So the obvious question for fish owners when their fish is infected is, “What illness does my fish have and how can I treat it?” The good news is, most common diseases are treatable and if done properly, your fish has a good chance of survival. Moreover, many of the treatments are relatively simple to perform (and a lot cheaper than taking a cat or a dog to the vet).

 

Before getting into some of the common diseases and treatments, it will be good to note that, just like with your own health, preventative care is always recommended to keep fish healthy and thriving. Most freshwater illnesses are caused by low water quality, high bacteria levels, overfeeding and general neglect from owners. Keep your tank free from harmful bacteria by performing consistent water changes (25% - 35% of the tank water once a week), doing filtration system maintenance when necessary and by feeding fish only what they can eat in less than two minutes once a day. Doing this will minimize the risk of diseases entering the tanks eco-system.

 

Preventative care, though effective, does not completely eliminate the chance of disease to your fish. So what do you do if your fish do become sick? It’s best to quickly identify the illness by observing the symptoms your fish has.   There are many illnesses your fish can be afflicted with, and it simply isn’t possible to discuss them all here. Below is an outline of some of the more common diseases and illnesses, their symptoms and the best way to treat those illnesses.

 

Symptoms: The scales on the infected fish will become raised off the body and the fish will look bloated.

Treatment: Dropsy is an internal bacterial infection and quite often, by the time the diagnosis has been made, the fish’s chance of survival is small. If caught early, there are medications that can be purchased from your pet-supply store. They may or may not be effective. Daily water changes to try and improve the water quality may also help. You can also try a salt bath, which is explained in more detail below. Dropsy is not very contagious to other fish but it may be good to quarantine any fish infected with any sort of bacterial infection.

 

Symptoms: Appears as if salt granules are on the fish’s body with heavier concentration on and around the fins. The spots are white and are raised up off the body/fins of the fish.

Treatment: Ich usually is caused by poor water quality. It is also common in newer tanks and when new fish are introduced. There is a multitude of ways to rid it from your tank, though it must be done quickly as it is contagious to other fish. Most pet supply stores have medications you can use to threat the water, all with varying degrees of effectiveness. When using the medications, be sure to remove your carbon filter as it will absorb the medication.

 

Symptoms: Pretty self-explanatory. The fins of your fish appear to be rotting. The fish will normally lie on the bottom of the tank and look visibly sick, moving very little. It is contagious to other fish in the tank and commonly occurs when a fish has some sort of other infection like Ich or Cotton Wool.

Treatment: Fin rot is caused by any number of bacteria and usually begins when a fish becomes stressed. First, check your water levels as this may be an indication of why the fish become stressed in the first place. Treat your water according to your water levels. Next, purchase medications that are effective against negative organisms. Your local pet supply provider will be able to direct you to a suitable antibiotic. Remember to remove any carbon filter before using the medication because the carbon will absorb the medication. Fit rot is also believed to be a byproduct of poor nutrition, so be sure to keep your fish on a nutritional diet, but do not over-feed them.

 

Symptoms: Fish will have cotton like growths on the body, mouth, or fins. It is very similar to the appearance of fungus.   It is contagious.

Treatment: Like Fin Rot, Cotton Wool usually occurs when a fish has been stressed. It also is a result of low water quality. Cotton Wool is caused by bacteria and is easily treatable through medications commonly found at pet supply stores. Regular water changes and good general tank maintenance will also help prevent Cotton Wool from affecting your fish. It is a good idea to quarantine fish affected with Cotton Wool in a “hospital tank” as it is contagious.

 

Symptoms: Fish appears to have red and inflamed gills and will be at the water surface “gasping” for air. Very common is new or heavily populated tanks.

Treatment: Ammonia levels rise in aquariums when organic waste begins to develop in your tank. Ammonia poisoning is easily preventable by treating water with any of the multitude of ammonia treatment products available at your local pet supply store. Ammonia is also a byproduct of overpopulated tanks. For tanks such as these, ensuring your filtration system is operating at peak efficiency and performing consistent water changes is a must. If your fish are suffering, conduct a significant water change immediately (50% - 60%). Be sure you have treated the water before you introduce it into the tank. Continue daily water changes until the ammonia levels drop back to safe levels.

 

Symptoms: All of the fish in the tank appear sluggish, even motionless and are just below the water surface. After testing the water you are getting high level readings of either or both Nitrite/Nitrate. Gills may be tan or brown and will move rapidly as if the fish is breathing hard.

Treatment: Anytime Ammonia levels rise in your water elevated Nitrite levels will soon follow. When bacterium oxidizes Ammonia in your water, the resulting compound becomes Nitrite. It is less toxic than Ammonia, but toxic none the less. When the Nitrite compound breaks down even further, it becomes Nitrate. When fish are exposed to high Nitrite levels, their immune system is weakened, making them more susceptible to other diseases. If left untreated, the fish will eventually die off. Nitrate is relatively harmless to fish and can be removed through live plant intake and regular water changes. Nitrates may not kill fish off, but high levels can create a “biological Bloom” which spikes the levels of biological matter in the water resulting in very cloudy water. To lower Nitrite/Nitrate levels conduct a significant water change (50% - 60%) and increase the aeration of your tank. Also, add 50mg of chloride salt or aquarium salt per 1 gallon of water in your tank. At this level, the salt will be harmless to the fish. Subsequent water changes will remove the salt from the water. Monitor the Nitrite/Nitrate levels and do appropriate treatments until the levels have dropped into a safe zone.

 

A salt bath is a very effective method to treat many of the bacterial illnesses mentioned above. Salt is effective in helping fight bacteria and parasites and can greatly increase the chances of your fish’s survival. Salt Baths are pretty straight forward to perform following the steps below.

There are many helpful resources on the internet for identifying and treating fish diseases. If you find that the information above doesn’t seem to identify your fish’s disease or want additional information on treatments and symptoms, try these informative websites:

Talking to other hobbyists is also a great way to help treat your ailing fish. Ask questions to other members of the RateMyFishTank.com community in the forum sections (http://www.ratemyfishtank.com/phpbb/index.php). Remember, the best way to make sure your fish remain healthy is to do regular tank maintenance and to keep your fish properly nourished, without overfeeding.   By doing that, your fish will be happy healthy and should bring you years of enjoyment.