| Keeping a fish tank is a wonderful and relaxing | | | | should clear up easily unless you have let it go too |
| hobby, but it can turn stressful if your fish start to | | | | far. In the future remember to clean the tank each |
| die off. The most common cause of fish disease is | | | | week so you do not have a reoccurrence. |
| poor water quality so it is vital that you perform | | | | If your fish seem like they are gasping for air, this |
| regular maintenance on the tank, making sure you do | | | | could be simply due to lack of oxygen in the water |
| a partial water change periodically and clean out any | | | | and not necessarily a disease. You could add an |
| waste or uneaten food so it does not decay and | | | | airstone to see if that helps the problem. Make sure |
| poison the water. | | | | you do not overcrowd the tank with too many fish. |
| Many fish disease can be halted if you provide | | | | If you see your fish scraping itself agains the bottom |
| treatment as soon as you see any signs of your fish | | | | of the tank or the decorations, it's possible that he |
| being sick. Therefore, it is important that you monitor | | | | has a parasite called Flukes. These attack the gills and |
| your fish each day to see if there are any signs of | | | | skin and are rather difficult to get rid of once your |
| illness. | | | | tank is infected. Again, poor water quality will make |
| Some common symptoms of disease are listed | | | | this much worse. They do sell medication for the |
| below. | | | | tank and you may be able to clear it up if you treat |
| White dots - sometimes fuzzy looking, almost like | | | | the tank at the first sign of trouble. |
| grains of salt on your fish. This disease is called | | | | Rotting fins are sometimes seen if the fish is under |
| Ichthyophthirius), or simply Ich. It is a rather common | | | | stress and also if the water quality is substandard. It |
| disease and is caused by poor water quality or can | | | | is a bacteria that is attacking the fins and you must |
| effect your fish when it's immune system is not | | | | treat the tank at the first sign of this problem. If |
| functioning up to par due to stress. It can be treated | | | | possible, isolate the affected fish to another tank to |
| easily if you catch it in time. There is a special solution | | | | prevent the bacteria from spreading. |
| you can buy at the pet store to medicate your tank | | | | To insure that you always have healthy fish, you |
| and, hopefully, get rid of this problem. | | | | should keep the tank clean and religiously perform |
| Gray patches on the skin, looks cottony and can be | | | | partial water changes. This will not only keep your |
| around the gills. This is a fungus also caused by | | | | fish happy but will make for a better looking tank as |
| excess fish waste and food decaying in the bottom | | | | well! |
| of the tank. You can buy treatment for it and it | | | | |