The fish is a lovely pet that requires little attention; there are several varieties with different colors and you can put various types in the aquarium, which thus turns into an extraordinary piece of furniture for the home. However, this animal is quite susceptible to stress and disease; proper care, proper tank maintenance and your ability to diagnose symptoms can ensure a healthy life and allow you to manage any possible problems.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Caring for the Fish
Step 1. Watch it
See how it swims, breathes, eats and interacts with other fish. You have to get an idea of what is normal, so that you know when something is wrong; a healthy fish has a decent appetite and swims actively.
Step 2. Find out what species you have
You need to do some research to know the suitable size of the aquarium, the ideal temperature, the steps to take to take care of it, the equipment and food needed to keep your little friend healthy; seawater and freshwater specimens have different needs.
Saltwater fish require more care and are not as hardy as most freshwater fish. It is important to regularly check the composition of the water; To do this, you need special equipment, such as a hydrometer to constantly measure the specific gravity of the water, as well as the quality of the salt mixes
Step 3. Avoid stressing the fish
The main factor in keeping fish healthy is to ensure a relaxed environment; when he is agitated his immune system weakens and he becomes more susceptible to disease. You must therefore prevent this form of anxiety by regularly taking care of it and satisfying its needs to protect it from pathologies in the long term.
- Regular aquarium maintenance also includes partial water changes; replace about 25% every 15 days.
- Give him varied, nutrient-rich food. Most fish like industrially processed flakes, sticks or pellets; varies its diet by incorporating frozen or freeze-dried American worms, live or frozen brine shrimp, and some vegetables to increase nutritional value and fiber intake.
- Don't overdo the food. Just give him what he can swallow in three minutes; otherwise, the excess residues not only dirty the water, but can also make the fish sick.
- Check that the filter system is working properly; the filter is designed to remove harmful toxins from the water, such as ammonia and nitrites.
- Provide enough space for the fish to live comfortably. Do not overcrowd the aquarium; a general rule to follow is to avoid more than 2.5 cm of fish for every 4 liters of water.
- Insert only compatible species into the tank; you have to prevent them from eating each other, hurting each other or competing aggressively with each other. A quiet fish becomes stressed if it has to live with an aggressive fish or one that communicates differently through body language.
Step 4. Check the water temperature
You need to set it up to meet the pet's needs. If it is too low or too high it could stress him; for example, goldfish prefer temperatures below 21 ° C, while most tropical species need water to be around 23-26 ° C.
Step 5. Get your new finned friend at a reputable store
If the fish has lived in an aquarium that is too crowded and dirty, it is likely that it is stressed, it could be a carrier of disease and potentially infect all other specimens. Invest a little more money to buy a quality one and avoid running into an animal that could die within a month.
- The store aquarium should be clean and the fish inside should look vibrant, relaxed and bright in color.
- The store should offer guarantees and a "money back" clause, should the fish die within days of purchase.
- Sales personnel should also have good knowledge of fish, aquarium setup, size, number of animals it can house, diseases, and so on.
- In general, it is best to turn to stores that specialize in aquariums and fish.
Step 6. Get your new pet to get comfortable before introducing him to the aquarium
If you transfer him directly to the tub, he could get stressed and even die. The water in the aquarium and the water from the store have a slightly different chemical composition and temperature, and the fish must gradually get used to its new habitat.
- Do not pour water from the store into your aquarium, as it may contain germs and other parasites.
- If possible, you should keep the new specimen in quarantine for a couple of weeks before introducing it to the aquarium. in this case, before placing it in the main container, use the water in the bowl or quarantine tank - and not the aquarium water. Pay attention to any symptoms of illness and change the water conditions or add medications if necessary.
- Place the bag containing the fish in the aquarium. After half an hour add 60 ml of aquarium water inside the bag and proceed in this way every 15 minutes for an hour; if the bag is too full, simply throw away the extra water. At this point, collect the fish using a fishing net and place it in the new tank.
- During the first few weeks, you need to watch it closely for symptoms of stress or illness.
Part 2 of 4: Diagnosing Fish Diseases
Step 1. Pay attention to the symptoms of stress
The fish may not be active as usual; may appear depressed, have no appetite, hide and have frayed fins or sores.
- If he stays close to the surface of the water and breathes while panting, he probably doesn't have enough oxygen; this can be due to poor water circulation, damage to the gills or even toxins present in the water.
- If it always tends to hide, its mates may be too aggressive or the aquarium does not offer enough areas to hide in, such as rocks or plants where the fish can feel safe when swimming.
- If it has lesions or cuts on its fins that do not heal, it could mean that it is constantly being attacked by other fish. Minor cuts can heal quite easily; however, stress can weaken your natural defenses, slowing or compromising the normal healing process. Make sure you have followed proper aquarium maintenance techniques, that you have taken proper care of the fish, and that you drive away aggressive specimens if applicable.
Step 2. Pay attention to the symptoms of illness
The fish can contract parasites, fungi or infections; if your little friend is sick, he is likely to be stressed out for several reasons. The first thing to do in dealing with a disease is to remove the stressor to make sure the fish heals and that no other fish get sick.
- When the fish is sick, it has no appetite or spits out food.
- In case of illness he can lie down on the bottom of the aquarium for a long time and appear lethargic.
- Some unhealthy specimens rub their bodies against the aquarium decorations to scratch.
- When the animal is affected by a disease, the color of the scales often becomes dull and takes on a gray or pale hue.
- The tail or fins may be twisted, closed or stiff or appear to fall apart.
- Fish suffering from some disease may have open sores, white spots, lumps or patches on the body.
- Some individuals may also be puffy and have bulging eyes.
- If the scales take on a different appearance, it can be a sign of some disease, for example you may notice them rising.
- An abnormal swelling or an unusual indentation of the abdomen can also be additional symptoms that indicate some pathology.
Step 3. Recognize a bacterial infection
In this case, the fish is very sick. The bacteria responsible can be of the gram positive or gram negative group, but if you do not consult your vet, you will never be able to understand which type of microorganism has affected the fish; in the presence of this disease, it is necessary to intervene with an antibiotic treatment.
- Fin corrosion (also known as tail rot or fin rot): the fins or tail appear to be shorter or fall apart and show red areas that can be infected.
- Dropsy: Affected fish may have a swollen abdomen, raised scales and take the shape of a pine cone.
- Exophthalmos: the eyes of the fish are opaque, protrude or look like bubbles above the ocular area; the disease can affect one or both eyes.
- Tuberculosis: Fish affected by this disease can suddenly die. Symptoms include open sores, body deformities, raised scales, fin pitting, and greyish lesions. People who handle a fish with tuberculosis can contract this deadly disease; do not grab it and disinfect your hands after touching the aquarium accessories.
- Septicemia: the fish may have blood-red streaks along the entire body or on the fins; he may also have blocked fins, swelling of the body, ulcers, panting for oxygen, and being lethargic.
Step 4. Identify yeast infections
Like bacteria, fungi are also normally present in the aquarium. When the fish is stressed or injured, the mucous layer it produces to protect itself from infection is damaged and becomes susceptible to fungi.
Saprolegnosis: manifests itself as a white, yellowish-brown or gray-whitish material that develops on the body, fins or mouth; it is a neoformation similar to tufts of cotton and can also develop on the upper extremity of the fish. Redness forms around the infected area and the fish can become lethargic, lose its appetite and rub against objects
Step 5. Detect parasitic infections
Fish that has internal parasites may show normal appetite but lose weight; it can also be lethargic.
- Ichthyoftyriasis (white spot disease): This disease is caused by a parasite and manifests itself as white spots, similar to grains of salt, all over the body and head, the fins can be blocked.
- Oodyniasis: the fish appears lethargic, has blocked fins, has no appetite, the color of the livery fades, can throw itself at the decorations and the substrate of the aquarium to rub the body.
- Costia necatrix: the fish affected by this parasite is covered with a white film that in some areas can be raised, the eyes appear dull and the fins blocked.
Step 6. Recognize other diseases
Some diseases have symptoms that can have various causes, for example viral, bacterial, fungal, parasitic or genetic. You should follow the advice of a specialist to understand the cause of the ailment that has affected your fish.
- Swim bladder disease: The animal may have difficulty swimming, is unable to stand up straight or swims on its side.
- Swollen gill disease: Affected fish suffer from inflammation, red gills, and gasp to breathe.
Part 3 of 4: Cure the Fish
Step 1. Quarantine it
Keeping it in a separate tank can help prevent the disease from spreading, as well as make treatment and medication easier. Make sure you use the same water as in the main aquarium so that the fish does not stress further.
Step 2. Verify that the water quality, temperature and pH are within normal parameters
Check for toxins and pay attention to other fish showing symptoms of stress or illness; in this case, quarantine the other specimens as well and try to find the cause of their stress.
Step 3. Deal with all diseases as soon as possible
An ichthyologist or veterinarian can help you determine the appropriate treatment based on fish disease and prescribe suitable medications. Although many medicines for most fish diseases are on sale in pet shops, they have not always been reviewed and approved by the relevant bodies; for this reason, you cannot know for sure if they contain the exact amount of active ingredient or if they are safe and effective.
- Always read the instructions on the package and follow them carefully; do not exceed the recommended dose. It also verifies that the fish does not fall into a category sensitive to the substances present in the drug.
- Use antibiotics sparingly. Antibiotic resistant bacteria are becoming a real problem; these are mutated microorganisms that pharmacological treatments are no longer able to eradicate. Always try other solutions first and never give medicines to a healthy fish.
- Consider euthanasia if the fish is really very sick; Sometimes, treatments are simply not effective, so be prepared for that possibility.
Step 4. Treat bacterial infections
Often it is enough to clean the aquarium and maintain the ideal conditions inside the tank to heal a fish from an infection; however, it may be equally useful to use an antibacterial product such as Api Melafix (also available online) or to administer antibacterial food or other types of antibiotics.
- Dropsy can be treated by adding no more than 12-13g of Epsom salt to the aquarium for every 40L of water; in this way, excess water comes out of the fish's body. You can also give antibacterial food for 7-10 days and, if you wish, pour some antibacterial product into the water.
- Fin corrosion needs to be treated quickly as it can spread throughout the body. You can intervene by making the water warmer, cleaner and adding a few drops of garlic juice, as well as a product that replaces the normal mucous coating on the fish's body or antibiotics such as tetracyclines.
- Exophthalmos can be treated similarly to other bacterial infections with minocycline or tetracyclines, as well as antibiotic food.
- For septicemia, the best treatment is a combination of minocycline with other antibiotics, such as kanamycin sulfate and antibiotic foods.
Step 5. Manage yeast infections
The best treatments for these diseases, such as saprolegnosis, include salt baths using salt for freshwater aquariums and an antifungal agent such as phenoxyethanol; alternatively, you can apply gentian violet, a dye with antibacterial and antifungal properties.
Step 6. Treat parasitic infections
There are many organisms that can make fish sick. Medicines based on formaldehyde and copper sulphate are among the most common to treat these diseases; however, you can also get rid of them by changing certain aquarium conditions.
- White spot disease can be tackled with formaldehyde-based products that contain malachite green, methylene blue or copper sulfate.
- Costia necatrix can be eradicated with medicines based on formaldehyde, copper sulphate or potassium permanganate. This parasite is also sensitive to salt and temperatures; increase the temperature up to 30 ° C and add 10-20 g of salt per 4 liters of water for 7-14 days.
- You can cure ooodiniasis by dimming the aquarium lights; since this disease is caused by a protozoan feeding on chlorophyll, a lack of light reduces its nutrient source.
Step 7. Treat other diseases
You can minimize the symptoms of different pathologies with the remedies described so far. More frequent water changes and proper tank maintenance are often valuable solutions to get rid of problems in a few days or weeks.
If the fish appears bloated, it may be constipated. To deal with this ailment, get some frozen peas; peel them, thaw them and cut them into small bites. Offer some to the fish and then fast for a few days; you can also give it live, frozen or freeze-dried daphnia for similar results
Part 4 of 4: Keeping the Aquarium in Good Condition
Step 1. Change a part of the water regularly
The lack of a timely change of some water is the main cause of fish diseases, therefore it is the most important thing to do to keep your pet healthy. Analyze the quality and levels of ammonia, nitrites and nitrates using a specific kit that you can find in pet stores; in this way, you can understand how often it is necessary to change.
- However, never replace it completely at once, as a sudden and radical change in the chemical composition could stress the fish; make sure you don't replace more than 1/3 of them within 24 hours.
- In some cases, it is possible to change 1/4 of the water every two weeks; however, most fish owners need to do so more frequently. Changing 25% of the water every 15 days helps dilute and remove nitrates, as well as replace trace elements and other buffers that are depleted by bacteria.
- You also need to get rid of the dirt that lurks in the corners and crevices of the aquarium; to do this, vacuum the gravel when you change the water. You can avoid this if you have a saltwater aquarium that uses live substrate at the bottom.
Step 2. Perform regular filter maintenance
If it fails to properly remove the ammonia present because it is clogged, the fish begins to suffer and may even die; to clean it you should rinse it using aquarium water or using a vacuum cleaner.
Step 3. Treat tap water
The water from the aqueduct contains chlorine or chloramines which make it safe to drink; however, these chemicals are toxic to fish and can damage their gills, causing stress and disease.
- You need to add sodium thiosulfate (available at fish stores) to tap water before pouring it into the tank to neutralize the chlorine.
- To break down chloramines, you can use other chemicals that remove the ammonia and chlorine present in their molecules.
- If you don't want to use chemicals, you can circulate the water through a filter or airstone in a bucket or other container for 24 hours.
Step 4. Keep the pH level stable
The fish can become stressed if this parameter suddenly changes; keep it between 6, 5 and 7, 5, which is the ideal level for most fish.
- Over time the aquarium water tends to become acidic due to the accumulation of nitrates. You can raise or lower the pH level by pouring chemicals such as muriatic (hydrochloric) or phosphoric acid; the latter can increase the level of phosphates in the water and trigger algae growth.
- You must always intervene on the water by adjusting its pH before pouring it into the aquarium.
- If you want to lower the pH without using chemicals, you can add carbon dioxide (CO2) through an injection system of the same.
Step 5. Add plants
The aquatic ones help stabilize the ecosystem of the aquarium, prevent the premature death of the fish, release oxygen, keep algae development under control and purify the water, not to mention that they greatly improve the appearance of the tank!
- If you have healthy aquatic plants, it is not always necessary to install a ventilation unit.
- Aquatic plants absorb ammonia and nitrites which develop in the aquarium and which are harmful to fish. Fast growing ones, such as Cabomba, Ludwigia, Egeria Densa or other stem varieties, can remove a large amount of ammonia in a short time.
Step 6. Add algae-eating fish
Your little friend can benefit from the presence of some other creatures that eat algae and keep their development potentially harmful to the aquarium ecosystem under control; these include shrimp, snails and algae-eating fish.
Advice
- Prevention is the most important aspect; It is easier to keep your fish healthy if you care for it with love and maintain its habitat well, rather than treating an already developed disease.
- If you have a freshwater aquarium, you can add a tablespoon of specific salt (not iodized!) For every 20 liters of water to inhibit bacterial and fungal growth.
