Pet fish are one of the easiest pets to keep and with diligent cleaning and aquarium upkeep you can minimise the chance of them catching disease. However no matter how careful you are there is a chance that your fish may develop a disease and it is essential to be able to identify and deal with it quickly.

The Two Types Of Fish Disease

There are two categories of diseases with are infectious and non-infectious. If the disease is infectious then you could end up with all your fish very ill or worse. Infectious diseases pass from parasites and other fish, whereas non infectious diseases are usually as a result of poor cleaning or diet. If your fish develops an infectious disease then it will not go away unless it is treated. If you don't treat it then it will continue to get worse and your pet may die. Non-infectious diseases may go away if cleaning/diet routines improve.

If you notice any symptoms of disease the most important thing is to act quickly. If you notice any symptoms the first thing to do is separate the ill fish from the other fish in the aquarium, and then identify the problem. Here are some common fish ailments you need to be aware of:

Ick "White Spot"

This is the most common fish disease. White spots appear on the fish, that look almost like grains of salt. There may be other symptoms such as cloudy eyes or fast breathing. There are plenty of medications available from the pet shop for this disease because it is so common, and usually clears up once treated.

Fungus

Fungus usually develops as a result of a wound on the fish, so treating injuries immediately is essential to preventing fungus. You can do this by removing any sharp objects that the fish could be wounded on and having real plants as opposed to plastic ones.

Fungus appears as white patches that are fuzzy in appearance. Again these are easily cured with medications available at the pet shop or online.

Fin and Tail Rot

Tails and fins can be damaged from fighting with other fish, however there is another possible cause. Fin and tail rot eats away at the fish and is often fatal. Antibiotics are required to treat the infection and are readily available.

Bacterial Infections

Bacterial infections are usually as a result of a parasite and are not easy to identify. You may notice red blotches on the fishes body or damaged fins which resembles fin rot. You can treat this with medication but often it can be treated by changing the water. However doing both of these methods is the most effective.