Fish Disease White Spot
There are many types of Fish Disease White Spot which can kill your fish if left unchecked.
You can keep many disease in check with frequent water changes, but some do take special medication. The list below might help you determine what disease your fish has.
When inspecting your fish for Fish Disease White Spot, go one step further and look for tiny dots that are white and may be fuzzy looking This indicates the parasite Ichthyophthirius, sometimes called Ich. It is a common parasite affecting all kinds of fish. Caused mainly by poor water quality it can be easily treated with store bought medications if caught in time.
If you don’t clean your tank regularly, you may find Grayish cottony patches on skin or gills - This is probably a fungus caused by large amounts of decaying matter (fish waste and food) in the tank. It should be easy to clear up with treatments if it has not progressed too far. You can buy treatments online and, of course, clean the tank more often to prevent this from happening.
Sometimes the cause of a disease also causes another, the Fish Disease White Spot is sometimes found with fish that have rotting fins. This tropical fish disease is probably caused by bacteria attacking the fins and is likely to happen where there is poor water quality and / or the fish are stressed. If only a few fish are affected, you can isolate them to prevent spread of the bacteria. This can be treated with medicine purchased at the pet store specifically for this type of disease. You should check your fish daily to insure their fins are in good condition as this requires immediate treatment.
Flukes are a parasite that attach the fish’s skin and gills. Symptoms include cloudy skin and scraping against the bottom. This can be caused by poor water quality and my be difficult to treat. You can buy medication for it and you should try to treat the tank immediately upon seeing an outbreak.
Are your fish fish gasping for air? Depending on the type of filter you are using and the shape of your tank, you may not be getting enough oxygen into the water. Add an airstone to the tank which will allow oxygen to enter the water through the air bubbles it makes.
When trying to clear your tank of Fish Disease White Spot, make sure you follow the directions on the label. As you can see, most of these diseases are caused by poor water quality so periodic water changes are your best bet to make sure your fish stay healthy.