AQUARIUM FISH HEALTH: WHITE SPOT DISEASE Symptoms And Cures

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Fish death is one of the main problems that beginner aquarist and even some expert aquarist face. It’s frustrating to the extent that most quit keeping aquarium fish.

But fish death can be avoided. Most fish deaths are caused as a result of both an internal and external types parasites that compete with the fish in the tank.

As a result, if you watch your aquarium fish often you should be able to discover when they have been infected by this parasite and be able to treat them to avoid fish death.

Look out for the following White Spot disease behavioural symptoms in your fish.

- Constant lying on the bottom or hanging at the surface.

- Rubbing of the body against rocks

- Gasping at the water surface

- No response to feeding

- General dullness and lethargy

- Hovering in a corner

- Fish swimming with clamps up

The most common of the visible signs is the development of the pinhead-size while spots on the body or fins. This ailment is referred to as White Spot disease and is caused by the parasite - Ichthyophthirius Multifillis.

This parasite has a free-swimming stage, which attaches itself to the fish. The most common chemical used in treating infected fishes is Methylene Blue. You could buy a one percent stock solution from a reputable chemist or aquarium shop and apply at 0.8 to 1.0ml per gallon of water. This amount should be added all at once. Repeat after one or two days.

The fishes must remain in this bath until every while spot has disappeared. A water change after treatment is necessary or else prolonged contact with the chemical may affect the fertility of the fish.

Another tip, if you are using a side filter with activated charcoal, should remove it to prevent the coal from absorbing the Methylene Blue.

Another tip... during treatment you should use artificial aeration with coarse bubbles near the surface since a dirty bottom would inactivate the medicament by absorption. A better measure is to remove all dirt from the bottom before treatment.

Methylene Blue is harmless to young fish and unlike the general belief, it does not affect plants if used in weaker concentration.

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How to Treat ANCHOR WORMS on GOLDFISH

Anchor worms are another external parasites that often affects goldfish and other types of fish that is quite common. Anchor worms often referred to as Lernaea cyprinacea, a common copepod parasite which is small crustaceans. These parasites are mostly found in pond raised fish but if left untreated they can cause serious damage to your fish not only in the population of parasites but the secondary bacterial infections that can arise as well after the parasites attach themselves to the body of the goldfish.

What happens is that they pierce the body feeding on tissue and fluids that cause more bacterial infections to set in. The good news is that it’s not very hard to learn how to treat anchors worms on goldfish or any other type of fish in fact. These parasites are very treatable as there are many treatment medications on the market today to choose from. Here I will show you many different ways on how to treat your goldfish for anchor worms.

Removing Anchor Worms with Tweezers

This method of treatment for anchor worms is not one that I will suggest people use. You will, however, be able to see these worms found on your goldfish as they are like small green hair like parasites seen attached to your goldfish. They are quite easily seen and can be removed with tweezers but the only thing wrong with this method is you don’t see all the small worms that could be attached to the goldfish already which are beginning to grow. Anchor worms start off small that end up turning into larger worms as they begin to feed on the body fluid of the goldfish which then you will see later on without a microscope. This method may work but you will never know if they reproduced in your tank or pond and are just waiting to find a new host.

Anchor Worm Treatment Medication

In order to know for sure, you have rid yourself of anchor worms once and for all people should strongly use fish medication to eliminate these external parasites. There are many types of fish medications on the market and here are just a few people can choose: Anchors Away, Dimilin, Proform LA, and Potassium Permanganate. These anchor worm treatment medications work great and will eliminate the parasites affecting your fish.

Anchors Away

To treat your fish using anchors away make sure you always follow the manufacturers recommended dosage. Here is how you treat your fish using this medication:

1. Perform a 25% water change before treatments.

2. Always make sure you remove the activated carbon from your filter.

3. Add one teaspoon for every 40 gallons

4. Treat every 6 days for up to 3 weeks

Anchors away is a great product and effective at eliminating anchor worms and other parasites as well. You will notice after the first week of treatment that they will be falling off your goldfish.

Dimilin

Dimilin is another great product on the market that will treat fish suffering from anchor worms. Here is how you treat your goldfish for anchor worms using Dimilin:

1. Shake bottle very well before use.

2. Remove activated carbon.

3. Add 1 tablespoon for every 60 gallons

4. Wait 14 days to see if anchor worms are completely gone

5. If not, repeat dosage again and do not do a water change.

6. After second treatment is complete, wait another 14 days to make sure parasites are eliminated then perform a water change removing some of the chemicals.

Proform LA

This is one of the best forms of treatment for anchor worms and fish lice on the market. It is really safe for humans to use and is a very low maintenance method of treatment. What’s great about Proform LA is that it can be used in any water temperature where some can only be used as low as 50 degrees Fahrenheit. You can do three treatments one week apart and it’s a fairly low-cost medication to use as 1 pint will treat 5000 gallons and 1 quart will treat 10,000 gallons of water. This anchor worm medication will not harm turtles, frogs or snails. Follow recommended dosage

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Potassium Permanganate

This method of treatment should only be used by experienced fish keepers. This is a very strong medication that if done improperly will kill all your fish. Beware this can cure your goldfish or other fish from anchor worms but it can easily kill them too. With any medication that you use people should always use extreme caution wearing eye goggles, long sleeve clothes, and a face mask when possible. Never inhale by these medications and always work in a well-ventilated area. The slightest small crystal of potassium permanganate if it got into your eye can cause severe irritation and possible blindness. So please be careful when working with any form of medication. Again this form of medication should only be used by qualified people as other forms are easier to use and less risky. Here is how you treat with potassium permanganate:

1. Make sure you bypass your filter and shut off your UV sterilizer before treatment.

2. Make sure aeration is at top level.

3. Wear necessary protective equipment before adding treatment

4. Add 1 gram per 100 gallons or 1 teaspoon for every 600 gallons of water.

5. Wait till water turns brown

6. Add 1 pint of hydrogen peroxide per 1000 gallons. This will clear your water in not time and replenish oxygen to your water.

7. Turn on your filter again and UV sterilizer.

This method should be done up to three times to make sure you have eliminated all anchor worms and any other parasites that may be in the water. When you add hydrogen peroxide to the water it removes all effectiveness of the potassium permanganate. So in case of overdosage simply add hydrogen peroxide and your fish will be okay. Wait about 3 days before repeating treatment as the hydrogen peroxide may still be in the water making a new treatment ineffective. After 3 days you should be good to go for another treatment.

Now here I have covered several different ways at treating goldfish for anchor worms. Each medication is different and some are easier to use than others. Just make sure you use the one that you feel more comfortable with. Each of these above methods of anchor worm treatment will work. Just follow the manufacturers recommended dosage and your fish will soon be free of anchor worms.

By Jamie Boyle Jamie Boyle is an online author who writes and maintains his Goldfish Care Information (http://www.GoldfishCareInformation.com) blog to help people answer questions involving goldfish. If you need more information on goldfish and want to know how to treat various goldfish diseases please visit http://www.GoldfishCareInformation.com Article Source: EzineArticles

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The Various CICHLID DISEASES

Cichlids are a fairly hardy fish and their upkeep is reasonably simple supplied you stick to several simple principals. As hardy as they’re the cichlid fish can suffer from several diseases so with this write-up I have set out to clarify what they’re and what you are able to do about them.

Cichlids are a fairly hardy fish and their upkeep is reasonably simple supplied you stick to several simple principals. As hardy as they’re the cichlid fish can suffer from several diseases so with this write-up I have set out to clarify what they’re and what you are able to do about them.

Diseases in cichlid fish might be caused by parasites within the body, fungi on their exterior and also poor bacteria inside the tank water.

Issues that you simply wish to look out for are cloudy or puffy eyes, sores on their bodies, loss of color, restricted movement, bloating of stomach or internal organs. Any of these symptoms are normally caused by some sort of bacterial infection.

If you observe any strange looking growth around the face location or sporadic behavior in the tank like darting about in a crazy manner you could be looking at some sort of fungal infection.

If you see any weak breathing, impaired movement, mucus growth on the skin, loss of appetite, spots, intense scratching. These are typically the sign of parasite infection which could contain leeches, worms or lice.

Just concerning the most typical cichlid illness is Hole inside the head disease. Hexamita, normally results in rapid weight loss and a main loss of appetite, and also you will also notice small indentations on and around the head area.

Ich or Ichtyophthirius is also an additional widespread cichlid disease. With this distinct ailment whitened crystal marks show up on the head first, after which propagate over the whole body. Inhaling and exhaling is quickly, the fish scrapes a great deal, and also the eye balls and fins all turn into cloudy.

When the belly is enlarged, and also you uncover reddish scales encircling this location, it can be achievable that the cichlid is really struggling with Dropsy. This may possibly be because of germs, parasites, or even cancer. The most effective method to cope with this is saltwater therapy.

In case you neglect their water conditions then your fish may possibly end up with Fish Pox, Fin Rot or even Ammonia poisoning.

Columnaris or Cotton Wool Illness is one you must be quite wary of because it is very contagious. Symptoms is going to be a grey/white layer on the skin, fin harm, ulcers and sores, loss of color in the gills. You must treat this quickly having an excellent antibiotic kind therapy, and you may have to treat the complete tank. The exact same goes for Fish Tuberculosis which too is really contagious.

Yet another parasite sort infection is Slime Disease which causes a white coating of the skin, sporadic movement, reddening about the gills and also folded fins. You have to treat this straight away with a good parasitic medication and also by raising the water temperature a degree or two.

Cichlids may also endure from constipation which will cause a swelling of the stomach, loss of appetite, and erratic swimming. The fish might even have feces hanging off of them. The very best approach to fix this would be to starve them for two days then commence them on a various diet.

On the topic of diet plan should you over feed your fish they might wind up with Swim Bladder illness which will cause difficulty in swimming, swimming upside down, floating. Flip Over illness is also achievable with these symptoms.

One well-known way of dealing with diseases is salt treatment, but this should ideally only be done in a quarantine tank as other fish may be negatively affected. Plus it’s going to not guarantee a remedy for all diseases.

Now since an aquarium is such a modest closed atmosphere, with out proper monitoring and treatment can become a disease incubator. Typical cleaning of one’s tank and water will likely be your greatest weapon against disease in your aquarium.

It’s finest to spot these things as early as feasible so as to implement a remedy method before it can be too late….Excellent Luck

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