Common Fish Diseases and How To Treat Them

Keeping your fish healthy begins with the proper maintenance and care of your aquarium. But, just like any other pet, no matter how well you try to take care of them, illnesses and diseases sometime occur. And, the best protection for a sick fish is quick treatment.

Two Basic Types Of Fish Disease

All fish diseases are in one of two categories, either infectious or non-infectious. An infectious disease can rapidly empty a well stocked aquarium that you’ve spent lots of money and time in developing. Besides which, you could lose many or all of your much loved pets.

Fish get sick in the same way that people get sick. They experience bacterial infections, parasite infestation, fungus and other illnesses that are very contagious. Non-infectious diseases are contracted through poor diet, dirty or unbalanced aquarium water and other outside sources.

Infectious diseases generally won’t go away on their own, they’ll only worsen and become fatal. Non-infectious diseases however, can usually be reversed with the proper change in environment or feeding habits. Sometimes something as simple as changing the temperature in your aquarium can save the lives of your fish!

With the proper treatment, most fish diseases can be cured. The most important factor in your fish surviving an illness or disease is speed! You should closely observe your fish on a daily basis and watch for any changes in their appearance or behavior.

While some diseases will infect the entire community, diseases that only infect one or several fish are best treated in isolated tanks. And, some health problems that develop are only secondary problems, in which both illnesses will need to be treated.

Ick “White Spot”

Ick is probably one of the most common diseases in fish. It appears as tiny white spots that resemble a grain of salt.

You may notice your fish have cloudy eyes, rapid breathing and often they will scratch themselves on aquarium fixtures. Medications for Ick are widely available, follow the directions on the label and isolate the infected fish if possible.

Fungus

Generally, fungus is the result of a sore or wound that removes the protective mucus coating. Quick treatments of any injuries can greatly decrease the risk of fungus developing. The best prevention is to make sure that there aren’t any sharp objects in the aquarium for fish to injure themselves.

Fungus will be visible as white or gray patches that are fuzzy in appearance, resembling cotton. Fungus is very easy to cure using one of the many commercial medications available. As always, follow the directions carefully. Some medications will need to be directly to the affected area with a cotton swab.

Fin and Tail Rot

A fishes fins and tail will sometimes become frayed if they’ve been fighting with other tank mates. But, if there’s not been any confrontations and you notice damaged fins and tails, it’s usually a bacterial infection. The infection literally eats away at the fins and will be fatal if not quickly treated.

The same signs can result in improper chemical balance in the water, so be sure to check your waters chemical levels before administering a medication. An anti-biotic medication is required to treat the problem and can be purchased anywhere pet supplies are available.

Bacterial Infections

Recognizing bacterial infections in your fish isn’t always easy. You may see red blotches, or streaks on the fishes body and it may also appear that the fins have been damaged similar to fin rot. They are usually a secondary infection resulting from parasites.

There are anti-biotic medications available to treat the infection, but most often it can be cleared up by simply doing several partial changes of water. If the infection still doesn’t clear up, then you will have to resort to treating it with medication.

Written by Connie Corder, Copyright 2008 TLCollectables.com