Fish Diseases and Treatments

There are three main points to remember about illness in the aquarium:
1. At least 95 per cent of illnesses are environmen­tal rather than pathogenic (caused by an outside organism). Moreover many pathogenic diseases remain dormant unless the fish , Fungal Diseases is weakened by environmental factors.
2. There is no point in medicating a fish , Dog Care Basics unless you know exactly what is wrong.
3. Prevention is better than cure.

Point 1 is a bitter pill to swallow when you have tried to provide optimal conditions; many aquarists find it impossible to accept, and continue to kill their fishes while laying the blame elsewhere. A small closed ecosystem is, however, extremely vul­nerable to imbalance or overload, even in experi­enced hands, so always suspect environmental causes (unless pathogenic disease is obvious); even if water , Peruvian Paso Horse quality checks out OK an extra water , Cockapoo change does no harm, and often effects a cure.
Point 2 may sound obvious, but many aquarists panic when a fish , Chinese Crested Dog falls ill, administering a succes­sion of patent remedies in the hope of hitting the right one. The resulting chemical brew is more like­ly to poison the entire aquarium. , Water Quality In Your Fish Tank Remember that fishes, like us, suffer organ failure, so a single corpse is a reason for concern, but not alarm. If more fishes become ill, and you cannot identify the cause, seek help from other more experienced aquarists or your vet, who should be able to arrange post-mortem diagnosis. Few vets routinely offer this service, so discuss the possibility before the need arises.

Once a specific disease is diagnosed you can normally obtain the appropriate medication from a dealer, , Persian or, in the case of prescription drugs, the vet. Always follow any instructions to the letter, not only using the correct dosage, but completing the full course of treatment; otherwise you may destroy active pathogens, but not those waiting to hatch. Avoid medicating healthy fishes by treating non­infectious patients in a hospital tank , Fox Terrier or Foxy (your quaran­tine tank , Loaches in another guise) or by "spot treatment" (for example for fungus), after which the fish , Dog Care Basics is returned to the community.
Remember that some medications ,for example copper based treatments are toxic to some fishes.
Some may harm plants, marine invertebrates, and beneficial bacteria in your filter, and should, where possible, be used only in the hospital tank. , Russian Blue
Prevention (point 3) includes correct setting up, suitable maintenance, quarantine of all new arrivals, and constant observation of your fishes.
These are only a few of the commonest problems here:

Constipation
Symptoms: reduced appetite; minimal or no faeces; the fish , Chameleons may have a slightly swollen abdomen and/or rest on the bottom of the tank. , Fish Diseases and Treatments
Cause: incorrect diet or over-feeding.
Treatment: half a level teaspoon of magnesium sulphate (Epsom salts) per 4.5 litres (1 gallon) . If the fish , Hahn Macaw recovers, improve the diet.

Dropsy/"Malawi Bloat"
Symptoms: swollen body, especially the abdomen, due to build-up of fluid in the tissues.
Cause: environmental, or organ failure. "Malawi bloat", which affects East African mouthbrooding cichlids, is caused by excessive salt (sodium chloride) levels, high nitrates, or unsuitable diet.
Treatment: none; remedying the cause occasional­ly effects a cure.

Fin-rot
Symptoms: fin membranes disintegrate and the rays become inflamed.
Cause: bacterial, triggered by poor water , Arowanas quality or injury to the fins.
Treatment: remedy the cause; spot treatment with gentian violet.

Fungus
Symptoms: white fluffy growths on body/fins.
Cause: fungus attacks areas where the protective mucus coating is damaged by injury, parasites, or environment.
Treatment: remedy the cause; spot treatment with gentian violet, or use an aquarium , Bronze Wing Pionus fungicide for major outbreaks.

Gill Parasites
Symptoms: scratching, laboured respiration (both, however, normally symptoms of environmental problems); in severe infestations heightened colour, , Chameleons glazed eyes, and loss of motor control as oxygen shortage affects the brain.
Cause: usually flukes (Dactylogyrus).
Treatment: "Sterazin", from aquatic dealers. , Belgian Malinois

Hole in Head
Symptoms: white stringy faeces; sometimes enlarged, pus-filled sensory pores on the head. Affects mainly cichhds.
Cause: Hexamita, an internal parasite normally harmful only when the fish , Spanish Mastiff is weakened by other factors (age, stress, , Chameleons environment).
Treatment: metronidazole ("Flagyl") or di-metron­idazole (prescription drugs); 50 mg per 4.5 litres
(1 gallon) mixed with water , Hahn Macaw before use; repeat after three days.

Intestinal Parasites
Symptoms: emaciation despite good appetite; worms sometimes protrude from the vent.
Cause: various species of intestinal worms.
Treatment: a suitable anthelminthic (from the vet) administered in food. , Stabyhoun - Stabij Dog

Large Skin Parasites
Symptoms: scratching; individual parasites are visible on skin.
Cause: fish , Fox Terrier or Foxy lice (Argulus) are round and almost transparent, lying flat against the skin; anchor worms (Lernaea) are worm-like, attached at one end; leeches are also roughly worm-like but attached at both ends. All are more common in ponds than in aquaria. , Argentine Dogo
Treatment: remove with tweezers, and apply anti­septic to the site. For serious pond infestations treat with 1.125 – 1.8 mg per 4.5 litre (1 gallon) of Metriphonate (an insecticide).

Pop-Eye (Exophthalmus)
Symptoms: the eye protrudes from its socket, which is inflamed.
Cause: usually environmental, rarely parasitic (which is incurable).
Treatment: correct water , Shagya and Gidran Arab Horse quality/chemistry. Recovery may take several days.

Skin Slime Disease
Symptoms: scratching/shimmying; a fine grey coat­ing on body/fins.
Cause: parasites of the genera Costia, Cyclochaeta, and/or Chilodonella; these generally attack only when the body mucus has been affected by poor environment.
Treatment: use a proprietary remedy; correct water , Spanish Mastiff quality/chemistry.

Swim Bladder Disease
Symptoms: loss of balance, swimming upside­down or on on side.
Cause: a) swim bladder bruised during handling, fighting, or breeding; b) bacterial infection, usually associated with poor water , Bronze Wing Pionus quality.
Treatment: transfer fish , Dog Care Basics to shallow water; for b) improve water , Chameleons quality and treat the fish , Stabyhoun - Stabij Dog with a broad-spectrum antibiotic. If there is no improve­ment after a week, consider euthanasia.

Velvet
Symptoms: a golden velvety coat , Palomino and Pinto Horses on body/fins; scratching, increased respiration.
Cause: the parasite Oodinium.
Treatment: use a proprietary remedy.

White Spot
Symptoms: tiny white spots on body/fins; initially few, increasing dramatically after a few days.
Cause: the parasite Ichthyopthirius.
Treatment: use a proprietary remedy.
Finally, we suggest you do not keep a medicine chest. Buy medicines only when you need them, as you will then be less likely to panic dose unneces sarily or incorrectly.

Euthanasia
Sooner or later you will need to destroy a fish , Diseases and Treatments which can no longer function properly as a result of illness or old age. The quickest and most humane method is to-sever the spinal cord by cut­ting down hard just behind the head using a sharp knife. If you can't face the task, consult your vet.
Equipment Failure
Keep spares of items which go wrong commonly and suddenly, for example heater, air pump diaphragm. In the event of major failures – tank , Beauceron breakage, filter breakdown – at unsociable hours, seek help from the fishkeeping friends you should have made (including your dealer).
Power Cuts
Notify the electricity company of the loss of supplyand get an estimate of duration. Keep tanks , Chameleons warm with blankets/quilts; plastic lemonade bottles, filled from the hot water tank, , Persian can be used as heaters. Use a battery-operated air pump or impro­vise aeration, for example hourly short sessions with a bicycle pump. Filter bacteria may be affect­ed, so reduce/stop feeding and monitor ammonia/nitrite for a few days.
Going on Holiday
Properly maintained set-ups need no special prepa­ration. Ask someone to check the fishes daily ideally an aquarist, but if not leave the phone num­ber of a "trouble-shooter" in case of any problems with the fishes or equipment. Most fishes will sur­vive a fortnight without food , Puppy Care and probably be healthier for it, but if you must have them fed, never leave a container of food , Chameleons – other people are invariably over-generous – but instead provide individually wrapped daily rations.