Fish Disease Diagnosis

More aquarium fish are killed by disease than any other cause. Unfortunately this affliction could be easily avoided as it's usually cause by poor water quality. Poor water quality can be caused by too many fish in one tank, lack of maintenance of your fish tank aquariums or overfeeding your fish.

Fish Disease Diagnosis

Fish Disease Prevention

One of the saddest things that pet owners everywhere will have to deal with at one time or another is the possibility of their fish getting sick. This can be an unfortunate incident that we will admittedly not have very much control over sometimes, but by and large a little care, forethought and attention can keep many of the common fish diseases at bay.

Fish Disease Prevention

• Fin Rot
  
• Marine ich
• Fish Fungus
• Dropsy
• lchthyophthiriasis
• Flukes
• Velvet
  

Types of Fish Disease

Fish ailments can be separated into 4 general types including bacterial infections, fungal infections, parasitic or protozoan infections, and physical ailments and wounds.

Types of Fish Disease

1. Bacterial Diseases: The most common finding is hemorrhage in skin, fins, oral cavity and muscles with superficial ulceration of the epidermis. Occasionally cavitary ulcers (similar to A. salmonicida) are observed. Exophthalmus and ascites are commonly observed. Splenomegaly and swollen kidneys are common. Histologically, multifocal areas of necrosis in the spleen, liver, kidney and heart with numerous rod shaped bacteria are observed.
2. Fungal Diseases: Clinically, affected fish develop white to brown cotton like growths on skin, fins, gills and dead eggs. This organism is an opportunist that will usually grow over previous ulcers or lesions. Diagnosis is by finding broad nonseptate branching hyphae that produce motile flagellated zoospores in the terminal sporangia.
3. Parasitic Diseases: The most common parasitic disease called "Ich" can be treated most effectively with copper or malachite green in the right dosage. Most treatments will have copper as an ingredient. Many water treatments like "Aquari-Sol" will also contain copper as an ingredient. If the treatment you use is an anti-biotic or copper based, remember to remove all carbon from the filtration system.
4. Physical Ailments: Physical Ailments are often the result of the environment. Poor quality water conditions can lead to fish gasping, not eating, jumping out of the tank, and more. Tank mate problems can result in nipped fins and bite wounds.

What to Put in a Goldfish Pond to Get Rid of Fungus

With any goldfish pond adventure, it is very important to maintain health for the fish. One of the threats to these beautiful creatures is the threat of fungus. Fungus is a white substance that attaches to the fish. It is sometimes stringy in appearance, but it is a problem for them. There are ways to prevent the onset of fungus, and conditions that are ripe for it. Following a strategic plan of attack, one can keep a healthy and beautiful goldfish pond for many years to come.

The best way to prevent fungus in your goldfish pond is to make sure the filters are cleaned, and change the water regularly. Another way to prevent it is to add salt to the water itself. This will change the balance in the water, and prevent fungus from growing in the environment.

If fungus is found in your goldfish pond, one way to treat the fish is to add medications to their diet, and to clean the pond well. Making sure that the pond stays clean is a great way to ward off bacteria and fungus in general. The fish will thank you for it, and you'll prevent costly treatment.

Routine maintenance is also advisable. Checking the health of the fish daily is a way to catch any health issue early. The recommended maintenance procedure is to check the fish every day for signs of fungus, and clean the filters and water on a weekly basis. All your hard work will pay off when your goldfish pond is sparkling clean and your fish are healthy and vibrant!

By: Kerri Reed

Treatments for Tropical Fish Diseases

When our fish get sick, we often feel helpless. Helplessness is often accompanied by fear; fear because we can't quite understand why the fish got ill and fear of losing our beloved pet. These fears can be alleviated with some understanding of what to look for in tropical fish diseases and how we can care for our fish during these difficult times. Diagnosing tropical fish diseases is a difficult task even for the experienced aquarist. Some profession laboratories can perform sensitivity tests by taking a small sample of the fish to determine the proper antibiotic to administer. These tests are, however, quite expensive and not always conclusive. There are many medications available depending on the symptoms your fish display. There are also a number of things you can do to care for your tropical fish during a period of illness. You can educate yourself on tropical fish diseases so that you are in a better position to identify the problem and get the appropriate treatment. Here are a few examples:

• Fish Swimming in Circles - You may observe your fish swimming in circles with its fins clamped. This can be the result of some type of poisoning and will require you to check the contents of the tank to see if there are any contaminants, followed by a complete water change.

• Sores or scabs - If there are ulcers on the body of the fish it could be the result of the Pseudomonas bacteria. This disease may also be accompanied by small haemorrhages from the mouth or internally.

• Red patches on the body - These patches can be seen all over the body including the mouth and fins and are reddish in color. It is indicative of Fibrosis which is caused by the vibrato bacteria which spreads aggressively and can cause death. In addition to medication, a 50 percent water change is recommended.

• Bulging/cloudy eyes - Bulging eyes or cloudy eyes are two different symptoms associated with the same disease. There may be bulging in one or both eyes along with poor appetite, changes in the color of the fish and you may observe the fish attempting to hide. This could be Pistine tuberculosis requiring complete sanitization of the aquarium since there is no known effective treatment. Pistine tuberculosis can also appear in the form of cloudy eyes, one or both, with similar symptoms like appetite and color changes.

• Clamped fins - The fish may appear to have their fins clamped to the sides and as such have difficulty swimming. This is a sign of chilling resulting from a drop in the tank temperature. Check to ensure.

By: Joan Schroeder