Fish Diseases

[Wyld-Fyre]

Anchor Worms (lernaea)

This is a parasitic copepod that attacks mainly freshwater fishes, but have also been found in marine habitats. These parasites can be seen with the naked eye. Females are 10-12mm, males are 0.8mm.

Females are parasitic and embed themselves into the hosts flesh. They are held in place using a 'holdfast', where they begin feeding on the fishs' flesh, organs and fluids. Reproductive potential is seen by the development of two egg sacs on the exterior/exposed part of the parasite, giving them that Y/T-shaped appearance. Young copepods are free swimmers, but soon attach themselves to the gills. Adults and eggs are introduced via live foods, infected water, or plants.

Symptoms: Fishes infected with these parasites can be seen 'flashing' on surfaces. This is the underside of the fishes as they attempt to rid themselves of these parasites. Other symptoms include localized redness, inflation of the body of the fish, breathing difficulties, lethargy, ulcers, dropsy, weight loss, loss of scales, gill and fin damage. Puncture wounds often introduce opportunistic, secondary infections.

Treatments : Infected individuals should be removed into a quarantine tank, as to prevent females from releasing their eggs into the main tank.

1) Salt has been recommended as the safest form of removal for effected fishes. 10-30 grams per litre.
2) Trichlorfon, Dipterex and Dylox (toxic to fishes and invertebrates - use with care)
3) Current treatments involves Dimilin

Sources:
http/www.pondsandpumps.co.uk/artanchorworm.htm
http/uk.msnusers.com/FishHealth/lernaea.msnw

PS Hope this helps
PPS Can't attach a picture I've found as we don't have permission to use it.

 

[tanya]

Velvet:

hole in head:

fin rot:

thanks for the pictures. i have been trawling the internet all day trying to diagnose my poorly guppies, and pictures really do say more than words!....i still havent decided whats wrong, but i have eliminated a few things!

anyone have any ideas......

5 guppies in new tank. i left the tank over a week to do the whole nitrogen cycle thing and used "nutrafin cycle" as well when setting up tank and before putting the guppies in. levels have been tested daily and have been at zero for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. pH at 7.2. temp at 26C. therefore surely i should have happy guppies.....however, i noticed white spots a couple of days ago, got treatment (and removed carbon filter) straight away, thats much improved. Also....the scales along the top of the body seem to be fading away and losing colour, and patches look like they've disappeared altogether. i cant describe it any other way really. anyway, hoped it was part of the ich and would resolve with the treatment. this morn one guppy was hovering near the surface looking very "unwell" and had the worse case of faded scales than the others. promptly did a 16% water change and checked levels (before the water change to get true picture of whats going on). all levels were spot on. fish "perked up" a little and joined the others for a swim. went to pet shop for advice, (not very helpful) got home to dead fish. now i am very worried that whatever it had, might happen to the others. simply replacing fish is not going to help. i really need to find the cause and make sure it doesnt happen again. so far the remaining 4 guppies are swimming about and seem ok. one still has 2 white spots remaining on his tail and they all still have "scale fade". any ideas....anyone? i desperately need to help my fishes...i just dont know how!

 

[tigger19565]

Hey I've written out all these common fish diseases. If I've missed any please add to this topic.

Ich/White Spot: This is probably one of the most common fish diseases. Ich looks like literally white spots all over the fish. This is a Protozoan disease caused by Ichthyophthirius in fresh water aqauriums (Cryptocarion irritans in Marine). It is a parasite that attacks the eyes, fins, gills, skin and mouth interior.

Symptoms: White spots all over the fish. The fish may attempt to scrape itself against objects in the aquarium, have a loss of appetite or a stressed-rapid breathing. The parasite can only be affected by treatment during the free-swimming stages of the cycle.

Treatment : A Copper Sulfate or Copper Formalin medicine should be able to kill most infections. There are many medicines all do the trick. If the fish are salt tolerant give your fish a salt bath. Also raise the temp this ups the life cycle of the disgusting parasite.

Velvet Similar to ich except the white spots appear 'dusty'.

Symptoms Same as ich except dusty spots

Treatment Same as ich

Dropsy : One of the most disturbing of fish diseases, and is rarely cureable. Dropsy is an internal bacterial infection.

Symptoms: The fish's scales will stand out, making it have a pine comb look. Sometimes eyes can .blow up'.

Treatment : Use Kanamycin or Tetracycline and raise the temperature to about 80 degrees/ 30 deg C. This helps remove the fluid note this is rarly curablee.

Fungus:: Common disease that effects all kinds tropical fish. Fungus mostly infects in poor water conditions in which there are unacceptable levels of ammonia or nitrites. Fin nippers will damage the fins of other fish making them more susceptible to fungal infections and external bacterial infections such as fin and tail rot.

Symptoms A white cottony fluff will appear on fish. Can be around body or in mouth. Fin rot appears as white on ends of fins.

Treatment: Relatively easy. Add appropriate medication (Available for all fungal infections). If fish are salt tolerant add salt. Raise the temp to 30 deg C or 80deg F.

Swimbladder: This is a disease that effects the fishes swim bladder.

Symptoms: Fish swim side-ways or rest on bottom and can't go to surface.

Treatment: Raise the temperature, add appropriate medication for swim bladder. Note this is a disease that is rarely curable.

Cysts This is a uncommon disease. Fish infected by systs should be ethunaised before the cyst bursts.

Symptoms: Large balls appear on fish internally or externally. They look full of fluid and are relatively large.

i have noticed black marks on my blood parrot fish do you have any info on treatment this has just appeared

 

[hsodaye]

My fish has this cyst on its head

It is a cyst or due to bacteria, the fish is otherwise fine and without any weight loss.
What could be the cause and please suggest possible cure for this.

 

[The-Wolf]

hsodaye
given this lump is on a goldfish, I'm thinking carp pox.
have you touched it?
if so does it feel waxy and hard or spongy and rough?

 

[hsodaye]

It is very soft and its there since last year.

 

[The-Wolf]

IME it is carp pox.
there is no effective treatment for it and it is not life threatening to the fish.
it is caused by a virus similar to hepatitis in us.
the lump may go away if the fish is placed into a warmer environment, IE raise the temp of its water to around 26C
however as soon as it goes back into coldwater the lump will probably come back.

I had read a few article of people lancing the lumps off, but this is could leave a scar just as ugly as the lump.
if it were my fish, I'd just leave well alone.

 

[Mandimoo]

Does anyone know if there are diseases unique to Platys ? We have no obvious signs of disease (no growths, white spots, cotton wool, bloating, etc) but the platys seem to go incredibly "skinny" in a very short time and then die. We have corys, rasboras, harlequins, frogs, filteer shrimps and lamp eyes - all of which we have had for ages and not lost any. We are losing a platy every couple of weeks. They are eating food OK. At first, we thought it was the oldest ones dying and perhaps it was old age, but now we lose young ones too.

Any ideas ?

 

[scooterchick]

Sounds like internal parasites. What's their poo like? Start a thread of your own and you'll get more replies.

 

[joey8117]

Warning, I would just like to let everyone know that if you have a Chinese Hi Fin Shark, and you want to treat it for fin or tail rot disease do not by any means use Aquarium Pharmaceuticals melifix on it for treatment. I just lost my fish this evening after only the second doseage of this medication which is suppose to be given for seven days and cures fin rot. This was a fairly new fish which I had for 6 weeks. All my fish are in good health with the exception of this fish's upper part of his tail which had some fin rot and was starting to spread but overall in good health and eating fine . I never had any problems with any of my fish before when using this medication, but I found out the hard way not to use it on Chinese Hi Fin Sharks as it killed mine and I am letting everyone know to be careful when using this medication on them as they are a smooth skinned fish.

 

[The-Wolf]

sorry if this sounds blunt joey
perhaps it was the best thing for the fish, seeing how big they get and really shouldn't be kept in anything smaller than the Mekong

 

[spazmonkey]

I have a male guppy and it looks really fat. I have been limiting his food and I am wondering what this could be.

Any thoughts?

 

[fisho_fisho]

do you know what disease is the redness around the eye???
and why is my gold fish swimming vertically and hard to breathe??
do you have any ideas what diseases my gold fish has???

 

[allmyfishies]

my friends female guppies have a belly bloat. and there are other fish in there, but only the female guppies. she dont know what to do. they have had it around 2 months or more

 

[Looffy]

Help! I have lost 5 fish this week. Silver Dollars have fin rot and I am treating them, all fish seem to be gasping for air and are not eating. PH is low and I am treating. Does anyone know how long for the ph to balance?