Stay Signed In
Do you want to access your site more quickly on this computer? Check this box, and your username and password will be remembered for two weeks. Click logout to turn this off.
Stay Safe
Do not check this box if you are using a public computer. You don't want anyone seeing your personal info or messing with your site.
The right pet for you?
Fish are colourful and fascinating to watch. Setting up an aquarium or pond can be expensive and time-consuming, but most fish are easy to look after.
What do fish need?
A stable home
Companionship - many fish live in groups.
Most fish need specially prepared fish food and some also eat live food like water fleas.
Indoor fish need a large aquarium with a ventilated cover. It should be kept out of direct sunlight and away from extremes of hot and cold. The bottom of the aquarium should be covered with clean gravel.
The surface area of the water must be sufficient for all the fish to breathe. An aquarium should have a filter to keep the water clean and, when needed, an aeration pump to regulate the amount of oxygen in the water and a heater and thermostat to regulate the temperature.
An aquarium needs to be cleaned regularly and the water changed appropriately.
If fish are suitable to be kept outdoors, they need a large pond with some overhanging plants or trees to provide shade.
A pond needs to be cleaned out once a year and the water changed. Fallen leaves must be cleared from the surface of the water and plants thinned out. If the pond freezes, some of the ice should be melted carefully to maintain a hole.
A variety of water plants in the pond or aquarium to provide oxygen and cover. Smooth rocks and other objects also provide hiding places.
Plenty of light to encourage water plants to grow.
To have help from a vet if they are ill or injured.
To be looked after when you are on holiday.
Life span
Goldfish can live for up to 25 years.
Behaviour
Many fish live in groups called shoals in the wild and they need the company of their own kind. When choosing fish make sure they can live happily together and are healthy. It is best to choose types that live at different depths in the water - surface, middle and bottom levels - but don't put too many fish in together as this can cause crowding resulting in competition for food, poor water quality and fish not being able to breathe.
Handling
Fish are very delicate and sensitive. They should not be caught and moved by hand as this is very distressing for them and they are easily injured. Use a large smooth net to gently lift one fish out of the water. Avoid any sudden changes in temperature or light level.
Breeding
Make sure you have the space and facilities to accommodate the young.
All fish develop from eggs and most lay eggs that are fertilised outside the body. Some tropical fish give birth to young that are tiny versions of the adult. Different fish need different conditions to breed.
Health
If fish are gulping at the surface of the water, they could be suffering from oxygen starvation. Improve the oxygen supply by regular water changes, cleaning out the aquarium or pond, using an air pump and adding plants.
Sudden changes in water temperature can be very dangerous. When moving your fish or changing the water, make sure the temperature is kept even. Always use an additive to tap water to remove chlorine. Good fish stores will advise on the ones to use in your area.
White strands or tufts like cotton wool on the body of a fish could indicate a serious fungus disease. This can be treated by adding anti-fungus medication to the water.
If a fish has a trailing brown thread from its body, it may have constipation. A more varied diet is needed, including vegetable bits and some live food.
Fish may suffer from white spot disease, caused by a parasite. If there are white spots on your fish, you can buy a cure from most pet shops. The whole aquarium will need to be treated.
BASIC GOLDFISH INFORMATION:
Your goldfish deserves the best care possible so make sure you are prepared to:
check that the person who looks after your fish when you go on holiday also knows how to monitor and maintain the water quality and is aware of the need to avoid over-feeding
take action quickly if your fish are gaping at the surface - this may indicate low oxygen and high carbon dioxide in the water
if kept outside ensure that an outdoor pond is deep enough for goldfish to survive any extreme changes in temperature around their home - such as when the pond ices over.
Be prepared before you bring a new fish home. Find out about the range of water temperatures your fish can live in - sudden changes in water temperature can be fatal!
FISH DISEASES AND CURES:
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.
Cataracts
Cataracts are fungal growths on the eyes. Treatment with any aquarium fungicide should work. Its probability increases with water rich in ammonia or nitrates.
Symptoms:White or gray material covering the eyes only.
Treatment:Special attention should be made to assure that ammonia and nitrite levels stay within accepted measures. Add anti fugal treatment. Raise the temperature and if fish are compatible with salt add it.
Corneybacteriosis
Corneybacteria causes swelling in the head which will push the eyes outward. It is caused by overcrowding and water of poor quality, having an excess of ammonia and / or nitrites. (YOU KNOW SEE WHY WE GO ON AND ON ABOUT AMMONIA/NITRITES )
Symptoms Bulging Eyes
Treatment:There are a few commercially available products which treat corneybacteriosis Penicillin and tetracycline are among them.
Black Spot
Black Spot, or diplopstomiasis, often follows the addition of new aquarium fish. All fish are susceptible, especially the Silver Dollar and Piranha. It is fairly easy to diagnose and treat.
Symptoms Small black spots on the body.
Treatment Black spot is generally easy to cure. There are a number of commercially available treatments and preventatives.
Velvet
Velvet looks similar to Ich, but there will be many more small white spots that appear dusty. This Protozoan disease in fresh water environments is caused by Oodinium limneticum and Oodinium pillularis. In marine environments by Oodinium occellatum. The parasite attacks the eyes, fins, gills and skin.
Symptoms: Similar to Ich more white spots that appear dusty
Treatment As for Ich
Fin Rot
Can be either bacterial (fins rot with red [blood] outline on edge) or fungal (white, cottony grows on edge of fin)
Symptoms The fins will have a ragged, uneven appearance that will eventually, if left untreated, disintegrate to the point where only a stub remains.
Treatment There is a range of medication including penecilin.
Hole In The Head (HITH):
This is a common disease among larger Cichlids such as Severums and especially...Oscars. It appears as small holes on the face and around the eyes, that may have a white material growing inside them.
Symptoms It appears as small holes on the face and around the eyes, that may have a white material growing inside them. Loss of appetite and whitish feces are another indication that may appear before the development of the holes.
Treatmeant A range of medication including Aquarium Pharmaceuticals-General Cure, Aquatronics- Hex-a-Mit, Aquatronics- Hex-A-Vital (especially for Discus, Angelfish and Oscars)
Gill Flukes
Parasite livign in gills. Gills become inflamed.
Symptoms: The gills may turn red and swollen. The fish may scratch himself against objects and breathe rapidly.
Treatment Use appropriate medication and raise the temp and if possible give a salt bath.
Flexibacter
Flexibacter is a gliding bacteria. These bacteria are long, thin, and flexible. One end of the bacterial cell is attached to the fish, while the other end if free floating.
Symptoms: Looks like fuzzyness basically. Balls that look like mold.
Treatment Appropriate medication (Maracyn and Maracyn II used together). Increased aeration, and decreased temperature.
Tumor
(THE PICTURE IS NOT VERY NICE SO I HAVE LEFT IT AS A LINK FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO SEE IT! http://www.research.ku.edu/explore/v2n2/images/fish_2.jpg)
There are 2 types of tumors. The Benign and Cancerous tumor.
Symptoms: The benign tumour will have something that looks like an infection around it. A Cancerous tumour will keep growing and some scales around the area will protrude when it grows big enough.
Treatment: Sadly no cure. Either euthanise the fish reccomended or let it live in agony for its remaing days.
Clamped fins
The fish clamps its fins close against the its body. Experienced aquarists use this to quickly spot problems with their fish.
Symptoms Like the name clammped fins.
Treatment: Water change (Like with all diseases) add melafix or some sort of appropriate medication. If possible add salt to compatible fish.
Septicemia:
A fairly rare to common in all tropical and coldwater fish. It is caused by bad tank conditons and is very hard to cure if not impossible. Bacterial Hemorrhagic Septicemia can be diagnosed by red streaking of the fins and body and once this disease progresses, ulcerations and body sores start to appear. There is significant loss of appetite, lethargy, loss of motor functions in the later stages of the disease.
This condition can follow on from skin infections such as finrot or may occur independently as a result of dirty conditions. Bacteria enter the blood stream and circulate through the tissues causing inflammation and damage. Blood vessel and heart tissue damage result in leakage of fluids into the abdomen, prpducing dropsy. Inflamed blood vessels in the skin and at fin bases stand out.
Things To Look Out For
Reddening at the bases of the fins
Small haemorrhages around the eyes
Very dull, listless behavious
Lack of appetite
Seek vetinary guidance. The vet will prescribe antibiotics. Check the aquarium for the cause and eliminate it.
Treatment: I recomend using Oxytetracycline Hydrochloride Powder obtained from a vet to cure this disease.
Then there is the all too common (at least I have noticed in Goldfish) Anchor Worm.
Diagnosis: The fish scrapes itself against objects, whitish-green threads hang out of the fish's skin with an inflamed area at the point of attachment.Anchor worms are actually crustaceans. The young are free swimming and borrow into the skin, go into the muscles and develop for several months before showing. They release eggs and die. The holes left behind are ugly and may become infected.
Treatment The anchor worm is too deeply imbedded to safely remove. Treatment can best be done with a 10 to 30 minute bath in 10 mg per liter of potassium permanganate. Or treat the whole tank with 2 mg per liter, but this method is messy and dyes the water.
Tuberculosis
A fairly infectious bacterial disease, tubercolosis is becoming incresingly common. Affected specimens must be removed from the aquariym immediately so that other fishes aren't infected. A tubercular fish usually feeds normally, but loses weight as it's internal organs become damaged. Some fish develop nodules under the skin which eventually ulcerate, in other nodules develop behind the eye, causing "pop-eye".
The bacteria that causes the disease prefers cooler temperatures than most bacteria that infect humans. However, fish tuberculosis can affect people, usually in the for of an infected nodule on the skin, but there is a small chance that it will cause a serious internal infection. nce diagnosed in one of your fish, strict hygienic precautions should be observed. A definate diagnosis is only possible by a post mortem.
Things To Look Out For
Appears dull in colour
Weight loss
Folded fins
Ulcerous skin wounds
Treatment
Seek vetinary advice. Affected fish should be removed and euthanized. Don't allow them to die in the tank as other inhabitants will eat them and become infected too. The tubercular fish's contacts should be treated: move them to a separate hospital tank, and disinfect the original aquarium. If other fish succumb, don't introduce any new specimens, euthanize all affected fish then clean, disinfect and re-stock the aquarium.
Ok any more guys?? Remember all Infected fish are to be removed and put in a hospital tank. And water changes should be done without question.
Home Page
