Disease Chart 2

Helpful Hints About Medications

The leading cause of disease in aquarium fish is poor water quality. High levels of ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, incorrect pH levels, fluctuating temperature and other unstable variables cause stress on the fish, and eventually suppress the immune system. That is why it is extremely important to monitor water quality closely. If a fish does contract a disease, a full range of water tests should be done before medicating. A disease is nearly impossible to cure as long as any of the water quality parameters are not at acceptable levels.

It is best to medicate fish in a separate (hospital) tank with a bare bottom. Treating an entire aquarium can affect the biological bed and result in high ammonia and nitrite levels. Many medications will kill live plants and invertebrates, discolor silicone or be absorbed in aquarium gravel and decorations making it difficult to remove.

Always follow manufactures directions. Using too low a dose will not be effective and too high a dose may cause respiratory problems, loss of appetite or even death. Be sure to do repeat treatments if recommended in directions.

Never Mix medications in the same tank, unless told to do so in the directions

Remove carbon, resins, poly-filters, turn off U.V. sterilizer, ozonizers and protein skimmers when medicating. Filter media's and skimmers can remove medications and U.V. sterilizers and ozonizers can cause reactions with some medications.

Disease	Symptoms
Clamped Fins Fin and Tail Rot	Fins are closed and pressed against body, fins are frayed or decaying.
Dropsy	Fish is bloated with scales standing out edgewise.
Body Fungus	White or grey stringy growth or film covering most of the body. May spread to fins and tail.
True Fungus	White tufts or white stringy patches. Cotton-wool -like or threadlike growths on the body, fins, tail, mouth, eyes or open wounds.
Gill Disease	Gills are red and swollen.
Hemorrhagic Septicemia	Red steaks on fins usually near the body.
Hexamita Hole-in-the-head	Affected fish lose their appetite, their color becomes more intense and they begin to swim unevenly. Severe infestations exhibit pin-sized holes or lesions in the head region.
Ick Freshwater Ichtyophthirius or Saltwater Cryptocaryon	Small White pustules (salt like) on body and fins. Pustules are consistent in size. Fish may "scratch" on rocks or exhibit rapid breathing.
Inflammation Bacterial Septicaemias	A reddening on or under the skin.
Internal Parasites	Fish are thin, listless and color may darken.
Popeye	Eyes protrude from their sockets.
Rot	Flesh decays at the mouth or tail
Velvet (Freshwater) or Oodinium (Saltwater) Protozoan Diseases	Grey or yellowish brown, spotted dusting, mostly on body area. Especially near the dorsal fin area.
Worms, flukes, gill flukes, leeches, gyrodactylus, trichodina and other multi-cellular external parasites.	Lumps under scales or skin, rapid breathing with gaping gills, fish "scratching" on rocks or gravel or thread -like worms hanging from fish.