| Fish Lice | | | | Symptoms: You will see the fish rubbing itself |
| Symptoms: Behavior wise you will see the fish | | | | against objects to relieve the itching. It may be |
| trying to scratch itself against whatever it can | | | | breathing fast or gulping for oxygen at the |
| find. You will also see round shaped transparent | | | | surface. As the disease takes hold the fish will |
| parasites stuck to the fishes body. There may be | | | | become lethargic and try to isolate itself in a |
| red or scarred areas where the parasite has been | | | | corner or stay on the bottom of the tank. It will |
| before. | | | | go off its food, have swollen gills and a gill may be |
| | | | kept open or kept closed. |
| Treatment: The adult parasites can be removed | | | | Reason: A worm like parasite up to 2 mm long |
| by tweezers once the fish has been removed | | | | infests the gills of the fish and reproduces there. |
| from the aquarium. Treat the affected area with | | | | It has hooks on its body to dig into the flesh |
| an antiseptic. Then you could use a tank wide | | | | which causes damage and possible bacterial |
| treatment to deal with the younger and newly | | | | infection. But the main effect is to reduce the |
| hatched parasites with an organophosphate such | | | | fishes ability to breath and get in enough oxygen, |
| as Dimlin (Diflubenzuron) but this sort of chemical | | | | eventually leading to death. |
| is now banned in many countries. | | | | Treatment: This is an infectious disease so |
| I have noted that Parazin P, a medication suitable | | | | treatment of all fish is recommended. As the |
| for treating crustacean infestations, has been | | | | parasites eggs are quite hardy, repeated |
| proposed and takes several weeks to take | | | | treatments over a few weeks will be needed to |
| effect as it is based on the life cycle of the | | | | kill off the newly hatched worms. Fluke tabs are |
| parasite. | | | | no longer recommended. |
| I have also read of a treatment whereby the fish | | | | Praziquantel (Droncit (USA) or Drontal (UK) are |
| is rubbed with a piece of kitchen roll paper on the | | | | preferred as they are safer for the fish. Other |
| parasite affected area, the fish is dipped in water | | | | UK treatments include Paragon (for mild infections |
| (at the same temperature of the main tank) and | | | | and safe with shrimps and snails or Sterazin (for |
| all the parasites in that area leave the fish! | | | | serious infections but not safe with shrimps and |
| Apparently the parasites do not like dry | | | | snails. A follow up bacterial treatment is probably |
| conditions, hence the use of the dry paper roll. It | | | | advisable to counteract any secondary infection |
| cannot do any harm so why not try it? | | | | caused by the parasite. |
| Fungus | | | | Hole in the head (Hexamitiasis) |
| Symptoms: The areas of the body that are | | | | Symptoms: As the disease can effect both the |
| affected are those where the mucous layer that | | | | intestines and under the skin you may see white |
| protects the skin has been damaged. You will see | | | | stringy faeces and literally holes in the head of the |
| cotton wool like material attached to the fish or | | | | poor fish. Discus fish are particularly susceptible. |
| the whole appearance of the skin may seem | | | | You may see the fish swimming backwards, its |
| unclean. You can see why its is also called the | | | | color may darken and it may hide away, head |
| Cotton Wool disease. Fungus types are typically | | | | down. |
| Saprolegnia, Achlya, Leptomitus and Pythium. | | | | Reason: A parasite called Hexamita is the culprit. It |
| Reason: This is a secondary infection as it often | | | | lives in the intestines and can become a problem |
| occurs after an initial wound has happened or | | | | when fish become stressed and/or weak due to |
| where a parasite has been active or after the fish | | | | poor environmental conditions. |
| has suffered from white spot. Could also be due | | | | Treatment: Metronidazole at about 500 mg per 10 |
| to bad water quality. | | | | gallons is the normal dosage. Dissolve the |
| Treatment: You can use a proprietary fungicide | | | | medication in hot water first. Several treatments |
| such as phenoxyethanol to treat the individual fish | | | | may be needed over two weeks with 50 percent |
| in a hospital/quarantine tank but try to determine | | | | water changes carried out before each treatment. |
| the cause of the outbreak and put corrective | | | | I have noted that some folk add Malachite Green |
| measures in place, otherwise it may well break | | | | to act on secondary infections. |
| out again. Salt baths are another alternative or | | | | As the disease is also internal, medicating the fish |
| the use of Gentian Violet topically on the affected | | | | food is also appropriate. 250mg (0.25g) of |
| area. | | | | Metronidazole in 25g of food will do the trick. |
| Gill Flukes (Dactylogyrus) | | | | |