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Fish HealthIt is worth getting to know the basic anatomy of a fish in case you need to describe an injury or disease symptom to a veterinarian or dealer; if you know the names of the external parts of the body it will help you to pinpoint the problem more accurately. Another reason is that hooks often describe the shapes of fishes and if you know which particular fins or parts of the body they are referring to, you will have a basic idea of what the fish looks like even without seeing an illustration or photograph.
The majority of fish diseases are caused through stress. So how are fish put under stress? Sad to say, most fish are put under stress by their owners or visitors to the house. People tapping on the front glass,temperatures being allowed to rise and fall, or a poor mixture of fish in which one or two are bullies and the others are bullied all contribute to stress. If fish are not put under these types of stress, then the chances of them contracting disease are dramatically reduced. Look for signs of stress in the tank on a regular basis. Are the fish nervous? Is one fish chasing all the others about? Does the temperature fluctuate or does it stay too low? If you can remedy these situations diseases will occur much less frequently. Fish will always show symptoms of disease at an early stage. Signs to look for include fish holding their fins tightly clamped to the body(often referred to as being 'closed up'), fish swimming with the head near to the surface all the time, fish swimming with the head up or down, loss of co lour, ragged fins, scales sticking out or dropping off,and a general loss of appetite and condition.
The brown discus called Nymphs is the more common of the two discus species. There are two subspecies of the brown discus, one blue, one green.The body differs markedly from the 'standard' fish shape shown below; it is compressed vertically and appears very narrow when viewed head-on. Bright blue lines cross the body; in the brown discus they may only occur on the face.
COMMON FISH DISEASES White spot (chiropterans) Velvet (Odin) Bloat Popeye Hole-in-the-head Fungus Mouth fungus Fin rot Fish parasites
Fish parasites are generally regarded as larger life forms living on the body of a fish. Parasites are rare in tank fishes and usually only occur on imported wild-caught species. Gill flukes
Gill flukes are like tiny worms that anchor themselves to the fish's gills,causing respiratory problems and,eventually, death. Suspect gill flukes ia fish begins to swim at the water surface gasping for air. Treat with amid parasitic, but first make sure that the water is being oxygenated properly and that the biological filter is working correctly. Skin flukes
Instead of anchoring themselves to the gills, these flukes attach to the skin. They can be removed with tweezers or a parasitic. Fish lice
Fish lice such as Argils resemble miniature tortoises on the fish's body .Remove them carefully with tweezers. WHAT DO I DO IF THESE SYMPTOMS APPEAR? 1. Several fish gasping at the surface and breathing fast Check to see that the air stone is functioning and that there is good water movement in the tank. 2. Check that the under gravel filter is functioning properly. See that heater has not stuck on.) Perform a 30% water change. If after a water change these symptoms persist, the fish may be suffering from gill flukes. Isolate the fish if possible and treat them with suitable remedy. 3. Fish holding its fins clamped to the body (i.e. 'closed up') Check the heater function and that the temperature is correct. See that nothing has been added to the aquarium that might be poisonous to the fishes, including aerosols possibly sprayed near the tank during routine cleaning of the room. If you have checked and cleared the above, make a 30% water change and use a mild bactericide. 3. Fish dying and swimming in a`whirling' pattern These are classic signs of poisoning. Perform a 50% water change and locate the source of the problem. This may be a poisonous rock or object in the tank, which you must remove .Isolate any affected fish in a separate tank while you clean the original one. Several possible causes, such as white spot, external parasites or an irritant in the water. Inspect the fish closely. If white spots or parasites are present on the skin, treat them appropriately with suitable remedy. If all looks well on the fishes' skin carry out a 30% water change. If the symptoms noticeably decrease after this, suspect the presence of some irritant in the aquarium. THE HOSPITAL TANK If you have a spare tank or one used for quarantining new fish, it will also be useful for isolating sick or injured fish. Set it up with just a heater/thermostat and a thermometer, plus an air stone. It will not need a filter, as sick and injured fish will not be fed for the short time they are in the tank. Transfer any fish found to be injured,sick or carrying a parasitic infestation to this tank and treat them in isolation from the community tank.Some form of opaque cover is a good idea so that you can reduce the light. This is often helpful during treatment. White spot (Ichthyophthirius)appears as tiny white spots, each onea cyst that eventually bursts to send its single-celled, or protozoal,parasites Into the tank, where they will affect the other fishes with potentially fatal results. |
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