Yes, even fish can get sick! Here is a list of some common freshwater fish diseases, symptoms, and treatments.
Before you treat your fish, be sure you properly diagnose your fish and figure out why they are sick. There may be water quality or food issues that need to be taken care of before you can cure your fish! Many diseases are a result of the stress of transport, so take time to acclimate your fish to your tank.
- Ammonia poisoning — symptoms include red or inflamed gills. You may see your fish gasping for air at the surface of the water. If your fish are suffering from ammonia poisoning, you may not have completed the nitrogen cycle before adding fish! Frequent water changes can help keep the ammonia levels down. Overcrowding can also lead to an excess of ammonia in the water. A substance called zeolite can help absorb ammonia.
- Nitrite/Nitrate poisoning — fish will seem lethargic. You may see your fish resting just below the surface. You will see high readings on your nitrite and nitrate test kits. Overcrowding or infrequent water changes can lead to nitrite/nitrate poisoning. An immediate partial water change can help. If you have too many fish in the tank, you’ll need to perform water changes more frequently.
- Oxygen starvation — fish will be at the water surface, gulping with their mouths. Temperature may be the culprit — warmer water requires more oxygen. Increase aeration by adding airstones and/or powerheads and increasing the filter flow rate. You can also decrease the temperature by turning off tank lights and blocking sunlight.
- Dropsy (also known as Malawi bloat) — symptoms include bloating, raised scales, and loss of body coloration. This can be caused by a bacterial infection or a side effect of malnutrition. Increase the quality of the food you offer and perform a 25% water change every other day. If your fish doesn’t improve, you may need medication from your local pet store.
- Ich (also known as ick or white spot) — symptoms include small white spots on the fins and on the body. Your fish will look like he has salt on his fins and body. This common fish disease is usually caused by poor water quality. Increasing the water temperature to 82 degrees Fahrenheit can help speed up the cycle time of this parasite. Pick up ich medication from your local pet store.
Before using any medication in your quarantine tank, take all carbon out of your filtration system. Carbon can remove medication from the water!