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Ich (White Spot Disease)

Caused tiny parasites, Ich is characterized by spots that look like little salt grains that appear on your fish's sides. Commercial medicinal treatments will rid your aquarium of Ich as well as Velvet, another type of parasitic infection that causes fish to look like they've been dusted with flecks of gold.

Dropsy

If your fish is swelled up like a balloon, he probably has dropsy, a condition that causes water retention. Before administering any type of medication, check for raised nitrate levels. If levels are normal, a bacterial infection may be the culprit. Antibiotic treatment in a hospital tank is in order.

Head and Lateral Line Erosion (Hole-in-Head Disease)

This condition affects saltwater fish and is characterized by holes that appear in a fish's head and sometimes along its lateral line. Poor water quality and/or poor nutrition are probably the culprits. The best remedies are to get the water quality back up to snuff as soon as possible and start feeding with a vitamin-enriched food.

Swim Bladder Disorders

The most common symptom of a swim bladder problem is that your fish will be swimming upside-down or sideways. Most often this bizarre phenomenon is caused by dry food quickly swelling in a fish's intestine, preventing it from properly controlling its swim bladder. Feed your fish pre-soaked or gel-based foods. If that doesn't help he may have a bacterial infection. Consult with an expert for an antibiotic recommendation.