3 Most Common Fish Diseases And Their Treatments
If you’ve ever had an aquarium at home, you’ll know firsthand that they’re more work than they seem. Cleaning, feeding, controlling the behavior and compatibility of some fish with others… Today we are going to see what the most common fish diseases are and how to remedy them.
The most common diseases in fish
One of the things that not everyone does is keep regular, strict water checks. This will give us an idea of the general state of the aquarium and we can take action before it irreparably affects the fish or causes them to contract disease.
white spot disease
It is, without a doubt, the most common disease of aquarium fish. In addition, it is very visible because white spots appear all over the body, both on the skin and on the fins. They also affect areas such as the gills, which prevents them from breathing normally.
Problems with this disease tend to increase because the fish rub their bodies due to discomfort caused by the white spots, causing the loss of scales and even wounds that can become infected.
It is caused by a unicellular parasite and does not usually appear spontaneously in aquariums, as it arises through a new fish that arrives with the infection. In a few days, all the fish in the aquarium will be infected. The situation will become much more complicated if you don’t act immediately, as this infection has an incredible ability to spread.
To eliminate this parasite, part of the aquarium water must be changed quickly, to reduce the concentration of infection. In addition, a medicine that you are able to find in any specialty store must also be added. Of course, you have to scrupulously respect the indications of the medication because, if you overdose, the consequences can be fatal.
fungal infections
It is a type of secondary infection, usually caused by another problem. It is also highly visible and relatively easy to identify, as fish have cottony formations that can appear on the skin, around wounds or on the fins.
This problem is caused by fungal spores that are normally present in the water and will only affect fish that are not in good health. Hence the importance of controlling all the basic parameters so that our fish remain healthy and strong. Some examples of parameters are: water temperature, type of food, fish compatibility with others…
There are drugs sold in stores for these purposes, but the disease will return if we do not change the habits of controlling the aquarium and make sure that all fish are in perfect condition. Sometimes the injuries that some fish have inflicted on others are enough to weaken the immune system and make them susceptible to fungus attack, so controlling it is essential.
Most common fish diseases: velvet disease
Another of the most common diseases in fish is known as velvet disease. It is quickly identified because the fish develop a golden-gray velvety layer that surrounds the fins and gills, and ends up invading the animal’s entire body.
It is one of the diseases that most bother them, as it prevents them from breathing normally, makes them produce a lot of mucus and even causes loss of appetite. It is caused by dinoflagellates that reach the aquarium through the new fish that transmit the disease.
To get rid of it, just add a specific medicine that you can find in specialized stores to the water and, like all medicines, follow the instructions for use very strictly to avoid causing further damage.
