How to Treat a Sick Fish
One of the inevitabilities of owning fish is dealing with disease in your aquarium. Experts say it’s important to know your fish well – what level of energy do they normally have, how much and when do they eat and where in the aquarium do they normally stay. That way, it will be possible to recognize as quickly as possible when a fish is sick. Lethargy, not eating and “not acting like themselves” are among the initial symptoms of almost any disease or condition. If and when you must deal with a sick fish, here are some tips to treat your fish.
Have supplies on hand. One good idea is to keep basic first aid supplies for fish on hand so that you can immediately begin treatment when you spot a problem. That would include a smaller, stand-by tank, a bucket and salts. It wouldn’t hurt to consider stocking a basic multipurpose treatment for infections. Of course, be sure you have the supplies necessary to test the aquarium water and to add chemicals like ammonia and nitrate, if necessary, to alter the pH balance. Many of the most common fish diseases have to do with the shock and stress of water that is too hot or cold or of poor quality.
Hospital tank. If you are dedicated to keeping your fish as healthy as possible, having a hospital tank is a necessity because your fish will get sick at some point. The good news is that it is possible to treat a variety of fish conditions and diseases. Once you determine that one of your fish is sick, the first step is to quarantine that fish and then to conduct any treatment outside of the aquarium. Experts say a number of common conditions such as lice, fungus and anchor worms are commonly brought into an aquarium with the arrival of a new fish. Removing that fish as quickly as possible can save the lives of the other fish in the aquarium. In addition, bacterial diseases can spread rapidly throughout an aquarium. Check with a fish expert, but the aquarium tank need only be a fraction of the size of your main tank. It should include a basic filter as well. Make sure there is no active carbon in the hospital tank because that will counteract any medication you may need to apply.
Treating sick fish. There are many excellent guides available to walk a fish owner through the steps necessary to treat a sick fish. In the case of conditions like lice and anchor worms, you may need to remove the foreign objects and then apply iodine or another antiseptic to clean a wound or inflamed area. In many cases, it takes giving a freshwater fish a 5-minute bath in saltwater until the worms, lice or ick (white spot disease) fall off. In other cases, an infection treatment is needed for conditions like clamped fin or fungus.