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Aquaria - Fish Health

Despite your best efforts, the diagnosis and treatment of aquatic diseases will often be very difficult. Sometimes, the only signs of a problem are a dead fish in your aquarium. Natural decay takes place very quickly in the water. Only ever attempt to treat common ailments like 'white spot' or 'fin rot' with proprietary aquarium treatments as treating your fish without an accurate diagnosis and treatment can lead to devastating if not fatal consequences.

Always remember that an aquarium is an intricately balanced environment with a delicate eco system of micro organisms. If you haphazardly add chemicals to your aquarium in an attempt to treat an unknown disease this will disturb this balance and may create even bigger problems. Like any pet aquatic animals and invertebrates can contract diseases and parasites or can become injured.

If your fish need medical attention, here are a few suggestions to help you find an answer to treating fishy ailments. Try the aquarist personnel working in your local pet shop as they often know as much about fish as anyone. They have learned to recognize and treat many common diseases in house. Local hobbyists and aquarium clubs usually have the 'doc' or often had experience with the same aquatic problems. Your local veterinarian may be a hobbyist, too. Some practices have their own aquaria in the waiting area. Many veterinarians like the challenge of raising their own saltwater fish and have gained a wealth of practical knowledge through their own experience. Once you have found the 'doctor' able to help you with your poorly fish, there are things you can do to help obtain a proper diagnosis. You will most likely be asked to take smaller fish to them. Take your sick fish in a container large enough so that it can swim around comfortably. Take an additional water sample from the aquarium for water quality testing. It is best if the 'doctor' sees your poorly fish before you've made any attempts at treatment.

Almost all hobbyists will have tried a couple of over the counter cures before attempting to contact anyone else. These chemical cocktails often do more harm than good or can make a diagnosis difficult if not impossible as they will mask the symptoms. To help the 'doctor', you should be able to describe accurately your tank and all its occupants. Know how many litres of water it holds, what type of filtration system is in use and what the regular temperature is and how it is maintained. These observations will help the 'doctor' diagnose the problem.

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