Symptoms
Rapid breathing (gills working hard), head shaking, scratching against décor, weight loss despite eating.
In severe infestations: gills inflamed, fish gasping at surface, mucus production.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is by symptoms. Visible flukes in gill scrape under microscope confirms.
Most aquarists treat empirically when multiple fish show classic symptoms.
Treatment
Praziquantel: dose 5mg per gallon. Single dose effective for most cases.
Repeat in 14 days to catch any new hatchlings.
Formalin-malachite green also works but harsher on fish.
- ✦Treat new fish during quarantine prophylactically
- ✦Increase aeration during treatment — sick gills mean weak oxygen uptake
- ✦Stop activated carbon during treatment
Prevention
Praziquantel during quarantine catches gill flukes before they spread.
Avoid overcrowding — flukes spread fast in densely stocked tanks.