Introduction

Fish diseases are one thing that you may encounter if you have an aquarium. But you do not have to accept having your fish come down with diseases if you do not stress them out and you maintain a proper water quality.

There a many fish diseases that you may encounter with your fish. Here are two of the most common type of diseases you may encounter with your fish.

Aquarium Diseases

Ick – This is one of the most common aquarium diseases discussed on the various fish forums that are on the Internet. This is actually a parasite that will attack your fish if they are stressed or undernourished.

It is recognized by visible small white spots, that resemble sugar crystals, on your fish’s fins or body. You may also notice your fish rubbing up against the substrate or other objects in you aquarium trying to remove the white crystals.

If you notice these white spots, you must take action immediately to stop the spread of the disease and prevent your fish from dying. You can obtain a remedy from most pet stores. I keep a box of the remedy in my home so I can take action right away if I see the white spots.

If you only have one or two fish infected, then you will want to isolate the infected fish by placing them in a separate bowl. Make sure you follow the directions that come with the remedy.

Velvet or Rust – This disease has several symptoms from respiratory distress to a light brown on the body. With this disease the gills will be the first part of the body affected.

The cause of this disease is a parasite that develops when you introduce fish that have not been quarantined, you fail to change the water and introduction of plants with cysts.

This disease can be very contagious and is often fatal if not treated right away. Your pet store should be able to provide you with a cure that consists of copper or acriflavine (topical antiseptic).

After you have cured your fish, do a gradual change out of the water since you could poison the fish because of the copper.

Conclusion

These are the two most common diseases you may see in your aquarium. But with proper care of your fish, not stressing them out and maintaining proper water quality, you may never encounter these two diseases.