Introduction

Fish disease is the one thing all aquarium owners dread. Not only will it be developed by one of your fish, but it can quickly spread to the rest of your fish, too.

What are the conditions that can cause your fish to develop diseases?

Disease

No matter what type of pet you have, whether it is a cat, dog, bird or fish, they will probably develop some type of disease in their life. But for fish it is a big concern because if it develops in one fish then the entire tank could become infected.

But there are certain actions you can do to avoid diseases from infecting you fish and your entire tank. By diligently applying these actions you can ensure you will keep your fish smiling for a long time.

Bacteria

If you have set up your aquarium properly, you should have lots of bacteria in your tank. Your fish have an effective immune system that wards off the bacteria and their diseases. But if your fish get stressed, their immune system is not as effective.

So the key to keeping healthy fish is to prevent stress in your fish.

How To Prevent Stress In Your Fish

The best way to prevent stress to your fish is to monitor the chemistry of your tanks water on a weekly or more frequent bases. A change in your water’s chemistry, even by a small amount, is the main reason for a reduced immune system in fish.

Providing a natural lighting cycle will also prevent stress to your fish. If the lighting is unbalanced your fish will be stressed. I have mine on a 12-hour timer. It is on at six in the morning and off at six at night.

Changes in water temperature can also stress your fish. Use a heater to keep your water at a constant temperature. Also when you clean your tank and replace water, the replacement water should be at the same temperature as your tank. If not, add the replacement water in small amounts.

Over-populating your tank could also stress your fish. As a rule of thumb, one inch of fully grown fish per five gallons of water. So for my 75-gallon tank I can handle 15 inches of adult fish.

Over-feeding your fish results in more bacteria because the excess food falls to the bottom and decays which creates more bacteria. Even without over-feeding, there will be food falling to the bottom. Enlist the help of some bottom feeders who not only will eat the food on the bottom but will also keep your tank clear of algae.