Fish can also get sick during their lives, but with the right care, they are able to get through this phase smoothly.
Like any other pet, little fish can have some health problems during their lives. In such cases, it is extremely important to know the best methods for identifying and caring for sick fish.
Some of the reasons why a pet fish may become ill usually have to do with poor tank hygiene or the way they are fed, or even living with other pets in the home.
To prevent them from getting sick or having any aquarium related problems, it is important to understand how to care for fish properly, as well as the most appropriate ways to set up a healthy environment.
How do I know if my fish is sick?
Identifying a sick fish may seem difficult, especially for those who don’t have one nearby, but when a guardian loves his pet and has known him for a long time, it is very easy to know when he is well and when he is not.
When they are sick, the little fishes tell us with small gestures, and even by their appearance. However, it is common that some keepers do not know how to identify such signs, either because they are new to the subject or for other reasons. So how do you know if a fish is sick, even if you don’t have much knowledge in this area?
What are the symptoms of sick fish?
In the case of diseases related to infections caused by bacteria, for example, some of the very common symptoms are:
- Loss of color;
- Wear of the fins
- Sores on the body
- Swelling;
- Difficulty breathing
- Low mood.
In cases of diseases caused by the presence of fungi in the body – which also cause infections, just like bacteria – some of the manifestations are:
- Different behavior;
- Around the eyes or mouth with a whitish color,
- Tendency to swim from side to side in the aquarium with accelerated speed.
Finally, another disease that can be very common in fish is infection caused by parasites, which are different from bacteria and fungi. Some of the symptoms sick fish show:
- Loss of desire to swim;
- Presence of mucous substances on the body;
- Accelerated breathing;
- Appearance of worms in the body
- Loss of appetite.
How to choose the fish to put in the aquarium
Before anything else, it is important to define well the species that will live together in the same aquarium, because there are types of fish that are not compatible with each other and therefore cannot live in the same environment.
According to Dr. Mariana Pestelli, the best thing to do is to always leave one fish together with another so that they can interact with each other when compatible. However, it is worth remembering that different pets have sometimes different needs. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the fish’s diet, lifestyle, and other important points in order for them to be healthy.
Another important point to take into consideration is the type of water the fish need to live in. Having a freshwater fish and a saltwater fish requires the keeper to have two different types of aquariums, for example.
Fish that can live in only one type of water and are compatible can be placed in only one tank.
Aquarium care for healthy fish
After deciding on a goldfish, it is important to start taking care of the aquarium. One of the first is the hygiene of the water, so that it can be inhabited by living beings without causing damage. Therefore, the use of accessories such as filters, water tests (for pH, ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, etc.) and partial water changes are completely necessary.
Besides these, it is essential to place other items in the aquarium so that the pet can live comfortably, safely, happily and much healthier inside its new home. However, much of this care does not work if the aquarium is overcrowded with small fish.
As aquariums become overcrowded, the oxygen in the water decreases, making it harder for the little ones to breathe and, consequently, posing health risks.
An aquarium with too many inhabitants – known as overcrowding – can also be a source of problems, since the greater the number of animals inside the place the greater the formation of organic matter such as food leftovers and feces. With impure water, the more complicated will be the coexistence of the fish with their home.
The importance of fish treatments
If the little fish shows the symptoms mentioned above or even different behaviors, which may indicate the presence of health problems, it is necessary to look for a veterinarian to certify that the little fish is sick, to know the possible causes of the disease, and to know the most appropriate treatments for fish at the moment.
In this way it will be possible to gain much more experience in caring for fish and still make them much happier and healthier.