Tropical Fish Diseases

Tropical Fish Diseases: Eye Problems

2007-09-09T21:34:00.000+10:00

Eye problems are not necessarily tropical fish diseases, but are more commonly a result of bacteria build up or poor nutrition.

There are a number of symptoms to look out for in your fishes:

Physical Injury:

If you fish has some how physically harmed its eye, it may be a good idea to move it to a recuperation tank with some antibiotics in the water to help prevent any infections. Depending on the extent of the injury the fish might need a bit of time to recover, and once it looks healthy, just get it back into the main tank.

You might want to also find out how it managed to hurt itself and see if you can take care of that to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

Cloudy Eyes:

This is most often caused by a bacterial infection, and on the rare occasion fungus may be the culprit.

It is best to add antibiotics, such as tetracycline or chloromycetin, to the water to help alleviate the problem. You should start treatment as soon as you notice a problem.

Pop Eye:

Can commonly be caused by vitamin A deficiency, bacterial infections, poor water quality, tumors, and injury.

You will be able to easily spot it if your fish’s eyes are protruding from the head. If pop eye is caused by vitamin deficiency, you can often cure it by increasing the amount of vitamin A in the food. If it’s caused by tumors or injury, it might be more difficult to cure and may depend largely on the fish’s ability to recuperate from the illness.

In most cases, by ensuring you provide your fishes with a healthy environment to live in, appropriate diets, and quick responses if you notice a problem, your fishes will remain healthy and happy.

For more information about how you can have healthy fishes, free from any tropical fish diseases, in a healthy environment, have a look at Katy’s Tropical Fish – A Complete Guide.

Tropical Fish Diseases: Ick

2007-08-28T10:07:00.000+10:00

This is the first part in a series of profiles on some of the most common tropical fish diseases. Throughout the series I will be looking at what the diseases actually are, how they came to existing in your tank, how you can prevent them from appearing, and how you can treat them if they do appear.

The first profile is of perhaps one of the most common ailments, Ick or Ich, depending on your spelling preference I guess.

What is Ichthyophthirius?

Sometimes referred to as White Spot Disease, because of the small white cysts that appears on the skin of any infected fishes, Ick often looks like sprinkles of salt on the fish’s body. It initially appears on the fins and tails, but in advanced stages can spread to the rest of the body.

How to prevent Ick?

The Ick parasite is always present in all tanks, even in well managed tanks, but a small amount will not be harmful to the fish. However, if the Ick parasites are allowed to multiply then that is when it could become a problem for the health of your fishes.

To prevent Ick from becoming a problem it is important to avoid overcrowding in the tank, as this places higher levels of stress on the fishes and makes it easier for the Ick to spread. You also need to regularly change the water to limit the amount of organic waste in the tank, and be sure to quarantine any new fishes before introducing them into your aquarium.

Essentially, like humans, fish are at their healthiest when they are stress free. So avoid rapid changes in water temperature and maintain a high level of water quality that is suitable for your fishes.

If one of your fishes is weakened by a health problem, it is a good idea to separate it from the others into an isolated aquarium to avoid infecting other fishes.

How to treat Ick?

Good water management is as important, if not more, than getting anti-Ick medication when treating Ick.

You need to get into good water habits to treat and prevent Ick.

Raise the water temperature to about 85-88 degrees F (or to a level that is still comfortable for the fishes)

You will also need to increase the aeration in the tank to make it easier for the fish to breathe in the warmer water

Add about one teaspoon of plain salt per gallon of water into your tank, or roughly one tablespoon per five gallons of water

Change the water and clean all features of the tank daily for at least a week

This routine is recommended for at least a week, and is dependent on the temperature of the water, but remember not to stress the fish by increasing the temperature to unbearable levels just to treat Ick.

If after a week you do not notice any improvement in the fish’s health, then you might want to visit the pet store and pick up some anti-Ick medication. There are a number of effective medications but make sure you receive professional advice about the type of medication required for your fishes.

For more information about Ick, and other tropical fish diseases, as well as great tips on how to keep your fishes healthy and happy, visit Katy’s Tropical Fish – A Complete Guide.

How To Prevent and Avoid Tropical Fish Diseases

2007-08-25T11:10:00.000+10:00

Although some tropical fish diseases are quite common, there are several preventable measures you can take to ensure your fishes remain healthy and happy.

A lot of the time these minor ailments are caused by poor tank water management, which may lead to parasites living in the tanks and infecting the fishes.

If you want to prevent your tropical fishes from catching any diseases, these tips might be useful to you:

Always check your fish’s skin for any unusual spots or marks

When introducing a fish into a new tank, you need to give it time to adjust from the water at the shop to the water in your aquarium. You can do this by isolating your fish in a smaller quarantine tank for up to two weeks before introducing it into your home tank

Ask the shop what the suitable temperature level for your fish is, and what level of pH for your tank is most appropriate for your fish. Make sure you follow these guidelines and ensure a comfortable environment for your fishes

This is perhaps the most simple prevention technique, yet also the most important; make sure you change the tank water regularly. This limits the build up of ammonia, nitrate, and carbon dioxide in the tank, and allows you to limit the amount of waste build up as well

When getting the water for your tank, try to filter as much chlorine from the tap water as possible. Depending on where you live, tap water contains various levels of chlorine and this may become hazardous to your fish’s health if exposed to high levels of chlorinated water

Keep the area around the aquarium relaxed by avoiding bright lights and loud noises as this stresses the fishes. Like humans, fishes become more vulnerable to infections and illnesses when they become stressed

Don’t overfeed your fishes. This is a common cause of waste buildup in most home aquariums. It’s easy to fall into ‘the more the merrier’ mentality when feeding fishes, but fishes will only eat what they want, and the uneaten food left in the water floats around and just becomes waste. Feed them in stages, give them a pinch now and if they eat it all quickly, give them another pinch

If you want to mix different species of fish in the same tank, make sure they are appropriate for each other. Some tropical fishes require different temperature levels, and different environments to thrive in, and if they are not in a suitable environment this can be harmful to their health. Always ask the shop for assistance when you want to mix different types of fishes

It is relatively easy to prevent tropical fish diseases if you maintain a healthy living environment for the fishes. Be mindful of the fish’s look, and always check the quality of the water, and your fishes should be fine.

If you want more information about how to prevent tropical fish diseases, and how to better care for your fishes, have a look at Katy’s Tropical Fish - A Complete Guide.

Photo by Peter Gustafson

Tropical Fish Diseases: Overcoming Common Infections

2007-08-25T10:52:00.000+10:00

Prevention is always easier than intervention, but if prevention doesn’t quite work, then you need to know what the common infections are and how to overcome tropical fish diseases.

Some infections are easy to notice and can be prevented if you are alert to it. Unfortunately, other diseases are internal and difficult to notice until treatment is required.

Here are some of the common tropical fish diseases and how you can overcome them:

Ammonia Poisoning:

Typically with Ammonia related illnesses fishes turn a red-lilac color and are often floating below the surface panting for air.

It is important that you understand the cycling process of a new tank to limit levels of ammonia, and to maintain appropriate pH levels and water temperature.

Ammonia poisoning is quite easy to treat, but if you don’t treat it right away it may become problematic for the fish’s health.

Cataracts:

Just like us humans, fishes can actually get cataracts as well. Eye related infections are often due to the amount of waste in the tank. Always ask the shop what the acceptable levels of ammonia and nitrate are for your species of fish, and make sure you follow these guidelines.

Cataracts are typically just fungal growths covering the eyes, and normal aquarium fungicide is often a good form of treatment.

Corneybacteriosis:

This is commonly known as ‘bulging eyes’ because, you guessed it, the fish often looks like it has bulging eyes.

The bulging eyes are usually accompanied by swelling in the head. Again, this is related to poor water quality and can be a result of overcrowding in the tank. You need to limit the amount of waste in the water to ensure a healthy environment for the fishes.

Dropsy:

You can spot dropsy if your fish looks bloated and the scales look like they are being forced outward.

This is usually a case of an internal bacterial infection. With these types of infections, if they are not treated properly further internal damage may be caused. Anti-bacterial medication may help treat the infection with a slight increase in water temperature for up to two weeks.

Internal infections are difficult to treat, so please consult an expert regarding the appropriate medication.

Ichthyophthiriasis (or just Ich):

Perhaps one of the most common tropical fish diseases, Ich appears as small white spots covering the fish’s body and fins.

You will need to carefully manage the temperature of the water by gradually increasing the temperature to prevent the spread of the parasites that cause Ich, and then returning the temperature back to normal once the water is clear. This can also be treated by anti-Ich medication that breaks the cycle of Ich and treats the disease in the water.

Most of the common tropical fish diseases are easy to treat, and even easier to prevent. The most important steps you need to take are to provide the fishes with a healthy environment to live in, and to treat any illnesses immediately.

I have always found Katy’s Tropical Fish - A Complete Guide to be a great resource on how to care for tropical fishes and how to ensure they are healthy and happy

Tropical fish diseases can be quite easy to prevent and to overcome; you just need to be aware of what your fishes look like, and to treat them appropriately.

Photo by Peter Gustafson