Custom Search
Dealing With Sick Fish
Submitted by confusion on Sun, 01/20/2008 - 03:25
It's important to understand that in most cases, fish that exhibit symptoms are very ill, and so it is normally important to act quickly. Nearly every illness can be attributed to one (or more) of 5 things:
- Poor water quality
- Introduction of a disease through the introduction of a new fish
- Incompatibility with water conditions
- Harrassment by tank mates/incompatible tanks mates
- Over-crowding (often results in poor water quality and harrassment) & tank too small for the type of fish)
Poor water quality is by far the most common cause of most aquarium illnesses.
Generally, the first step in treating sick fish is to perform a water change.
If there are dead fish in the tank, remove them immediately, as they will decompose, and may cause further infection if the body is eaten by other fish.
Find the Root Cause First
Undertand the implications of treating a disease with medication. Antifungal and antibiotic medicines are easily obtained, but can have devisating consequences. There is an underlying cause to all aquarium disease, and medication will not solve any of them. Understanding and fixing the underlying cause of the illness is very important. Then, properly treating the illness can happen effectively. Improper treatment can cause more problems than existed originally.
From Bad to Worse
Consider this: most medications - antifungal, antibiotic, etc, will kill the good bateria that exist as part of an aquarium's bio filter. That means that already sick fish are now living in an uncycled tank. The weakened fish are likely to succomb to ammonia and nitrite poisoning. For this reason, it is important to treat fish in a hospital tank, where water can be changed frequently, and allowing the main tank to remain cycled.
Getting Help NOW!
As mentioned previously, it's important to act fast. There are many great forums that can help identify the proper course of treatment for your fish. Below are some very actively monitored forums to post specific questions to:
http://www.fishforums.net/category/2/Tropical-Fish-Emergencies/
http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/forum.aspx?id=15