Chief_waterchanger

Yet another of my possibly useful, probably not useful posts.

Some of these can even happen in prime conditions, but perhaps the chances be reduced.

Easily preventable diseases:

* Ich
* infections
* Wounded fish*
* Vitamin 'b' deficiency
* Fin rot
* dropsy

Ich is a lifeform all its own. It has two lifestages. First is larval stage (aka: freeswimming) where the organism swims out and about in the aquarium water. It then grows into what appears to be white spots on your fish. The second stage is the stage it is in when it reproduces. The white spot stage saps the fish's energy because its immune system tries to fight the parasite, but is usually overwhelmed by sheer number of parasite. The simple cure is to raise the tank water temperature to above 82* farenheit. If your fish can't take that temperature large frequent waterchanges (50% every other day) will lessen the number of parasites freeswimming in the water. It can also form cysts that can survive the 82*, but the freeswimmers die in 82*+. The only time your fish will be infected is when its immune system is compromised. If the slime coat is in good condition (good immune system) the white spots can not take hold. A well balanced diet, prime water conditions, and low level of stress on the fish would work on its immune system, whereas the large frequent waterchanges would give its slime coat a chance to catch back up.

Infections: Usually due to either dirty water conditions or open wounds. Dirty water conditions are cured by proper tank maintenance (waterchanges, filter media being rinsed of waste in unused tank water, etc.) Whereas open wounds can be prevented by having proper stock levels, areas your fish need (some need hiding holes, some need rockwork, caves, plants, etc), and non-jagged items in the tank so that the fish doesn't harm itself inadvertantly.

Wounded fish covered in infections*

Vitamin 'B' deficiency: It is caused by exclusively feeding feeder goldfish to larger cichlids. The goldfish do not have the vitamin 'B' the fish needs, therefore the fish develops a deficiency. The results of which become quite evident when the fish has spots of its scales rot away, forming what appears to be craters and/or holes in its "flesh."

Fin Rot: The bacteria that cause finrot are theorized to almost always be present in the water, but as with ich, they only take hold on unhealthy fish in a poor environment. The bacteria that cause finrot are also blamed for ulcers, inflammation, and infections. The disease itself puts the fish infected at greater risk of secondary infections, viruses, and fungi. I would suggest, yet again, larger frequent waterchanges as well as trying to work on the fish's immune system.

Dropsy: The disease causes a blood buildup in the abdomen and sometimes behind the eyes. The buildup is due to damaged blood vessels and sometimes heart damage. It can be accompanied by ulcers. Poor tank conditions are usually to blame for this one.


I only post this so that maybe someone needing the info can have it laid out for them. These disease happen in fish kept in prime conditions sometimes for the simple reasoning of, if you've not had the fish its whole life, it could have been in bad conditions before. And sometimes a fish, just like the occasional person, has immune system problems.

If anyone disagrees with the info they are welcome to discuss their point of view.

Isabella

Hey Chief, very useful article! Thanks!

I agree. One of my Neon Tetras had Dropsy even though it was in a very lightly stocked tank with 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrite, and 0 Nitrate. I was very baffled at this one.

COBettaCouple

yea, that's how we lost our 1st Betta..

armadillo

Great article, Chiefwaterchanger. Thanks so much for posting it.

Some small comments, if you dont' mind, to make it eeeeeven better.

Vitamin B deficiency: what do you suggest? is the solution here to just give the fish extra vitamins?

I believe finrot can be primarily fungal too, it's not always primarily bacterial, but better check. Dave? Am I talking rubbish?

Dropsy: Dropsy is not a disease, but a symptom of a disease. It can actually be a symptom of several diseases, not all of which are related to poor tank conditions. e.g. TB. Perhaps it's worth mentioning this as I've read some posts recently that were suggesting that a fish with bad dropsy might as well be euthanised, and I disagree. I think it's important to try to diagnose based on other symptoms, as some of the diseases causing dropsy can be cured.