but are commonly seen in guppies, goldfish and loaches.

IN THIS ARTICLE

What Is Camallanus And How To Treat It

Camallanus Causes:

The main cause for Camallanus is from the lack of maintenance and cleaning of the fish’s environment, resulting in various parasites occurring in the plants and water which then affects the fish. If you see that there is a build up of debris and detritus on the substrate, use an aquarium vacuum cleaner to remove this waste. If the water itself is a little cloudy and dirty then it’s probably time for a water change. Regular cleaning and maintenance of the aquarium filter is also necessary. If you do not clean an aquarium filter it will become clogged with debris which will decompose and release harmful chemicals into the water column, as well as reducing the effectiveness of the filter.

Other factors such as a poor diet and overcrowding in the tank will have a negative impact on your fish’s immune system, making them more susceptible to a parasitic infection. It also occurs when a fish has consumed a worm that was in the substrate, this worm will then lay its eggs which will develop in the fish’s gut.

Symptoms:

As the worms develop in the intestinal tract, they can cause:

Abdominal bloating
Anorexia and not wanting to eat
Intestinal blockage
Obvious red, thread worms emerging from the anus

Prevention and Treatment:

Camallanus can be prevented by feeding your fish the correct food, that contains the correct ingredients for your species of fish, we suggest buying your food from reliable companies such as Tetra.

Regular cleaning will also prevent parasites from forming, all equipment should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected after it has touched the water if it is evident that your fish has Camallanus.

Severe cases of Camallanus should be treated with medical treatments – some treatments don’t kill the worms directly, instead they paralyse them so that the fish can get rid of them naturally. If this occurs, then the tank requires regular cleaning and replenishing to ensure that the paralysed worms are cleared from the tank.

Here are 2 affordable and effective parasitic worm treatments:

Wormer Plus Anti-Parasitic Fish Medication

This aquatic wormer contains a vital ingredient known as Flubendazole, this is used by veterinarians for protection against internal parasites for cats and dogs, so this wormer is an alternative for aquatic species. This wormer comes in a powder formula that doesn’t change the pH of the water when used due to the balance in ingredients. It is also effective against other issues including gill flukes, body flukes, parasites, tapeworm, roundworms, flatworms and capillaria.

Thomas Labs Fenbendazole Powder

Thomas Labs Fish Bendazole, Fenbendazole Powder is another effective aquatic wormer that comes with 12 packets, this is a large supply and will last a good amount of time.