Fish Tank Algae Bloom

Signs of a Sick Fish

Making sure your fish are healthy and free of illness is a sure way to reduce fish loss and extensive costs of treatments and possible replacement of lost rare fish. Taking appropriate steps to determine if your fish are sick and unhealthy will guide you to your decision to separate them to a recovery tank or offer them a way to get back to health naturally or with the aid of treatments. This prevents spread of disease or parasites and helps to keep stress levels down for recovering fish.

Physical external damage- Most fish with damage to their scales, gills or other outer areas such as fins should be monitored over the course of a few days for fighting situations. If your fish are not fighting but still continue to show external damages then try taking out any sharp decorations or abrasive surfaced items from the tank. If this does not solve the problem then your fish may have parasites or illness that needs to be taken care of right away.

Stress- Stress levels can fluctuate within a tank in many different ways. Having an overcrowded tank may cause excessive stress for your fish, leading to dull coloring, fighting, illness and even death. Many factors that you can fix easily can cause stress: Incorrect PH levels, old and dirty water, overcrowding, other pets such as cats that spook your fish, too much or too little light and irregular feeding schedules. Taking care to find a balance in your aquarium can help to reduce fish loss and damages caused by stress related influence.

Behavior- If you notice fish acting in a very different manner other than their normal or breeding habits, they may be sick. Warning signs will include having trouble keeping balanced, constantly scraping gills or scales amongst rough aquarium surfaces, being limp or unable to swim as well as irregular swim patterns. Sometimes fish will stay at the surface as if they are attempting to breathe, this may mean that there is not enough oxygen dissolved into the water or a large bacterial bloom that as using up oxygen. Try doing a 30% water change first, and then if the conditions continue, test the water for high levels of nitrates and nitrites that may cause extra stress or difficulty “breathing”.

Feeding- If your fish are not feeding regularly, they may be sick or simply do not want the food. If you are very concerned, first try getting a different kind of food that fits the dietary needs of your fish. If they refuse to feed, then your fish may be trying to fight off an infection. Parasites and other water quality factors may make fish unable to see food. Possible water treatments and medications for your fish may be necessary if a partial water change does not help their appetite. If you have fish that are particularly dominant or territorial, they may not be allowing your other fish the ability or chance to eat. Make sure that you feed foods that can reach every level of the tank if you have different varieties of fish.

Colors- When your fish become dull or have severe color changes that look unhealthy, they may be sick with a multitude of things. The best course of action is to sequester the fish in question to a holding tank while they recover. Make sure that your fish are not of freshwater variety in a salt water tank and vice versa. Some fish such as brackish water fish require special conditions such as aquarium or rock salt added to their water otherwise their coloration will dull over time. Try supplementing your fish diet with blood worms, tubifex worms, krill, other types of shrimp and even vegetable matter to try to enhance colors as well as adding variety to their diets.

Tank problems- Dirty tanks, excessive algae growth, incorrect pH levels, bacterial blooms as well as having inadequate filtration and no air supplying device are all things dealing with aquarium tanks that can make fish ill with time. Some fish can tolerate higher stress and lower water quality but all fish can survive better when the appropriate steps are taken to keep the tank clean, adequately filtered, water quality balanced and oxygen rich water. Taking the steps to keep the tank in top shape helps to eliminate problems and prevent future problems to your aquarium’s health. Your fish will be more healthy, vibrant and active when their living environment is at optimum level. Make sure to do a water change at least every two weeks of 20-30% but never more than 50% unless it is drastically needed.

Unseen disasters- Many aquarium fanciers love bringing home new fish to accent their tank and keep a variety of fish active in the water. When you introduce new fish of different types, you are taking a gamble without the proper research on where your fish supplier receives their fish. Some fish will carry illness and parasites without showing any signs and can transmit it to your other fish easily, sometimes wiping them out completely. It is always a good idea to have a separate tank for newcomers, so you can observe their health for a minimum of one week before introducing them to your community tank. If you trust that the fish is healthy upon purchase, it might be a good idea to treat your water at home when you add the fish to make sure they do not transmit any disease or parasites.

There is much more you can do to make sure your fish have a chance at perfect health. Always research your fish’s needs before purchasing so you are able to provide everything they need to live a long and healthy life. Always use your best judgment when diagnosing fish and take any steps necessary if you determine a fish is sick. Unnecessary stress is always unhealthy for both fish and their owners.

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For more information about keeping fish as pets and advice for aquarium owners, see Fish and Aquarium Information.

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