Showing posts with label Fish Diseases. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fish Diseases. Show all posts

2017-11-04

Bacterial Aquarium FISH DISEASES

List of freshwater aquarium fish species
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
There are many diseases that can affect the fish in your aquarium. Most diseases can be put into four major categories; Bacterial, Viral, Parasites and Fungus. The common aquarium fish diseases we will focus on in this article are bacterial. There are much more then what we will cover today but the ones below are a good mixture of fatality and ease of treatment.

One must remember that the first step in fighting any disease in your aquarium is to observe your fish on a daily basis for any signs of illness or irregular behaviour. Over time you will naturally know when something doesn't look right. When any aquarium disease is detected you should act immediately to help improve the chances of your fish making a full recovery.

Fin rot is probably one of the most common bacterial infections that appear in aquarium fish. The primary cause of fin rot is poor water quality. It is very easy to diagnosis fin rot because the fins are actually rotting away and will look as if they are dissolving down to the body of the fish. There are many medications that you can purchase in your local pet store designed specifically to address fin rot. You will also want to do frequent water changes to help improve the quality of the water.

Guppies and other fish that are considered livebearers are very susceptible to another bacterial disease called mouth fungus. The most obvious symptom that your fish is suffering from mouth fungus is that of cotton like growth appearing in the mouth. This growth will prevent the fish from eating so you will also observe a loss of weight. When treated quickly with an antibiotic bath mouth fungus is not fatal. You will also want to carry out partial water changes of your aquarium.




Vibriosis can quickly become fatal in fish and spread rapidly throughout your aquarium. There are several signs of infection, reddening of the body, changes in colour and a swollen abdomen and eyes. It is extremely important that if you notice these symptoms that you remove the infected fish to a quarantine tank as quickly as possible to help fight spreading of the infection to the other fish. The reality is that vibriosis is fatal. Antibiotics may help but are very unlikely. One should focus on protecting the other fish in the aquarium from the bacterial disease. By doing full water changes and treating the water with antibiotics.

The last bacterial disease to be discussed that has no treatment is piscine tuberculosis. There will be a major loss of weight and colour in your aquarium fish. The eyes of your fish may abnormally protrude from the body. This attacks the fish's respiratory system and is highly contagious and fatal. Piscine tuberculosis is less common but if it occurs you will lose much fish. The only treatment is to separate all the fish into individual quarantine tanks and observe. You will have to strip down the main tank, disinfect it and restock it. Ultimately you have to start all over again.

Keeping an aquarium can bring many hours of enjoyment. The best treatment for any disease that can affect your aquarium fish is prevention. By regularly observing your fish and acting upon signs of disease quickly you can keep your fish happy and healthy and avoid any catastrophes.




2017-11-01

AQUARIUM FISH HEALTH: WHITE SPOT DISEASE Symptoms And Cures

Ichspotonforehead.jpg
"Ichspotonforehead" by User:Helian - Own work. Licensed under
Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons.

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.




2017-09-26

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




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



2017-09-18

How To Recognize FISH DISEASE Symptoms

When my son was small, one of the angelfish that lived in his aquarium suddenly became covered in what looked like a white film and after a few days, his fins started becoming damaged. After a few more days, the fish died and others started getting the same condition. It was not long before the aquarium had no fish in it and his fish keeping days were over.

English: A velvet infected fish. Clearly visib...
A velvet infected fish. Clearly visible on head.
(Photo credit: 
Wikipedia)
At the time, we did not know what disease the fish had. I learned much later that it was probably a contagious and usually fatal disease called Columnaris. I did not investigate at the time, after all, they were goldfish and could have been easily replaced. But, what if it had been a koi pond or a much larger aquarium stocked with more valuable fish such as the aquarium my son-in-law has or the koi pond that is in our neighborhood. The end result would have been the same, but the loss would have seemed devastating. The possibility does raise the question "How do I know if my fish are sick?" for every fish keeper.

There are many fish diseases and all of them require medication, care and attention to cure. Most fish diseases are brought from outside sources when new fish are introduced into the aquarium. Many are caused by bacteria, parasites or fungus that thrive on poor quality water and a poor diet can contribute by decreasing the fish immune system. The easiest way to keep your fish healthy is to prevent disease in the first place. And good quality water and a proper diet are essential to preventing fish disease.

Realizing that there may be a problem in your aquarium is the first thing. But how do you know what the problem might be and how to treat it?
Every fish owner knows how his fish are supposed to act and will usually notice any unusual behavior or conditions. Unusual behavior, such as rubbing against rocks or gasping at the surface could be indicators of disease. Unusual conditions like small spots or patches on the fish are sometimes the first indicator of problems in the aquarium. If you suspect a fish is sick, get it out of the water and into a quarantine pool as soon as possible. Quarantine is necessary if you want to try to keep your other fish from getting sick. It is a good idea to keep a record of symptoms and your actions to treat the fish.

Somewhere in your fish keeping references, there should be a list of disease symptoms and treatments. Simple things, like fuzzy patches on the fish or around the mouth, a bloated appearance, or maybe, just losing weight. The list of symptoms is extensive, but the important this is that if you see something different about your fish, investigate.



The second issue is treating the disease to make the fish healthy again. There seem to be about as many drugs and disease treatments for fish as there are for humans. Most people do have a fish doctor in their list of contacts and a lot of the time you are on your own when treating a sick fish. Fortunately, there is a lot of free information available on the internet. And a lot of drugs used to treat the fish disease are available at most stores that sell fish.

Your references should include a list of diseases (with pictures) and possible treatments. I created a spreadsheet with information gleaned from a lot of different sources as a handy reference to help identify the symptoms.

    By Marshall Crum
    Keeping koi fish is one of the most relaxing hobbies anyone can have. But like other ornamental fish, koi are susceptible to a wide range of fish diseases that can spread rapidly. Learning how to recognize the symptoms and how to take care of sick fish is essential to having healthy, vibrant fish. Click here and go to howtokeepkoi.com for more information on fish diseases.

    Article Source: EzineArticles


2017-07-17

Skin and GILL FLUKES in Tropical Fish

While parasites of various types are often responsible for fish rubbing themselves against objects in the tank, sometimes to the point of causing raw skin, it can be difficult to identify which parasite it is, unless you have a very good visual of it.


In the case of skin fluke, which is a parasitic flatworm, they are unlikely to show themselves to the extent where you would be able to remove them manually as you can with leeches or fish lice.  One of the common denominators they have with other parasite infections, is they can cause redness of skin, but so can rubbing against stones and wood.  However, skin fluke also causes a fading of color, and because the treatment is common to other types of parasites, you are best to go with a general medication, such as Droncit or formalin baths, when unsure whether it is skin fluke or not. Remove severely affected fish to a hospital tank.

The standard treatments of adding 1 tbs. of aquarium salt to a daily change of water in the home aquarium, and raising the tank temperature by four degrees also applies.  This is used for most parasites, including gill fluke, which has more obvious and visual symptoms.

Gill fluke is a worm that specifically attacks the gill membranes, causing them to turn red and acquire a coating of slime that makes it difficult to breathe.  Fish will hang at the water's surface, gasp, and lose weight rapidly.  The same tank treatments as skin fluke can be used, but with gill fluke, removing to a hospital tank and adding short baths in either formalin, salt or ammonium hydroxide to the regimen will help kill what is on the fish, and you can then treat their environment.



2017-07-08

Constant AQUARIUM FISH DEATHS: causes and solutions

Shown is the head of Broadbarred firefish (Ant...
Shown is the head of Broadbarred firefish (Antennata Lionfish)
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Fish death aquarium tank is one of common challenges faced by aquarists. There are number of factors that could be responsible for the deaths experienced. These are outlined briefly bellow.

·                     The aquarist selection of fish.
·                     The removal and packing of the fish from the pet shop
·                     Transport time and period and the handling of the fish in transit
·                     Quarantine procedure.
·                     Adjustment and adaptation into the new community or environment by the new fish.

When buying fish from the pet shop always spend some time at the place to inquire about the life history and habits of the new purchase. You can then make a selection from collection of the same species. Never buy the last specimen in reserve at any shop because if it had been a good specimen, you would not have met it there in the first instance.

Always form the habit of making your fish purchase during the cool periods of the day, preferably before 12 noon or after 4.30pm.

These are the only periods I can guarantee for fish comfort. This restriction is borne out of my observation that most pet shops and aquarists alike do not seem to care about insulation of the fish against temperature fluctuations after gassing them in a polythene.

When making your fish selection from the pet shop be sure the attendant has the expertise to pick fish out from a selection. This you can know through the swiftness with which your choice fish is removed out of the selection.

Reject a fish that has been chased around, gasping for breath... It is week already! Chances are that it gives up with the further stress that accompanies the transportation of the fish.


Make sure that your new purchase is quarantined. That's a single factor that affects fish survival as pets.


2017-06-13

Index of TROPICAL FISH DISEASES

After creating and maintaining your beautiful aquarium, all the time and money you spent on it, the last thing you want to deal with is tropical fish diseases. Coming home and finding your fish covered with white spots, the eyes swollen or the fins disintegrating is a blow to any aquarist.
Following are the categories and symptoms of the most common diseases in tropical fish.

Fungal Diseases
Fungal diseases will usually occur after the fish has already been weakened through stress, parasites or a bacterial disease. In some cases the fish will appear sluggish and in the latter stages develop cysts. Another type of fungal infection will produce white growths that eventually turn into cotton like tuffs on the skin.

Bacterial Diseases
Bacterial diseases often need to be treated with antibiotic medications. Fish infected with bacteria often develop bulging eyes, ulcers and open sores. One bacteria causes a disease called mouth fungus that looks like a fungal infection on the mouth. Other signs of a bacterial infection include a lose of appetite, hollow belly, erratic swimming, and disintegrating fins.

Viral Diseases
Viral diseases are fortunately fairly uncommon in fish. On sign of a viral disease is white swellings on the body of the fish. Viruses cannot be treated with medication because they use the host's body to reproduce and live on. If you suspect your fish has a viral disease, it should be removed and placed in another tank so the other fish will not be infected with the same virus. The best thing you can do is to provide a clean environment and a healthy, nutritious diet. A virus can only be identified by special equipment and it is often difficult to detect.

Parasitic Diseases
One symptom most parasitic diseases have in common is the fish scraping against or rubbing objects. The parasites are eating through the flesh of the fish and if they aren't removed will eat into the organs and kill the fish. Simply pulling the parasites off will often do more damage to the fish. A bath of potassium permanganate or a salt solution is often the best method to remove parasites. In some cases you will be able to see the parasites on the skin of the fish and thus confirm the problem is parasites, or you may notice other signs such as rapid gilling, clamped fins, red skin and weight loss.

Protozoan Diseases
These diseases are caused by the protozoan parasite that infects the intestinal tract. Several diseases will cause a yellow to light brown dust on the body. On commonly known protozoan disease is called ich. Ich is characterized by small white spots all over the body. The fish will breath rapidly and have clamped fins. Other types cause excessive slim on the body, frayed fins, bloated body and a lack of appetite.

The best way to avoid tropical fish diseases is to have a clean tank and provide adequate nutrition. New fish should always be quarantined for two to four weeks.

    By Leslie Heaton
    Leslie Heaton is a tropical fish lover with a weakness for buying more aquariums.
    Article Source: EzineArticles


2017-05-15

How To Discover And Prevent Aquarium FISH ILLNESS

Aquarium fish fall ill just like any other pet. The illnesses are as a result of disease. The common diseases that affect aquarium fish are mostly stress induced. 

The micro-organisms which cause these diseases may be present in the water as part of the normal micro fauna and grab the opportunity to infest or infect the fish when it is stressed and its normal defense are weakened.

English: Jet black angel is a fresh water aqua...
Jet black angel is a fresh water aquarium fish 
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Different ways aquarium fish suffer from stress 

- Aquarium fish usually start experiencing stress starting from the time it’s about living the breeding farm till when the end purchaser finally picked it from retailer. Most beginners don’t really know how to handle fish.

- The quality of water is another cause of aquarium fish stress. Different fish species have different water quality that will make the environment conducive for them. Quality parameters like pH, water hardness, high nitrite and carbon dioxide level, low dissolved oxygen salinity of water, water temperature and others.

- Any change in environment like physical damage, leaches, lice and introduction of new fish that is not quarantine could lead to stress in aquarium, thus making life non conducive for fish in aquarium tank

- Change in weather condition is another factor that leads to aquarium fish stress. When there is heavy downfall as you know the weather will become cold and this could lead to stress in aquarium.

- Poor Diet as a result of lack in nutritional requirement always leads to poor performance in fish immune system. Fish immune system will struggle to operate efficiently. This will result in a stressed fish.

Warning signs of illness in aquarium fish 

You can easily know when your fish are going through stress if you watch them very well and often. You will notice signs like fish swimming with clamps up (closed) in their fins, hovering in a corner, heavy breathing and fish brushing its body against objects. These are warning signs you need to act on immediately.



How to reduce stress in aquarium 

To reduce stress in aquarium, you need to guide against factors that lead to stress. The following are tips on how to prevent stress that ultimately leads to illness:

- Make sure you have detail information about the fish species that you will be introducing to your tank. Enquiring about its requirements before you buy it will help you a lot. Thus, ask lots of questions before making your purchase.

- Knowing the right food for your fish is another important thing you have to know as this may vary from species to species. If you have this knowledge you will be able to provide foods that are rich in nutritional ingredients that your fish require.

- Keep the environment clean.

- When you want to introduce new fish, make sure it's quarantined to reduce the risk of disease.



2017-05-01

Sick GOLDFISH - Step One, Prevention, Step Two, Monitor, Step Three, Know What Action If Needed

There are times in every parent's life when his or her child, pet, or goldfish gets sick. Goldfish are prone to many ailments, and even the most common ones can be life threatening. Prevention and monitoring your fish are the best ways to keep your pet from contracting a disease.

English: Ryukin goldfish with swim bladder dis...
Ryukin goldfish with swim bladder disease. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Being the good parent that you are, you have probably studied and memorized the normal movements and behaviors of your goldfish. If Goldie happens to become ill, look for signs that differ for their normal swimming patterns.

If your fish is shaking, hiding in corners and isolated places, gasping for breath near the surface of the tank, has his fins pressed together in a clamped fashion or demonstrates any other strange behaviors, it might be a good indicator that he's coming down with an illness. Once you've noticed these odd actions, take a closer look at your fish and see if there are discolorations or markings on his body.

Fish with certain parasites might have red and inflamed areas, sometimes around the gills, or might have swollen blood bumps on eir bodies. Check for damaged fins, cloudy eyes and bumps or blisters that appear on the scales.

There are many common goldfish ailments that can be identified by examining your pet's physical appearance. Once you have identified that there is definitely something wrong with your goldfish, it is a good idea to isolate him from your other fish in a hospital tank.

The hospital tank is prepared in advance and made to match the current environment of your fish, so that he won't go into shock. If the ailment turns out to be contagious, it's not a bad idea to treat your other fish as well as the sick one.



Unfortunately, some fish, no matter how hard you try, do not overcome their illness and continue to suffer until they pass away. Many people do not like to see their fish in constant pain and fell that euthanasia is appropriate. There are many methods out there for ending the life of a goldfish, so be sure to choose one that does not cause your fish even more pain.

While there are plenty of goldfish illnesses, there are just as many ways to treat them. Prevention and care is the best medicine for keeping your goldfish buddy in tiptop shape.
Author: Mark Sturge

2017-04-19

How To Cure FISH DISEASE - Three Things You Must Do

Everyone wants his fish to be disease free and it is painful to see any creature suffer. It is also a fact that if you have one sick fish, without isolation and care, pretty soon all of them will or may be sick. This can be especially disastrous if you have a pond full of koi fish or other expensive ornamental fish.

If you suspect you have a sick fish, there appear to be three separate things you have to do: Recognition, separation and treatment. One without the other two leaves you with either one sick fish or a pond full of sick fish.

English: Fish Pond Fish Pond
Fish Pond Fish Pond (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

How Do You Cure Fish Disease?

1. Learn to recognize the symptoms that indicate your fish may be sick.
There are several types of bacteria, parasite, fungi, and other illnesses common to most fish. Some of these diseases are also common to other tropical fish and cold water fish. It is a good thing to get to know the common diseases and review the symptoms, so you can quickly recognize them in your fish.

You're may not recognize the symptoms of all the diseases right away, but knowing when something is wrong with your fish is the first step toward helping the recover and protecting your pond.
Most disease can spread through pond water very quickly. So, instead of just one diseased fish, without treatment, you may soon have a pond full of them.

Depending on the type of disease and the circumstances surrounding it, there's the very real possibility that you could lose your entire pond of the beautiful fish you love. It's not fair to the other fish, it is not fair to you and it may be totally unnecessary.

No matter how big a pond you have if you don't have healthy fish to enjoy, it is just a big puddle of water, isn't it?

2. Quarantine a Sick Fish.
Fish, especially koi, have individual personalities that you will learn. And as soon as you think a fish is acting differently or may be developing a problem, don't hesitate to quarantine it until you find out for sure.

Recognizing when a fish is sick as quickly as possible can help you remove and quarantine it and hopefully avoid spreading the disease through your pond. Being able to recognize the symptoms of a sick fish is priceless.

When purchasing new fish, it is a good idea to quarantine the new ones separately from your current population for two to three weeks to observe them.

Fish that live in quarantine conditions for this length of time and have not shown any disease symptoms will have a substantially less chance of contaminating the rest of your pond.
Another important thing to remember about quarantine is to properly wash your hands when handling both quarantine items and non-quarantine items to avoid transferring anything that will make your pond sick.


3. The Treatment of Fish Disease
Identify the particular disease or condition.
There are many parasites and organisms that can make your fish sick. And you have to know what you are treating to determine treat it. Some kinds of parasites are treated by adding salt to the pond water while others cannot handle a change in water temperature.

Check for Unusual Stress Factors.
While you may think that fish disease is a result of water borne pathogens, you may not be aware that stress is a contributing factor to many of the diseases that affect your fish.
Stress works on the fish immune system much like it works on ours. It slowly lowers the immune system and makes it much more difficult to naturally fight off disease.

Stress in animals is now being increasingly being implicated in many diseases that humans get. Everything from cancer to heart disease, and (this one is hard to believe) even sinusitis. I cannot imagine a fish with sinus problems or a runny nose.

Fish stress comes from their physical environment most importantly, the quality of the water they live in. Crappy water can make it easier for disease to spread and make it more difficult to spot a fish that is having problems.

Check your pond water.
This is the easiest thing to do. In the ideal pond environment, the goal would be to remove as many stress causing factors as possible. Most of all, this means having good quality water, eliminating ammonia and nitrite and increasing the oxygen levels.

If you suspect you have a sick fish, act quickly. The most important consideration is to keep from infecting all the fish in your pond by quarantining the sick fish as soon as possible. After all, it's better to be wrong than to not act at all and lose your entire pond!

A backyard fish pond that is clean and have healthy fish with vibrant colors is a joy to behold. But sometimes bad things happen. But it is useful to know that diseases don't attack any specific species of fish any faster or often than they attack other fish.

    By M Crum
    CLICK HERE and get all the information you need to keep your koi or other fish healthy and disease free.
    Article Source: EzineArticles


2017-04-11

A List Of Common FISH DISEASES And Their Symptoms

1. Bacterial Diseases in Fish

Bacteria are a very common cause of complaint for fish breeders. There are many bacterial diseases in fish caused due to pathogenic bacteria. These bacteria can either attack the fish externally, or can enter into the body of the fish through the skin and can damage internal organs, even leading to death. Fin rot and bacterial gill disease are the most common bacterial attacks in fishes, in which the fins and the gills are infected respectively. If the bacteria have managed to gain entry into the body, it is known as systemic infection. Bacteria can also cause ulcers and lesions on the body of the fish. Bacterial infections are easily apparent externally as ulcerous marks or red irritations on the skin of the fish. Bacterial infections are very common in koi fish. 

2. Fish Lice

Fish lice are scientifically termed as argulus, and being about a centimeter in size, they are among the largest parasites found in the animal world. They are very detrimental to the health of the fish, because they can suck out the fluids from the body of the fluids by clamping their proboscis like mouth into the bodies of the fish. 

Lice are easily to identify on the bodies of the fish because they are clearly visible. However, it is necessary to carry a careful inspection of the body of the fish, especially in the hidden areas behind the fins. Lice may appear as dark spots when they are not moving. If there are too many lice, the fish will be quite agitated and will move their body a lot. 



3. Flukes in Fish

Flukes are parasites in fish that are harmless in small numbers, but can be fatal to the fish in large numbers. Flukes are small, about 2 mm in length, and are almost invisible to the naked human eye. But these flukes have hooks through which they clamp to the bodies of the fish. Flukes can suck out the body fluids from the fish and even cause their death. The significant threat from flukes is that one fluke requires only one fish to complete its lifecycle, and therefore there is more reason why the fluke will remain clamped to the fish. Flukes have been considered to be the most difficult of the fish parasites to treat, though treatments with malachite and formalin often show positive results in stronger doses. 

4. Ich

Commonly known as ich, ichthyobodo or costia is a very common parasite that is found on the bodies of fish. Several fish can live with this parasite showing no signs at all. In fact, in small numbers, ich is harmless. The defenses of the fish can keep the number of ich under control. But when fish suffer from some other disease, the defenses are broken and then ich begins to multiply. Ich can multiply at a very fast rate. In no time, the fish will show a large amount of ich on its body, its breathing will become labored and shortly, it will retreat and isolate itself from the other fish. When this stage arrives, ich often proves fatal to the fish.





2017-03-23

Freshwater FISH DISEASE - Signs, Causes, And Cures

It's a fine lazy day and you're just kicking back and enjoying the aquarium you've worked so hard to set up. But wait, something's off. One of your fish looks like he's been rolling in the sand. And another seems to have less fins than you remember. And still another is so swollen he looks as though he's about to burst. All in all, it looks as though your fish are sick! Yup, keep fish long enough and it's something you'll have to face eventually, and usually fairly early unfortunately. You see, illness is often preventable, but typically we only learn how to do so after doing it wrong the first time. But fear not! Many ailments can be turned around if spotted early and treated properly.

A veterinarian gives an injection to a goldfish
A veterinarian gives an injection to a goldfish (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Spotting Illness
So how can you tell that a fish is sick in the first place? It's not like they're going to tap you on the shoulder and let you know. For the most part the only way you'll know something is wrong is through careful observation of their appearance and behavior. Hopefully you're already fairly well acquainted with what could be considered normal for your fish and can thus notice when something is off. Here are some key things to take note of:

-paleness/color change
-clamped fins (the fins are held close to the body)
-scraping or rubbing against objects in the tank
-heavy breathing
-loss of appetite
-loss of equilibrium
-hiding/isolation
-decreased activity

... and of course the more obvious signs like visible sores, swelling, and the like.

Keeping a watchful eye out for signs of illness is an important part of keeping fish. Try to take a few minutes each day to check for any signs that something is amiss. Feeding time provides an ideal opportunity to do this as most fish are at their most active when there's a meal to be had. An illness caught early is far easier to treat and the chances of the affected fish surviving the ordeal are far greater. For many ailments your fish may face by the time it's blatantly obvious it is too late.

Quarantine Tanks
Of course one step better than treating your fish once they become sick is preventing it from happening in the first place. The absolute best way to prevent diseases from reaching your tank is by using a quarantine tank. A quarantine tank is essentially just a small bare bones aquarium setup where all new arrivals can spend a week or two before entering your main setup. This gives you ample time to make sure your new fish are in good health before they have a chance to potentially spread any diseases to your other fish. It also gives new arrivals a chance to recover from the stress of moving in a quiet and peaceful environment. And if a problem does arise having the specimen already isolated makes treatment much easier as well. Finally, in the event that a problem does reach the fish in the main aquarium the quarantine tank can serve as a hospital tank as well, preventing the further spread of disease and providing a safer and more controlled environment for the application of any treatments.

In addition to a quarantine tank, keeping your fish in good general health goes a long way towards preventing any illness from taking hold. Most common diseases often arise in fish only when their health is already compromised. What causes their health to become compromised? The majority of the time the culprit is poor water quality. A fish trying to live in dirty water in kind of like you trying to live in a house filled with smoke- it's unlikely you'll be in the best of health. Keeping on top of your aquarium setup's maintenance is key to keeping your fish healthy and disease free. As such, should your fish ever become ill your first step should always be to make sure the water is in excellent condition. All the critical parameters, such as ammonia, nitrate, pH, and temperature, should be checked. Always be suspicious of any equipment or decor that was recently added to the tank as well which could be leeching something toxic into the water. And, even if poor water quality isn't the root cause of the illness, a water change is never a bad idea When it comes to recovery the cleaner the water the better.

About Medications
Often people go straight for the medications at the first sign of an illness in their fish, usually without even knowing what exactly is wrong. This is a bad move. Positive identification of a disease is absolutely essential before beginning application of any medication. Many medications aren't exactly easy on your fish either meaning using the wrong one could end up further stressing your fish without curing their illness, likely leading to death. Still, should you encounter a disease where a medication is applicable it can be a real life saver. Just make sure to remove any carbon from the filter before beginning treatment as it will soak up the medication before it has a chance to act. And, it should go without saying that the directions should be followed to a T. Pay particular attention to any warnings dealing with species the medication should not be used with. Some, for example, will kills snails and plants if there are any in the tank.

Common Ailments
There are tons and tons of diseases your fish may face- far more than what are listed here. However, many of them are fairly rare, affecting only a few specific species or only arising under specific circumstances. Instead, this list tries to cover only the most common ones that most aquarists tend to run into.

Nitrogen Cycle in aquariums. Legend: (1) Addit...
Nitrogen Cycle in aquariums. Legend: (1) Addition of food and nutrients, (2) Production of Urea and Ammonia by Fish, (3) Ammonia is converted to Nitrites by beneficial Nitrosomonas bacteria, (4) Nitrites are converted to Nitrates by beneficial Nitrospira bacteria. Less toxic Nitrates are removed by plants and periodic water changes. (5) Evaporation. (6) Light, (7) Soil, (8) O 2 produced by plants, (9) CO 2 produced by Fish (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Ammonia Poisoning/New Tank Syndrome
signs- red irritated gills, fish gasping for air at the surface, most common in new tanks

As the common name of 'new tank syndrome' suggests, this is typically only a problem in freshly setup aquariums, although it can occur is older systems if the filtration system is severely damaged. Basically, not all bacteria are out to make a meal of your fish. Some are actually quite helpful, and necessary, to your aquarium. Their job is to process the fish's waste from highly toxic substances, namely ammonia, into compounds they can more easily tolerate. The process of establishing these bacteria in a new system is called cycling. Unfortunately, this step is frequently skipped leading to a buildup of ammonia which in short order leads to dead fish.

treatment:  water changes

To solve this problem you basically just have to keep the water clean through frequent water changes until the bacteria have established themselves and can take over. A test kit for ammonia is very helpful here as ideally you want to keep the ammonia level under 1ppm. Typically you will need to do a small water change daily for a few weeks to allow the cycle to complete while keeping the tank habitable for your fish. Keeping feedings light during this time can also help keep the waste load low which in turn keeps the water cleaner.

Fish Fungus
signs- fish has fuzzy whitish globs or patches attached to its fins and/or body

Like a lot a ailments you're likely to encounter, fish fungus usually appears on fish whose health has already been compromised. The fungi that cause it are quite common and pretty much guaranteed to be in the tank at all times. This normally wouldn't be a problem, but when a fish is already in poor shape the fungus can get a hold very easily. It often starts at the site of an injury, which could be anything from small scrapes to major sores, and spreads quickly from there.

treatment: medication for fungal infections

The best way to treat fungal infections is with medication designed for them. Of course making sure the tank is in good shape is key as well as the fish is likely already in poor shape and needs all the help he can get recovering. As a side note, many remedies for fungal infections also work against bacterial infections which can bring some added benefit if the fish's initial poor health was brought on by one.

Ick/Ich and Velvet
signs- fish is covered in lightly colored specks or has a dusty appearance

Ick
Ask people to name a common fish disease and ick is probably the one you'll get. It seems just about everyone who's ever kept fish has had to deal with it at one point or another. Furthermore, it's quite easy to spot compared to other diseases and so seems to stick with people. If you haven't encountered it before, ick is a parasite that burrows into the fish's skin causing little white spots that make it appear as though your fish has been salted. Outbreaks often occur after the addition of new fish, which bring ick along with them, although it can also limp along in a tank for a long time until conditions are favorable for a explosion. Like pretty much every disease, favorable conditions means fish in poor health with the most common reason being poor water quality.

Velvet
Velvet is less common but still worth mentioning. It's another parasite that behaves much like ick, appearing as spots on the skin. The difference is the spots are much smaller and may have a yellow to greyish appearance. With enough of them it can sort of blend together giving the fish a fuzzy velvety appearance, hence the name.

treatment: medication for parasites

Treatment for both ick and velvet is pretty much the same. They're both parasites with a similar life cycle- part of which is spent attached to a fish and part of which is spent free swimming. Killing them is more or less impossible while they're safely burrowed under the fish's skin. It's only when they emerge into the open water to look for a new host that they're vulnerable. This means treatment can take some time. Medication needs to be applied for an extended period to basically wait out the parasite's natural life cycle, which can take up to a month. Raising the temperature of the aquarium a few degrees can help speed things up a bit. Also one other note- these parasites do require a fish host to complete their life cycle. So, should you move all your fish into quarantine for treatment, any parasites left in the main tank will die off after about a month.

Photo depicting a Goldfish with Fish Dropsy (S...
 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Dropsy
signs- fish is bloated, possibly with the scales protruding giving it a pine cone appearance

Dropsy isn't a disease itself but rather the physical outcome of some other ailment, usually a bacterial infection although it could be caused by any number of other things. The swelling is brought on by a buildup of fluid in the fish's body cavity.

treatment: medication for bacterial infections, aquarium salt

Unfortunately by the time the symptoms are clearly visible it's often too late to save the fish. Still, the best course of action is to move the fish to quarantine and begin administering an antibiotic, preferably in the form of an medicated food. Adding a small amount of aquarium salt may also help the fish expel some of the excess fluid thus alleviating the swelling. Use around one tablespoon per five gallons.

Swim Bladder
signs- fish has difficulty maintaining equilibrium and may have trouble controlling depth

A fish's swim bladder is sort of like a ballast tank in a submarine, only with air instead of water. They use it to keep themselves upright and at the correct depth. When it becomes damaged or otherwise perturbed the fish is no longer able to control this air and so will usually either sink to the bottom or float to the top, often in an off-kilter orientation.

treatment: fasting/cooked peas, medication for bacterial infections

Unfortunately there's not a lot of consensus on the exact cause (and in fact there are at least a couple possible causes) or how to treat it. Making sure the tank's chemistry is in good shape should be your first step of course, as it should be with any problem. One common cause is a blockage in the fish's digestive system. The common solution for this is shelled cooked peas (they're sorta the go-to fish laxative). Backing off on feedings for a few days can also help. Try this and see if the problem clears up. If not then it may be the symptom of a bigger infection in which case a medication can be tried. Unfortunately it can also sometimes arise due to trauma sustained during transport in which case there's not much that can be done. In these cases all you can do is give the fish a place to recover and hope for the best.

Pop Eye
signs- fish has a protruding eye

A pretty self explanatory name, the fish's eye or eyes bulge out from the fish's head as if they're on the verge of falling out completely. It's basically an inflammation of the eye causing it to swell and protrude. Once again this isn't so much linked to any one specific cause but instead may originate from a couple possible sources, namely injury or an infection.

treatment: improve conditions, medication for bacterial infections, aquarium salt

Injury due to fighting or possibly from bumping into something is probably the most common. Think of it like the fish equivalent of a black eye. A good indicator that this is a the cause is if only one eye is affected. In this case the best you can do is stop any fighting and provide your fish with a peaceful home in which to recover.

Another possibility is a bacterial infection. If both eyes are popped then this is more likely, though the fish should still be checked for signs of injury or fighting. A good medication is the best course of action here.

Finally, another thing you may try is aquarium salts. The increased salinity will help draw out the excess fluid, relieving the swelling. Add one tablespoon per five gallons and watch to see if it has any effect. Remember this can help relieve the swelling but won't fix the underlying problem and as always your first step should be to make sure the water is in good shape.

Cloudy Eye
signs- fish has a cloudy eye

The creatures of the world have all sorts of interesting eye with various colors and shapes and whatnot. One thing they all have in common, though, is that the center is nice and clear. If you ever notice your fish's eye or eyes becoming milky then something is not quite right.

treatment: improve conditions, medication for bacterial infections

There are a handful reasons a fish's eye may become cloudy. Parasites or bacteria are possible causes, particularly if the eye has been injured. Poor diet or even cataracts as a result of old age are possible culprits as well. But, the most likely cause falls in line with so many other problems- poor water quality. Getting the tank is good shape should be your first concern if your fish develops cloudy eyes.

Pay particular attention to the pH as an especially low pH is thought to contribute to this problem. Check that you are feeding your fish an appropriate diet as well. With better water quality and a proper diet the problem should clear in a few weeks. However, if the problem does not clear after several weeks with improved conditions an antibiotic can be tried.



Hole in the Head/Lateral Line Disease
signs- fish has holes in its head

The name is pretty self explanatory, and the symptoms are easy to spot, so all that leaves is the cause. Why are there unwelcome holes in your fish's head? Unfortunately there's no consensus on the exact cause. It may be caused by some specific pathogen, but none has been positively identified as of yet. Some think overuse of activated carbon or nutritional deficiencies may have something to do with it as well.

treatment: improve conditions, diet change

Ultimately, your best bet is to improve conditions as much as you can for your fish. Step up the water changes and try removing any activated carbon from your filtration. Try to add as much variety to your fish's diet as you can. Frozen as well as vitamin enriched flake foods are great sources of vital nutrients your fish may be lacking.

Fin Rot
signs- the fish's fins are deteriorating

Fin rot is another ailment that's not so much about a specific contagion rather than a result of the fish's overall health. Fin rot typically only affects fish that are already stressed or weak due to something else such as poor water quality, malnutrition, bullying, or possibly even some other sickness, at which point bacteria move in and start feasting on your poor fish's fins.

treatment: improve conditions, medication for bacterial infections

Your first course of action should be to determine why the fish's health has slipped in the first place and correct it. Check the water quality and switch to high quality vitamin enriched foods if you haven't already. An antibiotic may be necessary if the damage is severe (more than just a small section of the fin).

Again, the majority of the time health issues come down to a water quality problem. Keeping on top of your aquarium maintenance schedule is the best way to prevent problems in the first place.

Likewise, if an illness should strike checking the water's parameters should be your first step. Many problems will clear on their own with improved conditions. And if a medication becomes necessary make certain to follow the directions extremely closely. An overdose of medicine can be just as bad if not worse than the illness itself.