Always have products to treat white dot, it is the most common disease. It also has among its elements a bactericidal and a funguicide. These products are often common to many diseases. Keep your expiration dates in mind.
Take precautions when introducing new fish, rocks or plants, especially if they come from natural environments. Click here to find out which rocks are suitable for the aquarium and which are not, you will also see the consequences. Below you will find a complete guide to diseases. Here you will learn about the symptoms, how to identify them, the probable causes, and the treatments to follow to try to heal the affected fish.
Specific treatments for each disease are detailed in the guide below. But there are certain details and facts that you must understand and respect in every treatment. The first fundamental resource is patience. Treatments usually last for a few days, sometimes weeks. Always follow the instructions of the specialist who supplies the necessary products to treat the fish or aquarium. Also understand that if you start treatment and the improvement does not come within a couple of days, you should not suspend, modify or replace it. This mixture of products can cause even more severe disorders to fish.
Chemicals suitable for a disease can sometimes adversely affect other elements, such as plants or bacteria. Advise yourself to avoid extra trouble. Always have elements to assemble a quarantine aquarium in emergencies. Below the disease guide you will find tips for assembling the quarantine aquarium.
Symptoms: the body of the fish is covered with small white dots. So are your fins. In a couple of days, the points will increase and other fish will be infected. His gills don't move naturally. Causes: A parasite called Ichthyopjirius is housed under the skin of the fish. This parasite reproduces from the body. When it does, it leaves a hole in the skin that quickly becomes infected. A cyst will appear that bursts shortly. That's where young parasites come from. The white spot is the most common disease in aquariums. Treatment: Specialized retailers sell chemicals for treatment in the first phase only. If you have filter in the aquarium, do not disable it. Just remove the activated carbon.
Symptoms: you will notice that the fish swims from side to side, rubbing your body against rocks and plants. You'll notice inflammations on the skin, and there are threads that look like worms. These organisms arise upwards and are light green. Causes: This is the parasite called Lernaea. He buries his head in the body of the fish, being anchored to it. Treatment: Transfer infected fish to a quarantine aquarium. Use a small tweezers to remove worms. Be careful, you should not cut the worm, since if your head is buried in the fish, everything will remain the same. If the fish is badly injured apply suitable antiseptics. In specialized stores purchase Metriponate and supply 1.5 mg every 4.5 liters of water.
Symptoms: you will notice that the fish suffering from this disease will look dull. His body is covered by a thin layer of grayish and whitish mucosa. It also affects the gills. The fish rubs its body against rocks and plants. Causes: the main cause is severe neglect of water conditions. The consequence is the degradation of the natural mucus of the fish. It is then exposed to parasites such as Chilodonella and Ichthyobodo. Treatment: It is really difficult to treat this disease, especially if it progressed too far. If the gills of the fish are healthy, go to a specialized store to provide you with the product indicated. If the gills are already damaged, ask a specialist to treat the fish in a quarantine aquarium with formalin.
Symptoms: The abdomen swells so much that the scales protrude from the body pointy. The dropsy is chronic. Appears to view once advanced and develops in the long term. Causes: While it may be due to a totally inadequate diet, the main cause is severe neglect of water conditions. There is usually a high level of nitrites and sodium chloride. There may be too many bacteria. There is also dysfunction of fish organs. Treatment: no cure. Study the ideal food habits and water conditions for the fish species you select.
Symptoms: the fish looks agitated, breathing takes a lot of effort. The color can darken, and your eyes become glassy. Gills become inflamed if the picture is severe. Since little oxygen reaches his brain, he moves awkwardly. He also rubs his operculums against the rocks. Causes: gill membranes become infected with practically not visible parasites. Treatment: Specialized retailers sell products such as Sterazin. Treatment can be quite long. Sometimes you must be patient until the eggs of Dactylogyrus hatch.
Symptoms: the body of the fish appears to be covered with a velvety yellowish film. It also covers the fins. The fish is stirred by respiratory difficulties, and rubs its body against the rocks for relief. Causes: Parasites called piscinoodiniumappear. They take root in the skin of fish to feed on them. Treatment: The first step is to cover the fish tank and leave it without light. This will weaken the parasite. Specialized retailers sell chemicals to treat it. If you have filter in the aquarium, do not disable it. Just remove the activated carbon so that it does not remove the chemical from the water.
Symptoms: sectors of the fish's body are covered with villi that look like cotton flakes. Affected sectors owe this to damage of the natural protective mucosa of fish. Causes: may appear subsequently to the white-dot disease. Sometimes it is a consequence of severe neglect of water conditions. It is common for fungal infection to happen to a wound on the body or fins. Treatment: specialized shops sell funguicides, which should be applied to the entire aquarium. If you have filter in the aquarium, do not disable it. Just remove the activated carbon. Advise on identifying the causes of the outbreak and improve conditions afterwards. If the fish had wounds, check that the species in your aquarium are suitable for living together.
Symptoms: the belly bulges noticeably. Because he's constipated, he doesn't feed or defecate. It rests on the substrate for many hours, as it is weakened. It may be difficult to distinguish this disease from dropsy. Causes: in most cases it is due to overfeeding. It may also be an incomplete or inadequate diet for your fish. Treatment: add to the aquarium water half a teaspoon of magnesium sulfate tea every five liters of water. If the fish recover, advise on the eating habits of your fish species.
Symptoms: the fish thins and its eyes protrude from its orbits. Causes: This disease, distinguished by inflamed nodules behind the eyes of the fish, is usually a consequence of bacterial septicemia or tuberculosis. A severe neglect of water conditionsis usually observed. Treatment: improve the quality of the habitat. The treatment process is slow. If they don't recover, it's because the origin of the disease is tuberculosis. The latter case has no cure. There is no alternative but to remove infected fish.
Symptoms: the fish rubs its body against the rocks for relief. On their skin appear tiny parasites grouped in the form of flat discs. Causes: Lice have suction cups that attach them to the body of the fish. They penetrate into it to feed on their blood and lay eggs. Then they will look for other fish to continue feeding. Treatment: Transfer infected fish to a quarantine aquarium. Use a small tweezers to remove parasites. Apply antiseptics suitable for fish wounds. In specialized stores purchase Metriponate and supply the main aquarium with 1.5 mg every 4.5 liters of water. Buy also a chemist to kill larvae.
Symptoms: you will notice that fish that eat abundantly thin. Sometimes they bring parasites from their habitat into nature. Parasites can be seen coming out of the anus. Causes: some intestinal worms enter the body of fish and feed on their blood. Treatment: ask for assistance in a specialized store. They'll probably supply him with an anthelmintic to include with the food. Apply a suggested chemical to remove parasites from the aquarium.
Symptoms: Highly developed finned fish are very prone to this disease. The catfish and species with whiskers too. Inflammation of the rays of the fins is observed. Subsequently, the fins are shortened and floured. Causes: this disease is due to bacterial infections due to severe neglect of water conditions. Other fish may also be biting the fins of the affected fish. Treatment: improve the quality of the habitat, both water and fish. Transfer the fish to the quarantine aquarium and treat it with bactericidal Myxazin. You can also opt for the use of gentian violet. Go to a specialist for advice on the dosage of products.
Symptoms: It usually affects Discus. Sensory pores on the head are filled with pus. Also the sensory pores close to the lateral line. Another indicator is long hard fecal matter. Causes: Cichlids and some anabantides (or labyrinths) harbor a parasite called Hexamite. It is harmless until the fish has a drop of its natural defenses. Treatment: ask for assistance in a specialized store. They'll probably supply him with Dimetronidazole. Apply 100 mg every 9 liters of water to the aquarium. The correct procedure is to extract a couple of liters from the aquarium, add the total dose to the aquarium and, once diluted, incorporate the already diluted product into the aquarium.
Symptoms: the fish rubs its body against the rocks for relief. On their skin appear tiny parasites shaped like worms. It's a very contagious disease. Causes: Leeches can reach the aquarium inside a new fish. The eggs of them can arrive in rocks brought from nature. Leeches have suction cups that attach them to the body of the fish. Treatment: Transfer infected fish to a quarantine aquarium. Use a small tweezers to remove leeches. Apply antiseptics suitable for fish wounds. In specialized stores purchase Metriponate and supply the main aquarium with 1.5 mg every 4.5 liters of water.
Symptoms: the affected fish will swim tummy up, inverted. It does not move naturally, looks clumsy and hits itself with surrounding objects. Causes: this disease is due to bacterial infections due to severe neglect of water conditions. It can also be a congenital problem. Treatment - it is unlikely that we will accurately identify the origin of the disease. improve the quality of the habitat, especially water. Transfer the fish to the quarantine aquarium. Order the right chemical from a specialty store and apply it to both the main and quarantine aquarium. Wait a week, if the affected fish does not improve, it probably does not do it later. There will be nothing left but to sacrifice the animal.
A 12-liter fishbowl will be suitable (30x20x20 cm). Do not use bottom plates, a thin layer of red gravelwill suffice. Include an artificial plant and some rock for shelter. Do not decorate the aquarium, for obvious hygiene issues. Place a small sponge filter and a heater (provided it is tropical fish).
The water to use is the same as the main aquarium. If the fish is sick, the least will need will be a change of water conditions. Your defenses may not tolerate it. It is important that this aquarium is dark, it will take away energy from parasites.
© Adrián Blanco 2005 — Prohibited the total or partial reproduction of text and/or images without explicit written consent of the author. —
Reproduction of aquarium fish
Water resource: World Heritage Site Aquarium Ichthys Acuariophyll Association Argentina Purchase of aquarium fish Forum of Tropical Fish and Aquariums Compatibility between tropical fish Links to aquarianism and aquariophilia pages Snails in the aquarium Fish & Aquariums Finder