Common Diseases In Aquarium Fishes

Diseases in Aquarium Fishes: Aquarium fish are susceptible to various diseases, often caused by stress, poor water conditions, overcrowding, or the introduction of infected fish. Here’s a breakdown of common aquarium fish diseases, their symptoms, causes, and treatments:

Common Diseases in Aquarium Fishes

1. Ich (White Spot Disease)

Cause: Protozoan parasite Ichthyophthirius multifiliis.
Symptoms: Small white spots on the body and fins, lethargy, labored breathing, and rubbing against surfaces. ‘Common Diseases in Aquarium Fishes’
Treatment: Gradually increase water temperature to 29°C to speed up the parasite’s life cycle. Use medications like malachite green or copper sulfate. Quarantine affected fish and maintain good water quality1 3 6.

2. Columnaris (Cotton Wool Disease)

Cause: Bacteria Flavobacterium columnare.
Symptoms: White or grayish lesions on the body, fins, or gills; sometimes mistaken for fungal infections. ‘Common Diseases in Aquarium Fishes’
Treatment: Isolate infected fish and treat with antibiotics or antimicrobial medications. Ensure clean water and reduce stress factors1 6.

3. Velvet Disease (Gold Dust Disease)

Cause: Protozoan parasites like Oodinium in freshwater fish.
Symptoms: Dusty yellow appearance on skin, rapid breathing, lethargy, and loss of appetite.
Treatment: Use chloroquine or other antiparasitic medications. Optimize water quality and reduce stress1 3.

4. Dropsy

Cause: Bacterial infection affecting the kidneys.
Symptoms: Swollen abdomen with protruding scales, loss of appetite, and lethargy.
Treatment: Quarantine affected fish, maintain clean water, and provide high-quality food. Prognosis is often poor5 6. ‘Common Diseases in Aquarium Fishes’

5. Lymphocystis

Cause: Viral infection.
Symptoms: Cauliflower-like growths on skin or fins; can impair breathing or swimming if severe.
Treatment: No cure exists; maintain optimal water quality for recovery. In some cases, surgical removal of growths may be necessary3 6.

6. Hexamitiasis

Cause: Protozoan parasite Hexamita.
Symptoms: Weight loss, white stringy feces, loss of appetite.
Treatment: Use metronidazole in food or water. Isolate infected fish to prevent spread3.

7. Slime Disease

Cause: Stress-induced parasitic infection.
Symptoms: Grayish-blue mucus layer on skin, rapid breathing.
Treatment: Improve water conditions and use aquarium salt or specific medications like Melafix6.

8. Swim Bladder Disease

Cause: Infection, injury, constipation, or deformity. ‘Common Diseases in Aquarium Fishes’
Symptoms: Fish floating upside down or sinking, erratic swimming.
Treatment: Fast fish for a day or two, feed cooked, shelled peas; if bacterial, use antibiotics.

9. Anchor Worms

Cause: Parasite (Lernaea)
Symptoms: Worm-like parasite sticking out of fish, inflammation, rubbing.
Treatment: Manually remove parasite (with care), treat with antiparasitics like Dimilin.

10. Gill Flukes / Skin Flukes

Cause: Parasitic flatworms ‘Common Diseases in Aquarium Fishes’
Symptoms: Scratching, rapid gill movement, gasping at surface.
Treatment: Antiparasitic medications (Praziquantel), salt baths.

11. Hole in the Head Disease

Cause: Poor water quality, Hexamita parasite (common in cichlids)
Symptoms: Pitting and lesions on head and lateral line.
Treatment: Improve diet and water, metronidazole medication.

12. Fungal Diseases: 1. Saprolegniosis:

Causes: Usually fungus is a secondary infection. Fungal attacks follow an injury, parasitic attack or after a bacterial infection.

Symptoms: Tufts of white cotton-like growth on the skin or fins. Eggs turn white.

Treatment: For attacks on fish eggs, use 3 to 5 mg/ 1 methylene blue as a preventative measure after the eggs are laid. In addition, 10 ml of 1.0% phenoxethol per liter of aquarium water can be added. It is advisable to repeat for a few days as per the requirement. If the symptoms are severe the fish can be removed from the aquarium and swabbed with a cloth immersed in weak solution of povidone iodine or mercurochrome.

Prevention Tips

Maintain excellent water quality through regular cleaning and monitoring parameters like pH and temperature.
Avoid overcrowding tanks to reduce stress and aggression among fish.
Quarantine new fish before introducing them to the main tank.
Provide a balanced diet to boost immunity.
Act quickly at the first sign of illness to prevent disease spread.
Proper care and early intervention are essential for keeping aquarium fish healthy!