Read About Sick Tropical Fish

Nobody enjoys having sick tropical fish. Your fish are your pets, your source of enjoyment and, ultimately, your responsibility. You care for them and feed them. You don't want to see them get ill. The best reason to avoid having sick tropical fish is to be extra diligent in their care. Change out the water in their tank regularly. Check and modify, if necessary, the levels for pH, nitrates, nitrites, and ammonia on a continual basis. Don't overfeed your fish, and never overstock your tank. However, when you do discover that you have sick tropical fish (and sometimes even the most diligent fish owners do), there are sometimes things that you can do, depending upon the type and severity of the illness. 

Making a Diagnosis 

For starters, make sure that you regularly keep an eye on your fish and make note of any changes you might see in their appearance. Bulging eyes, overextended stomachs or sides, discolorations, white or black dots, disfigurements, wounds or gashes, and other physical changes are surefire signs that you are dealing with sick tropical fish.  

If you think that your fish might be suffering from an illness, the first place to start is to identify what the symptoms mean. For instance, red and orange streaks along the body of your fish usually indicates that they have a septicemic bacterial infection; white granule-like pustules on the body and/or fins is a typical indication of Ichthyophitrius or Ich, a parasitic ailment; and an over-enlarged stomach and/or side is a surefire way to diagnose an internal bacterial infection. 

To find out more about symptoms and how to diagnose specific ailments for sick tropical fish, try an online web portal or talk with your local pet store representative or aquarium expert

Reducing Poisonous Waste 

One of the most common forms of illness you'll see in sick tropical fish is ammonia poisoning. Ammonia is what results when your fish excrete waste into the water. Therefore, overfeeding the fish and overstocking the tankare two ways in which excessive amounts of ammonia can occur. Poisoning happens when too much ammonia, or waste, has been released into the tank. Unfortunately, there isn't a lot you can do once your fish have come down with ammonia poisoning. You can prevent it, however, by being sure to regularly clean and maintain your tank, as well as continually using water testing kits to ensure that your ammonia levels don't start becoming excessive.  

Preventative Maintenance 

All in all, just like every illness, preventative maintenance is key. If you're able to ensure that your fish tank stays clean, pure, and healthy with an optimum balance of chemicals and supplements, if you feed your fish only as prescribed and never overstock your tank, then it's likely that you won't need to know how to handle sick tropical fish; yours will likely remain happy and healthy.