Identify Aquarium Fish Diseases

When you pass by your fish tank, you may notice your fish behaving strangely or showing abnormal physical characteristics. These are clues that your fish is suffering from some type of disease and will need treatment. Learning how to identify aquarium fish diseases, along with how to treat them, will help you take good care of your fish and keep him healthy and stress-free.

Steps

Identifying Aquarium Fish Diseases

  1. Watch your fish’s movements and breathing. How your fish is breathing and moving around in the aquarium can let you know if he is sick. For example, your fish may be swimming less. Some diseases could prevent your fish from being able to swim at all.[1]
    • You may also see your fish rubbing up against objects in the aquarium. This is called ‘flashing’ or ‘glancing,’ and is often associated with external parasites.[2]
    • If you observe your fish moving his fins rapidly but not actually going anywhere, he may be suffering from gill disease. With gill disease, he may also lie listless at the bottom of the aquarium.[1]
    • Labored breathing is another common sign of illness in aquarium fish.[2]
  2. Look at your fish’s body parts. Aquarium fish diseases can cause visible abnormalities on your fish’s body. Areas to pay close attention to include your fish’s eyes, fins, and swim bladder.
    • If your fish has ‘Pop-eye,’ his eyes become so large that it looks like they will pop out of his head. This may be caused by bacteria or too much oxygen in the water.[1]
    • Fin rot is a disease in which your fish’s fins turn opaque and begin to erode. This disease can be fatal if the fins erode down to the base of the fin—this would prevent your fish from being able to move.[1]
    • Your fish’s swim bladder, which is located above the stomach, can become swollen if he has swim bladder disease.[3] Since a normally functioning swim bladder provides buoyancy, a swollen swim bladder would prevent your fish from being able to swim or float.[1]
    • If you look closely enough, you may be able to see small parasites, such as white lice, hanging on to your fish’s body. These parasites cause extreme irritation, leading your fish to ‘flash’ or ‘glance’ to try to remove the parasite. Sores will develop because of this rubbing.[1]
  3. Look for mucus on your fish. Mucus can be a sign of fungal or bacterial disease. Ich, also known as White Spot Disease, is a fungal disease that produces mucus on a fish’s gills and body.[4] It is caused by a pathogen called Ichthyophthirius multifiliis . The mucus functions to repel the pathogen from the skin.[2]
    • Ich is one of the most common aquarium fish diseases and can be very contagious.[4][1]
    • Other fungal diseases, such as Mouth Fungus and Body Fungus, can cause white patches of mucus to develop on your fish’s body.[5]
    • Columnaris disease is a bacterial disease that can produce a grayish-white film on your fish’s body. You may also see yellow or gray patches on his gills.[5]

Treating Aquarium Fish Diseases

  1. Check your aquarium’s water quality. Parasites, bacteria, or fungi commonly cause aquarium fish diseases. However, the presence of these pathogens in your fish’s aquarium does not automatically mean your fish will become ill. Often, the underlying culprit in aquarium fish diseases is poor water quality.[6]
    • Checking the water quality is the first thing you should if you notice your fish looking unwell.[7]
    • Testing kits are available that test pH and levels of water hardness, nitrate, nitrate, and ammonia.[8]
    • Poor water quality can increase the concentration of pathogens in the tank to a level that would make your fish sick.[6]
    • Different species fish can have different water quality requirements. Consult with your veterinarian or the staff at your local pet store for more specific guidance on water quality.
  2. Think about recent changes to your fish’s aquarium or routine. When you notice that your fish is unwell, try to recall any changes that you may have made to the aquarium or his normal routine. Sometimes, the changes themselves can cause stress, which can leave your fish more susceptible to illness.
    • For example, ask yourself if you have added new fish to the aquarium, or changed out any of the water quality equipment.[7]
    • If you have added a new fish, remember whether you quarantined the new fish before adding it to the tank.[7] A new fish that is sick may expose your other fish to disease.
    • You should also ask yourself if you have recently changed your fish’s diet.[7]
    • Also, try to remember if you sprayed on perfume or insect repellant near your fish’s aquarium. The chemicals from these substances may have gotten into your fish’s tank and affected the water quality.[6]
  3. Quarantine your fish. It is a good idea to treat your fish in a separate aquarium.[9] To reduce your fish’s stress of moving from one tank to the other, keep the water conditions in the quarantine aquarium as close to the conditions in the original tank. Also, place some plastic plants in the new aquarium to help your fish feel more comfortable.[10]
    • Use a water heater to ensure the water temperature does not fall below 75 degrees Fahrenheit.[10]
    • Consider using a non-chemical filter, such as a sponge filter. Chemical filters may filter out the medication you apply to the water. Also, avoid using a strong power filter—it may cause a water disturbance that could further distress your sick fish.[10]
    • Place an air stone in the tank to provide oxygen. Some medications may remove oxygen from the water, which could stress your fish.[10]
    • Use a net to move your fish from one tank to the other.
    • It is recommended to quarantine your fish for at least 10 days while you are treating him.[10]
  4. Treat your fish. Medicated foods and treatments added directly to the water are the most common ways to treat sick aquarium fish. Many antibiotics, anti-fungal, and anti-parasitic medications are available to treat your sick fish. In addition, substances such as copper, formalin, and malachite green can be effective as treatments.[11][11]
    • At your local pet store, you will see a variety of commercial fish medications. However, they may not have been tested for safety and efficacy.[10]
    • Talk with your veterinarian or a fish expert for recommendations on reputable fish medications.
    • Whichever medication is recommended for your fish’s disease, follow the instructions carefully to ensure you are treating your fish correctly and effectively.
  5. Return your fish to his aquarium. After your fish has been cleared of his disease, you can place him back in his original aquarium. If you have multiple sick fish to treat, disinfect the aquarium by adding 5% hydrochloric acid to the aquarium.[12] Let the disinfecting agents stand in the water for several days, then clean it and add another sponge filter.[10]
    • Products to clean the quarantine aquarium are available at your local pet store.
    • Consult with the staff at your local pet store or your local water safety department about safe ways to dispose of the treated water.

Tips

  • The list of aquarium fish diseases is extensive. Consider investing in a comprehensive fish guide that provides detailed information on diseases and treatment.
  • Skin lesions are one of the most recognizable signs of aquarium diseases.[2]
  • Maintaining excellent water quality and providing your fish with a low-stress environment and good nutrition may be all that is needed to keep him healthy and disease-free.[7]
  • Water that is too cold (below 75 degrees Fahrenheit) can contribute to fish disease.[13]
  • If you would like to add a new fish to your aquarium, you will need to first quarantine him for 30 to 60 days. Make sure to maintain good water quality in the quarantine aquarium to keep the new fish healthy.[2]

Warnings

  • Your fish’s disease may have progressed to the point where treatment is not possible.[10] Talk with your veterinarian about the possibility of euthanizing your fish.
  • High levels of nitrate, nitrate, and ammonia can be toxic to your fish.[13]
  • Commercial medications may do more harm than good. Check the ingredient label on the medication’s container. Consult with your veterinarian a fish expert if you are unsure how to read and interpret the ingredient label.[10]

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/disease/common.php
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 http://www.fishchannel.com/fish-health/disease-prevention/common-freshwater-fish-diseases.aspx
  3. ↑ http://www.britannica.com/science/swim-bladder
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=16+2160&aid=2421
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 http://www.fishnet.org/sick-fish-chart.htm
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 http://healthyaquatics.com/fish-disease-identification
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2007/10/aafeature1
  8. ↑ http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=16+2154&aid=1527
  9. ↑ http://www.liveaquaria.com/PIC/article.cfm?aid=71
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.6 10.7 10.8 http://fish.mongabay.com/disease.htm
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/information/Diseases.htm
  12. ↑ http://www.fishyportal.com/cgi-bin/pub/diag?c=v&id=46
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=16+1979&aid=1526

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