Goldfish diseases. How to prevent and overcome?

Popular pets, goldfish enhance the beauty and tranquility of any aquarium. Nonetheless, they occasionally may experience health problems, just like any other living thing. Maintaining the health and happiness of your fish companions requires an understanding of common diseases that affect them as well as the ability to prevent and treat them.

We’ll look at some of the most common diseases that affect goldfish in this guide, including swim bladder disease and fin rot. We’ll go over how to recognize the early warning signs so you can act before a small problem escalates into a bigger one.

In addition, since keeping an aquarium environment clean and well-balanced is essential to avoiding these illnesses, we’ll go over some helpful maintenance advice. Whether you’re a novice or an experienced aquarium owner, these tips will help you give your goldfish the best care possible and make sure they flourish in their aquatic habitat.

Optimal living conditions

In small tanks, they die within a short period. For a school of 4-5 individuals, a large aquarium with a volume of 100 liters is needed, for a pair, a vessel of 40-60 liters is suitable. The ideal water temperature is 25 degrees, pH – 7. In case of hypothermia, the fish go to the bottom, lose their appetite, become lethargic, when overheated – they swim up and swallow air, fussily move in different directions. Be sure to install a powerful filter with aeration, and better – with a compressor. Goldfish need a lot of oxygen, clean water, which they heavily pollute with excrement. Do not overdo it with decor, the main thing is space, fish do not need to hide in grottoes and shells, they get injured there. Make sure that there are live plants in the aquarium that regulate the biobalance and provide the fish with vitamins. You should not give only dry food, plant food is also needed – lettuce, spinach, fruits. Feeding occurs twice a day at the same time. Water for goldfish is changed more often than for other inhabitants of home aquariums – once a week. Follow the recommendations so that goldfish diseases in the aquarium bypass.

The body turned white

Unusual behavior combined with an unnatural pallor may be the result of diseases, inadequate nutrition, or poor maintenance:

• Ichthyophthirius (see.above).
• "Cotton disease". Characteristics include the appearance of growths or plaque on the body, similar to cotton wool, restless behavior, itching. Help: normalization of water parameters, elimination of stress sources, products containing phenoxyethanol.
• Costiosis. Other signs: itching, white or gray coating, restlessness. For 7 days, daily for 15 minutes place the fish in a saline solution of 25 g per 10 l.

Symptoms of ailments

In the event that treating goldfish illnesses in the aquarium is not possible, you must act quickly. Signs that need to be taken seriously:

• enlarged or clouded eyes;
• erratic movements;
• lack of appetite;
• bloated body;
• spots of any color and size;
• red gills;
• white mucus and coating;
• turning belly up;
• growths;
• peeling skin.

Examine the images and descriptions of goldfish illnesses before buying an aquarium so that you can respond appropriately and promptly when the first signs appear.

Red spots

The following illnesses may be the cause of them:

• Rubella. This is a general name for a group of diseases with similar symptoms: spring viremia of carp, aeromonosis, pseudomonosis, vibriosis. Characteristic hemorrhages, especially in the head area, ulcers, exophthalmos, swollen abdomen.
• Gill and skin trematodes. Restless behavior, the desire to constantly scratch, pressed fins, the appearance of slugs on the skin. Antiparasitic treatment is required.
• Ammonia poisoning.

Quarantine for diseases

Purchased an aquarium and now need to maintain a spare 40–50 liter tank that requires aeration. Even if the sick fish is only injured and not contagious, you still need to move it into it. Feed sparingly. The isolation tank is supplemented with antibacterial and vitamin preparations (potassium permanganate solution, tea tree oil, and special vitamins Sera Fishtamin). A two-week quarantine is possible. You can take the pet fish "home" if it returns to its natural color, swims calmly, its scales shimmer, and there is no visible rot or mucus.

Aquarium first aid kit

The days of having to medicate aquarium fish with human medicine are long gone for aquarists. Many contemporary medications intended for fish treatment can be found in pet shops that specialize in aquariums. They have far fewer side effects and a gentler action.

It is recommended that you keep these items on hand:

• Antipar. This drug includes a mixture of malachite green, methylene blue and formalin. Used to treat fungal, bacterial diseases, as well as bacteria caused by ciliates, such as ichthyophthirius.
• SERA Baktopur. The drug is effective in the treatment of bacterial diseases, has an antiseptic effect.
• SERA Mycopur. Antifungal agent, it is recommended to use together with Baktopur, since bacterial diseases are accompanied by fungal ones, and vice versa.
• SERA T. Water conditioner that helps cleanse it of ammonia. This is especially important when using antibacterial agents and antibiotics.

These are a few of the most popular items that pet stores carry. Additionally, there are analogs from Tetra, JBL, and NILPA, all of which have essentially the same composition.

Anybody can experience the unpleasant event of pet disease. Never be afraid to ask experts for assistance, and if you don’t succeed, keep trying. View such occurrences as learning opportunities that will assist you in avoiding mistakes down the road.

Popular pets, goldfish are susceptible to a number of illnesses that can harm their vitality and general health. It’s critical to identify typical symptoms, comprehend the underlying causes of these illnesses, and put preventative measures into place if you want to keep your goldfish healthy. This post will help you recognize the warning signs of illness, provide helpful tips for treating and preventing common diseases that affect goldfish, and guarantee the wellbeing of your aquatic companions.

Infectious diseases

Among the most typical illnesses affecting goldfish are:

• Ichthyophthirius. This is a fungus, when affected by which the fish is covered with small white dots, similar to grains of semolina. Gradual destruction of fins and scales occurs. If the process is not stopped, the fish will die. At the initial stage, you can try to cure your pet with salt baths, if this does not help, use Bicillin.
• Branchiomycosis. Another type of fungus that quickly destroys the body of fish. It all starts with clogged blood vessels, as evidenced by red stripes, then the gills rot, which is visible by the gray erosions on the body. The cause of the disease is live food or infection from other individuals. Immediate isolation from the aquarium, its complete cleaning and disinfection will be required. Methylene blue, furazolidone, magnesium sulfate help well from medications.
• Lepidortosis. This bacterial disease is easy to recognize by raised scales. Untimely treatment leads to complete loss of scales, death of the individual.
• Fin rot. A dangerous disease that contributes to the destruction of the tail, fins, and then the entire body of beauties. The first signs are a white coating on the head, split ends of the tail, a bluish tint of the fins. Fin rot can be treated only in the early stages. Fish are regularly bathed in a solution of methylene blue, malachite green, salt. Antibiotics can be used.

Kindly take note! Stay away from antibiotics if you want to breed goldfish. When combined with potent chemicals, their use results in infertility.

• Rubella. It can be viral and bacterial. Treatment of bruises is the same as other infectious diseases: with salt, potassium permanganate, blue solution. But antibiotics can be given with food rather than just poured into the tank. Treatment of rubella in goldfish is delayed for a month.

Scale loss

Scales on golden carp may come off for the following reasons:

• Excess nitrites. You need to change the water and add conditioners.
• Neighbors – catfish. They damage the scales. You can increase the proportion of plant food, but it is more reliable to remove the remora.
• Ichthyosporiliosis. Also recognized by convulsions, bulging eyes, bruises, heavy breathing, intermittent swimming and lying on the bottom on its side. It is difficult to treat.
• Lepidortosis. Scale rises and falls out in certain areas torso.
• Tuberculosis.

Other diseases

Inadequate maintenance leads to less severe illnesses in goldfish, which aquarium owners also have to cope with. Among them are:

• Argulez. In simple words, these are parasites that attach themselves to goldfish and feed on their blood. This causes intoxication, reddening of the areas, swelling, inflammation and ulcers. It is better to get rid of lice mechanically. Put the individual on a damp cotton swab, remove the parasites with tweezers. It is better to leave the aquarium dry for a couple of weeks so that the remaining arguluses die. Such preparations as SERA Argulol and regular potassium permanganate also help. Considering that lice love warmth, they appear in the summer. Therefore, at this time, you should not get new individuals, buy live food, plants, soil. And the aquarium should be disinfected once again.

Take Care! When they are in natural reservoirs, these fish parasites even "attack" humans. When someone swims underwater without a mask on, they adhere to their eyes.

• Upside-down. Goldfish love to eat and do not know when to stop, which leads to overeating and illness swim bladder. The individual swells up, turns over and barely moves. Treatment of upside-down goldfish is limited to quarantine in an isolator with a low water level and increased aeration, diet. First, a hunger strike is arranged for a couple of days, then only plant food is given in minimal quantities.
• Asphyxia. The gills of the pets are constantly open, they do not grow, eat poorly, are on the surface of the water – this means the reason is poor aeration, incorrect temperature or overcrowding of the tank. Elimination of the causes and cleaning the walls of the vessel from organic waste will get rid of the disease.
• Gas embolism. Appears as a result of excess oxygen or improper water changes. Symptoms seem terrible: bubbles on the body, swelling, darkening of the gills. But everything goes away after transferring individuals to an aquarium with normal parameters.

Not everyone has the calling to "rescue" goldfish. It takes time, experience, knowledge, and other resources. Skilled employees will handle everything on their own. They understand how to identify every symptom and select the right medication for goldfish. Simply give a call, explain the issue, and the therapy will start right away. It is imperative that you promptly seek professional assistance, as certain infections can spread rapidly. A pet’s life can be saved in a matter of hours. Remain calm; in these circumstances, you may commit numerous mistakes that cannot be undone and will exacerbate the circumstance. Expert care is necessary for goldfish, and your job is to appreciate them and provide the best possible environment for them to live in.

The fish swims upside down (upside down)

Possible causes of dysfunctional swim bladder:

• Overeating. In this case, the fish needs to fast for 3 days, and then feed it skinless green peas for some time.
• Unbalanced diet, excess protein food. Solution: stick to a diet in which 20-30% is live and frozen food, the rest is plant food.
• Dropsy. Check the environment parameters for the amount of nitrites, normalize if necessary.
• Mycobacteriosis (tuberculosis). Other manifestations: exophthalmos, abdominal swelling, curvature of the spine, dull color, desire to hide. Remove the fish. Check the environment for nitrites and ammonia.

Treatment of fin rot in cockerels

In the event that a cockerel contracts the disease, it is preferable to disinfect the aquarium rather than turning to medication right away. The illness is effectively treated. Numerous medications are available that promise a quick recovery for the fish. The most important thing is to identify the disease early on.

If fin rot occurs in a cockerel, you should not immediately resort to the use of drugs. It is necessary to disinfect the soil, plants and accessories, replace a third of the water and raise the temperature to the maximum that the inhabitants can withstand. In such conditions, the aquarium is kept for several days. If the disease does not recede, then the situation is somewhat more complicated. An effective and quick result will be achieved by using special means. They can be used in a common aquarium, without separating the infected pets. The aquarist adds the drug according to the instructions, for five days. As a rule, this time is enough to eliminate the fin rot in the cockerel. In especially difficult cases, the treatment lasts up to ten days.

In a pecilia video, fin rot is treated:

Guppies’ fin rot and how Antipar video treats it:

Dermatomycosis, or saprolegnia

The fungus Saprolegnia is the disease’s causal agent. The disease first appears in the context of the fish’s decreased overall immunity, which can be brought on by an injury, illness, or poor care. It’s highly likely that the fish has dermatomycosis if you see that its gills and fins are covered in tiny white threads. If action is not taken quickly, the fungus spores will penetrate the muscles and internal organs of the fish, causing it to stop swimming and lie on the bottom.

Salt baths and lotions made from a 0.1% potassium permanganate and 0.05% trypaflavin solution can be used as treatments. It is advisable not to use a lapis solution because some fish may not respond well to it.

The following guidelines apply when using medicinal solutions: Before every procedure, they are freshly prepared; the ones made yesterday cannot be used today. Making sure the solution doesn’t get on the gills requires close observation! It should be noted that medicinal lotions are useful in treating fish afflicted with leeches and argulus in addition to dermatomycosis.

Disease	Prevention and Treatment
Ich (White Spot)	Increase the water temperature gradually, add aquarium salt, and use a specialized treatment. Maintain good water quality to prevent outbreaks.
Fin Rot	Improve water quality, avoid overfeeding, and use antibiotics or antifungal treatments if needed. Regular water changes are crucial.
Goldfish Constipation	Provide a balanced diet and include high-fiber foods like peas. Avoid overfeeding and ensure regular water changes.
Swim Bladder Disease	Maintain a stable water temperature, avoid overfeeding, and offer a varied diet. In some cases, adjusting the diet or treating with medications might be necessary.
Dropsy	Improve water quality and treat with antibiotics or anti-bacterial medications. Ensure proper diet and avoid overcrowding.

Despite their resilience, health problems can still affect goldfish. You can identify issues early and take action to stop the spread of diseases by closely monitoring your fish and their surroundings. Maintaining a clean tank, feeding your goldfish appropriately, and doing routine water tests are essential to their health.

Don’t freak out if you see symptoms of illness, such as strange behavior or physical changes. The correct medicine and attention can cure a number of common diseases affecting goldfish. Take quick action if you observe any symptoms because early intervention is critical. If you’re not sure how to proceed, seek advice from a veterinarian or an aquarium expert.

It’s always preferable to prevent than to cure. Make sure your fish are not under stress and that your tank is kept up properly. Refrain from overfeeding and ensure that the water quality is at its best. You can help your goldfish live a long, healthy life free from the most common diseases by adhering to these guidelines.

Video on the topic

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