Fish Diseases And What To Do About Them

What we usually term as fish disease does not necessarily have to be a disease

. In a number of cases, these so called diseases are in fact a physical response to an external stimuli caused by poor tank management, just like the allergy a human might get. There are however times when the sickness is caused by an actual parasite. What we will focus on in this article are the most common fish diseases and the steps that you can take to heal your fish.

Generally, the only way for external parasites and bacteria to get into the tank is from new fish that has been introduced into the aquarium. If you practice good fish tank maintenance, there is basically no other way for an external parasite to infect the tank water. So before placing new fish into your aquarium, check to ensure that it is healthy by doing the following basic steps:

1) Is the fish active?

2) Ensure that it is eating well.

3) Eye check its body for scars, blemishes or spots.

4) Are its fins clamped?

5) Ensure that the gills are a healthy pink.

These checks should actually be done at the pet store before you even think of purchasing the fish. Once you bring the fish home, the best practice is not to immediately place in into your fish tank. It is best to keep it apart for a couple of days in a quarantine tank.

Never re-use the water that the fish came in from the store. Most fish stores use a central filter linked to multiple tanks and if a fish from another tank is infected, it will easily spread to the other tanks. In your quarantine tank, use some of the water from your existing tank to acclimatize it to its new environment. This will ensure that it survives longer in its new environment.

Doing all the above will guarantee that your existing fish will never be troubled by parasites or bacteria. But in the off chance that they do get infected, here are the solutions to the most common aquarium diseases.

Fin Rot

Fin Rot is caused by bacteria, making the fin look tattered and shorter than normal, occasionally with a white rim around the infection. The diseased fish needs to be kept away from the other fish in a quarantine tanks and treated with antibiotics which you can buy from a fish shop. You will also need to monitor the other fish and if all the other fish are also infected you will have to treat the entire tank with antibiotics.

Dropsy

Dropsy is also a bacterial infection and it causes the fish to look bloated until their scales stick out and sometimes flake. This disease also makes the fish less active. You will have to treat the infected fish with internal infection medication.

Hexamita

Hexamita is a parasite that commonly infects Angelfish, Discus and Oscars. The tell tale sign of this infection is a pin sized hole which the parasite bores into the head of the fish. A mild infection causes the fish to swim in a drunken state and this infection must be treated as soon as possible as it can be fatal to the fish.

Skin and Gill Flukes

Another parasite infection which makes the gills stick out and causes the fish to swallow violently. It can be fatal too and must be treated immediately with antibiotics.

Ich

This is one of the most common parasitic infections which makes the outer surface of the fish looked like it has specks of salt on it. This makes the fish feel itchy and and scratch itself against any decorations. This disease is easy to treat using Malachite Green but be careful as Malachite Green is harmful to invertabrates.

These are a few of the most common diseases affecting fish tanks. Almost all fish diseases are easily treated with medication which you can buy from a pet store. That Fish Place is an online store that carries a good variety of fish medication.

by: Tim Kessler

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