Fresh Water Fish Disease
There are many types of Fresh Water Fish Disease which can kill your fish if left unchecked.
You must treat the tank quickly in order for most disease to be stopped. If you notice something amiss in your tank, take a look at the list below to determine what it actually is that your fish have and how to treat it.
If your fish have Fresh Water Fish Disease, you should also look for white spots that look like little dots on the fish - This is probably Ich (Ichthyophthirius), a parasite which is rather common. This disease can be caused by poor water and is easily contracted by fish whose immune system is weak. If caught in time, it can be treated with medication that you buy in the pet store.
If you see that your fish have Grayish cottony patches on their skin or gills, this is probably a fungus caused by decaying matter in the tank. If you haven’t cleaned your tank in a while and there is lots of food and fish waste on the bottom this may be the cause. Easily cured if caught in time, you can buy a remedy for this at the local store or online – and of course you should clean out your tank!
Sometimes the cause of a disease also causes another, the Fresh Water Fish Disease could also show up with fish that have fin rot. 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.
If you notice your fish scraping against the bottom then he may have flukes. Flukes are a parasite that attach the gills and skin of the fish – once again poor water quality can be to blame. This disease is difficult to get rid of and the tank should be treated at the first sign of outbreak.
If you notice that your finned friends seem to be fish gasping for air This could mean that your tank has too many fish. Overcrowding the tank is bad for a number of reasons, so you may want to get rid of some fish or try an airstone to get more oxygen into the water.
While treating your tank for Fresh Water Fish Disease, Follow exactly what the directions say. Make sure you add the amount specified for your tanks size – too much or too little will not be good for the tank. In the future planning periodic water changes and “vacuuming” the tank will help prevent disease.