| One of the most common mistakes which leads | | | | diseased fish; 3. It will keep the healthy fish from |
| to the death of fish in an aquarium is improper | | | | any adverse reactions to the treatment being |
| care and treatment of diseased fish. | | | | given to the ill fish. |
| Disease causing bacteria is present in all tanks, but | | | | Hospital tanks do not need to be very large, as |
| whether or not disease affects your fish depends | | | | they will commonly hold only one ill fish at a time. |
| on how strong the animal's resistance is to the | | | | It does need filtration and aeration, like a typical |
| disease. Poor living conditions can make a fish | | | | tank, though plants and gravel should not be |
| more susceptible to disease, and even if you do | | | | included in the tank environment. Instead, use |
| everything right, disease may still affect your fish. | | | | rocks or some type of structure as a cover for |
| Therefore, it is necessary to understand how to | | | | the fish. |
| determine your fish is ill and what you will need to | | | | Once you determine the disease, visit a pet |
| do in the situation where your fish is ill. | | | | retailer or pet store to find the proper treatment. |
| The first step is identifying and determining the | | | | Home remedies should be avoided. |
| problem. It is important to keep an eye on your | | | | An emergency cleaning of your tank may be |
| fish for abnormal behavior and/or appearance. | | | | used as a last resort, in the situation of three or |
| Abnormal behavior may include erratic swimming | | | | more fish suffering from the same disease. In this |
| behavior, lack of movement, lack of desire to | | | | case, remove all fish to the hospital tank, and |
| eat, gasping for air or rubbing of body or fins. | | | | then you must go through the process of setting |
| Physically, some symptoms of disease may | | | | up your aquarium from scratch. Wash all |
| include discoloration, swelling, rotting fins, and | | | | components with bleach and rinse thoroughly, |
| abnormal growths. | | | | throw out filter media, rocks, live plants and |
| After you have determined the symptoms and | | | | airstones. They will all need to be replaced. |
| disease, treatment is the obvious next choice. | | | | The best advice to maintaining a healthy |
| What many fish owners do not do, however, is | | | | environment for your fish is to complete regular |
| to set up a hospital tank for the fish. | | | | maintenance on your tank. Keep the environment |
| It is highly recommended that you move the ill | | | | clean and suitable for the fish, and keep an eye |
| fish to its own environment, and this is done for | | | | on the fish themselves. At first sign of |
| three reasons: 1. It keeps the fish from spreading | | | | abnormality, determine the disease and treat it |
| its disease to other fish in your community tank; | | | | immediately. Follow these simple steps and your |
| 2. It keeps healthy fish from harassing the | | | | fish should live longer, healthier lives. |