| Most fishes can live long and healthy lives as long as | | | | Velvet. |
| suitable living conditions are provided. In fact, one of | | | | A fungal infection may also develop quite commonly |
| the highest chances for fish owners to experience | | | | in fishes which appear in gray or white color over the |
| fish loss is mainly due to the occurrence of common | | | | body of the fish. This will be sighted in the fins or the |
| fish diseases. | | | | mouths of the fish. Another reason for such a |
| One common fish disease is ICH. It is a fish disease | | | | disease is when fishes are are harmed by other |
| where the infected fish gets white spots all over its | | | | fishes. Open wounds are highly prone to fungal |
| body. When a fish is sick it is important to check for | | | | infections. Suitable cures for fungal diseases are |
| those white spots of the size and shape of the | | | | readily available from your local pet shop and can also |
| grains of salt over its skin. Such a affliction is caused | | | | be procured from pet suppliers registered online with |
| by Ichthyophthirius in tanks containing freshwater and | | | | ease. |
| Cryptocaryon antigens in the saltwater tanks. ICH | | | | Bacterial infection is a common occurrence among |
| may affect the eyes and the insides of the mouth | | | | fishes. If you notice orange or red spot on the scales |
| and gills of the fish besides the body of the fish. | | | | of the fishes, they are most probably bacterial |
| Should there be strange behaviors and signs such as | | | | infection. Dropsy is a frequent bacterial infection that |
| a difficulty in breathing and a gasping for oxygen, or | | | | is often noted. If the fish looks distended or has |
| even a constant need for the fish to scrape its body | | | | scales that bulge out, it is a sign that the infection is |
| along other objects, a likely cause would be ICH. A | | | | attacking the insides of the fish and it is. The fish |
| disinterest in food is another sign along with the | | | | would show signs of tiredness and a lack of interest |
| indicators already mentioned earlier. Fishes have low | | | | in food. Medications such as penicillin, naladixic acid and |
| chances of combating ICH on their own. Copper | | | | tetracycline are most commonly used to cure |
| sulfur medication needs to be administered in order | | | | bacterial infections. |
| that they can be cured. Antibiotic medication should | | | | Prevention is better than cure, and it will save you |
| be provided after the parasites are gone, in order to | | | | and your fishes a whole lot of trouble from treating |
| prevent them from recurring. | | | | them. The best way to provide a healthy |
| Velvet is a common bacteria with very similar signs | | | | environment for the fishes is to keep the aquarium |
| to ICH, however, the spots on the body of the fish | | | | clean. Do keep a look out for fishes that threaten or |
| is smaller and dustier. Sometimes the spots may be | | | | assault other fishes and keep such combative fishes |
| gray or gold in color. The spots will be tinier and so | | | | apart. The quality of the water, the size and space |
| they are more difficult to spot and attention should | | | | for the fishes and the species of the fishes should be |
| be paid to this aspect. Fishes that have contracted | | | | monitored regularly. |
| Velvet display similar symptoms to ICH, and will | | | | Despite all your preventive efforts, your fish might |
| abrade itself against objects or show difficulty in | | | | still be infected with diseases at some point of time. |
| breathing by trying to gulp in air near the surface of | | | | It is important to try to cure the disease as soon as |
| the water especially if the gills are infected. As with | | | | possible to reduce the chances of it spreading and |
| ICH, vets would generally advocate the use of | | | | contaminating other fishes. |
| copper medication as a form of treatment for | | | | |