Parasite

Symptoms

Treatment

Scutariella

White spots on the carapace, lethargy, reduced feeding

Bathing affected shrimp in saltwater or potassium permanganate solution

Vorticella

White or gray spots on the carapace, lethargy, reduced feeding

Bathing affected shrimp in saltwater or formalin solution

Hydras

Tentacle-like structures on the carapace, reduced feeding

Removing hydra manually or using shrimp-safe chemical treatments

Planarians

White or gray flatworms on the carapace or substrate, reduced feeding

Manual removal or using shrimp-safe chemical treatments

Nematodes

Swollen abdomen, lethargy, reduced feeding

Using shrimp-safe dewormers or feeding the shrimp a varied diet to boost their immune system

Oödinium

Gray or greenish spots on the carapace, lethargy, reduced feeding

Bathing affected shrimp in copper sulfate solution

*Note: Snails, plecos, and ancistrus species that have an exoskeleton may be sensitive to copper.

Chitinolytic vibrio

White spots or patches on the carapace, lethargy, reduced feeding

Isolating and treating affected shrimp with a combination of antibiotics and saltwater dips

Fungi

Cottony or fuzzy growths on the carapace or substrate, lethargy, reduced feeding

Bathing affected shrimp in antifungal solutions or using shrimp-safe antifungal medications