Aquarium Fish Diseases Weaken Fish
If
you regularly maintain your tank and only keep species
that get along well together, there's a good chance
your fish will live out their lives in optimum health.
But stressors, mostly due to poor water conditions,
can easily weaken their immune systems and they
can become sick. Symptoms of illness in fish include
lethargy, fungus, damaged fins, white spots on the
body, impaired swimming, bloated stomach and appetite
loss. A discussion with your veterinarian, isolation
of the sick fish in a quarantine tank, and medication,
if necessary, can help your pets get back in the
swim of things.
Fin Rot & Its Causes
The
symptoms described above are indicative of some
of the most common fish diseases. Animals suffering
from FIN ROT, for example, may have frayed, whitish-looking
fins. Fin rot can be caused by fungus or bacteria,
and often follows injury caused by a fin-nipping
tankmate. Fish who live in poor water conditions
often succumb to this disease, which may require
antibiotic treatment.
Although
experts don't agree on what causes it and how to
treat it, DROPSY is less contagious than other diseases--and
more likely to be seen in gouramis and platys than
other species. Affected fish swell up like balloon,
and possible treatments include antibiotics.
Ich Is One of the Most Common Fish Diseases
Triggered
by a deep-burrowing parasite, ICH--also called white
spot--is a highly contagious and all-too-common
disease that causes small white pustules on a fish's
skin and gills. Affected animals may rub themselves
against objects in the tank in an effort to stop
the uncomfortable itchiness. Treatment involves
isolation of the sick fish and medication.
Poor Water Quality Causes Many Tropical Fish Diseases
Another
often seen ailment, though more difficult to cure,
VELVET, also called rust--first affects the dorsal
fin and then the entire body. Fish afflicted with
velvet look as if they have been dusted with amber-gold
flecks and may display a shimmying movement while
swimming. This disease is
treated with antibiotics, though the old-fashioned
cure involves dropping a few copper pennies into
the tank.
If
a fish gasps at the surface of the water with his
fins held unusually close to his body, he may be
a victim of bad housekeeping. POOR WATER QUALITY
accounts for the vast majority of illness in fish.
Incorrect temperature or pH, for example, or too
many toxins in the water, can place
unnecessary stress on fish, increasing their susceptibility
to sickness. And while pathogens may always be present
in the tank, fish with weakened immune systems cannot
fight them off. Aggressive tankmates can also stress
fish out, so it's crucial to select species that
get along.
If
you suspect that one of your fish is ill, it's best
to quarantine the individual in a hospital tank
and work with your veterinarian or aquarist to determine
a treatment protocol. And we can't stress it enough--the
most important thing you can do to ensure the health
of your fish is to clean the tank regularly. That
means replacing at least 10-25 percent of the water
at least twice a month, and conducting periodic
checks of the ammonia and nitrite levels in the
tank. Preventive medicine, after all, is the best
medicine.
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