Common Diseases and Illnesses Affecting Aquarium Fishes

It is important that acceptable habitats and conditions are given to fishes to ensure that they remain healthy. The standards of their surroundings contribute heavily to their chances of thriving. An impediment to the health of the fishes is the threat of common fish diseases.

One common fish disease is ICH. This is a type of fish disease whereby the affected fish has white colored spots all over the body. When a fish is sick it is important to check for those white spots of the size and shape of the grains of salt over its skin. This disease is caused by Ichthyophthirius in freshwater tanks and in saltwater tanks it is caused by Cryptocaryon irritants. ICH may affect the eyes and the insides of the mouth and gills of the fish besides the body of the fish.

If the fish exhibit behaviors and symptoms such as gasping for air near the surface of the aquarium or rubbing against objects, it may be due to ICH. Loss of appetite is another symptom associated with the above mentioned ones. The fishes seldom can fight ICH by themselves. Copper sulfur medication needs to be administered in order that they can be cured. Antibiotic medication should be provided after the parasites are gone, in order to prevent them from recurring.

Another common parasite is Velvet which shows symptoms similar to ICH but with tinier and dusty spots on the fish's body. Sometimes the spots may be gray or gold in color. The spots will be tinier and so they are more difficult to spot and attention should be paid to this aspect. Fishes that have contracted Velvet display similar symptoms to ICH, and will abrade itself against objects or show difficulty in breathing by trying to gulp in air near the surface of the water especially if the gills are infected. As with ICH, vets would generally advocate the use of copper medication as a form of treatment for Velvet.

A fungal infection may also develop quite commonly in fishes which appear in gray or white color over the body of the fish. They usually appear in the fins or the mouth of the fish as well. Another reason for such a disease is when fishes are are harmed by other fishes. Open wounds are highly prone to fungal infections. An appropriate medication for fungal diseases can be availed from a nearby pet shop or from an online pet supplier.

Bacterial infection is a common occurrence among fishes. If you notice orange or red spot on the scales of the fishes, they are most probably bacterial infection. Dropsy is a frequent bacterial infection that is often noted. If the fish looks distended or has scales that bulge out, it is a sign that the infection is attacking the insides of the fish and it is. The fish exhibits loss of appetite and is lethargic. Medications such as penicillin, naladixic acid and tetracycline are most commonly used to cure bacterial infections.

Proper prevention measures can save your fishes from getting prone to diseases and the hassles in treating them. The best way to provide a healthy environment for the fishes is to keep the aquarium clean. You should check for aggressive fishes that attack weak fishes and try to keep them separate. The size of the fish tank, fish types and quality of the water should be checked constantly too.

Dear in mind that the fishes can still fall prey to infections and afflictions at some juncture despite your best efforts. When that happens, it is vital that you seek or give treatment as soon as possible to avoid the disease getting transmitted to other fishes.

Article Source: http://www.a1-articledirectory.com

Moses Wright is a an experience aquarium fish owner. He created this web site to help fellow fish owners with their aquarium fish care issues and other pet problems.

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