Fish · Carassius auratus · typical adult weight 0.01–3.00 kg
Praziquantel is dosed at 2–10 mg/L of water (immersion) Immersion (bath) Single dose; often repeated in 7-14 days in goldfish, per Hadfield CA, Clayton LA, eds. Clinical Guide to Fish Medicine. 1st ed. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell; 2021. p.534. — SOURCE EDITION: Clinical Guide to Fish Medicine — ISBN 9781119259558, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781119259558. Praziquantel is used in goldfish for Gyrodactylid monogeneans (skin and gill flukes), Dactylogyrid monogeneans (gill flukes). Routes documented in goldfish: Immersion (bath), by immersion. A typical adult goldfish weighs 0.01–3.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 3 cited dose rules for Praziquantel in goldfish, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Droncit
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Immersion (bath) | 2–10 mg/L of water (immersion) | Single dose; often repeated in 7-14 days | NO fixed contact time - a MAINTAINED water level, not a timed bath. Praziquantel degrades rapidly in water and the level should be monitored. | Gyrodactylid monogeneans (skin and gill flukes) | Weak | Hadfield CA, Clayton LA, eds. Clinical Guide to Fish Medicine. 1st ed. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell; 2021. p.534. — SOURCE EDITION: Clinical Guide to Fish Medicine — ISBN 9781119259558, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781119259558Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure. |
| Immersion (bath) | 10 mg/L of water (immersion) | Repeat every 2-7 days | NO fixed contact time - this is a MAINTAINED water level rather than a timed bath. The drug stays in the system between doses, which is why the source instructs that the level be monitored: praziquantel degrades rapidly in water. | Dactylogyrid monogeneans (gill flukes) | Weak | Hadfield CA, Clayton LA, eds. Clinical Guide to Fish Medicine. 1st ed. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Blackwell; 2021. p.531. — SOURCE EDITION: Clinical Guide to Fish Medicine — ISBN 9781119259558, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781119259558Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure. |
| by immersion | 2 mg/l | repeat every 3 weeks | — | — | Moderate | Ramsey I, ed. BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed. Part B: Exotic Pets. Gloucester: British Small Animal Veterinary Association; 2023. p.263. — LOCATOR CONVENTION 2026-08-07: the bare 'p.263' in this citation is the PDF index of the held scan, not the printed page. The PRINTED page is p.249; verified by finding the drug named there. If you are holding the book, turn to p.249. — SOURCE EDITION: BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, Part B — Exotic Pets — ISBN 9781910443712, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781910443712Compilation only — we have not located an independent source that prints this figure. |
Every held source for this drug and species, as printed. Where they differ, both are shown — the choice is yours, not ours.
The sources disagree for this combination. The ranges below do not overlap on a comparable route. This is not an error in one of them — published veterinary references differ, and reconciling them for a particular patient is a clinical judgement.
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | PO | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 2.2 | 5-10 mg/L bath × 3-6 hr, repeat in 7 days 5 mg/kg PO q24h × 3 treatments 5 mg/kg PO q7d via feed, × up to 3 treatments |
| 50 | PO | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 2.2 | 50 mg/kg PO once 5-12 mg/g of feed × 3 days Bioencapsulation of praziquantel in brine shrimp |
| Dose (mg/l) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 |
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Increases cell membrane permeability to calcium in susceptible helminths, causing spastic paralysis, detachment, and disintegration.
May cause transient GI upset, drooling (especially in cats). Safe in pregnant animals. Effective primarily against cestodes (tapeworms) and trematodes (flukes).
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for goldfish may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Praziquantel dose ranges in goldfish, with cited source references: Immersion (bath) 2–10 mg/L of water (immersion) Single dose; often repeated in 7-14 days; Immersion (bath) 10 mg/L of water (immersion) Repeat every 2-7 days; by immersion 2 mg/l repeat every 3 weeks. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Praziquantel in goldfish: Immersion (bath), by immersion.
Cited course lengths for Praziquantel in goldfish include: NO fixed contact time - a MAINTAINED water level, not a timed bath. Praziquantel degrades rapidly in water and the level should be monitored.; NO fixed contact time - this is a MAINTAINED water level rather than a timed bath. The drug stays in the system between doses, which is why the source instructs that the level be monitored: praziquantel degrades rapidly in water.. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Praziquantel is indicated in goldfish for: Gyrodactylid monogeneans (skin and gill flukes), Dactylogyrid monogeneans (gill flukes).
These are general warnings for Praziquantel across species; consult the goldfish dosing table above for species-specific guidance. May cause transient GI upset, drooling (especially in cats). Safe in pregnant animals. Effective primarily against cestodes (tapeworms) and trematodes (flukes).
Why a species-specific page? Praziquantel pharmacokinetics differ across species: dose ranges, intervals, and route preferences are not interchangeable. Cross-extrapolation from canine doses is unsafe in goldfish — the rules above are the citations specific to this species, not generic recommendations.
Sourced from published veterinary references; awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer. See our editorial process. Reference only — not veterinary advice.
| IMMERSION |
| BSAVA Small Animal Formulary, 10th ed — Part B (Exotic Pets)p.263 |
| 2 mg/l by immersion, repeat every 3 weeks for 3 doses. |
| 2 | IMMERSION | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 2.2 | 2 mg/L bath × 2-4 hr |
| 2–10 | IMMERSION | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 2.2 | 2-10 mg/L bath × up to 4 hr |
| 5–10 | IMMERSION | Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th edTable 2.2 | 5-10 mg/L bath × 3-6 hr, repeat in 7 days 5 mg/kg PO q24h × 3 treatments 5 mg/kg PO q7d via feed, × up to 3 treatments |
Figures are transcribed from the cited page or table of each held edition and are shown for reference only. They are not dose recommendations, they do not feed the calculator, and none has been reviewed by a veterinarian.