Not all fish diseases come from parasites or infections. Many issues like carbon dioxide poisoning, bad water quality, metal and chemical poisoning, the wrong diet, too much food, and even stress can make fish sick.
Keeping an eye on their environment and how they interact is the key to prevent fish from falling sick.
So, here are all the reasons that can make your fish sick and how to prevent them.
Poor Water Quality
Fish diseases can often be traced back to poor water quality. If you notice that your fish are gasping for air at the surface of the tank and seem less active than usual, these could be signs of a problem.
Other symptoms might include fins that appear clamped or closed, a general look of poor health, and faded colors.
The cause of these conditions is usually related to issues with the water. This can be due to not changing the water frequently enough, inadequate filtration, or using too many standard chemicals.
The good news is, you can treat this condition. Start by changing the water daily until things like high ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate levels return to lower readings.
Make sure there’s plenty of air circulating in the aquarium. You might need to add an extra airstone or increase the filtration.
Also, check that the water’s pH is within the right range for the species of fish you have. Each species has a slightly different normal pH level, so it’s important to know what’s right for your fish.
Incorrect Diet
Fish can get sick if they’re not eating right. Just like people, fish need a mix of vitamins and minerals to stay healthy.
When they don’t get the right diet, they might not look or act as healthy as they should. They might not be as colorful as usual, and they might not move around as much.
This can happen if you’re not feeding them properly. But the good news is, you can fix it.
Start by giving your fish a good mix of food. You can buy flakes from the store that are made for fish.
Also, try to give them small amounts of fresh greens like lettuce and peas. Some fish even like eating live food.
Keep in mind, different types of fish need different types of food. So, make sure to find out what’s best for the kind of fish you have.
Overfeeding
Fish diseases can be caused by overfeeding. If you give your fish too much food, they may become sick.
You can tell if your fish are unwell if they seem sluggish, gain too much weight, or are suffering from constipation. The main cause of these symptoms is overfeeding your fish too frequently.
To treat this, you shouldn’t feed your fish for two days. It’s also important to clean the water in your fish tank. Leftover food can rot and make the water dirty, which can make your fish even sicker.
If your fish look like they’ve swallowed a ball and are floating up and down in the water, you are probably feeding them too much.
You should start measuring each serving of food to avoid overfeeding your fish.
Scared Fish
Fish can get sick if they’re scared too often. You can tell your fish are scared if they quickly swim to hide when you turn on the tank lights. They might also get hurt frequently from bumping into decorations in the tank.
This fear can be caused by sudden bright lights, quick human movements near the tank, people tapping on the glass, or pets trying to reach into the tank.
To help your fish, you should make the room brighter slowly by first opening curtains or turning on room lights before you turn on the tank lights. This way, the fish aren’t shocked by the sudden change in lighting.
In simple words, don’t scare your fish.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) Poisoning
Carbon dioxide poisoning means that there’s too much carbon dioxide and not enough oxygen in the water that the fish live in.
You can tell if a fish is suffering from this if it’s not very active or if it’s breathing quickly. The fish may also spend a lot of time near the surface of the water.
There are a few things you can do to help a fish that’s suffering from this.
You can add more air to the water to help the gas exchange at the water surface. This basically means that you’re helping to balance out the levels of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the water.
You might also need to cut down on giving fertilizers to the plants in the tank because they can contribute to the problem.
It’s also a good idea to check the water conditions and make any changes that are needed. This could include things like adjusting the temperature or pH level.
Finally, you should also change the water in the tank frequently. This can help to keep the levels of carbon dioxide and oxygen balanced.
Metal Poisoning
Fish can get sick from metal poisoning, which happens when metal items touch the water in the fish tank. When a fish is sick from metal poisoning, they may act weird and look paler than usual.
The reason why this happens is because certain metal items like old metal hoods or equipment clips can poison the fish if they touch the water.
That’s why it’s super important to make sure no metal items are touching the aquarium water.
If you think your fish might be sick from metal poisoning, you should replace all the water in the tank.
To prevent this from happening in the future, you should use plastic clips instead of metal ones, and ensure that the glass cover on your tank fits well. This way, no water will touch the hood and light fixture and it will keep your fish safe from potential metal poisoning.
Chemical Poisoning
If your fish is behaving oddly, gasping for air, lying on its side, looking pale, keeping its fins clamped close to its body, or refusing to eat, it might be suffering from chemical poisoning.
What causes this? Common household items like cleaning supplies, cosmetics, and insect-control sprays can poison the water in your fish tank.
Even a small drop of these products can harm your fish if it enters the tank.
You should avoid using these products near your fish tank. But if you have to, make sure to cover your tank tightly with plastic sheets or large towels to keep your fish safe.
To get rid of chemical poisoning, you need to change all the water in the tank and replace the filter. This will remove the harmful chemicals and help your fish recover.
