Symptoms Diagnosis Treatment

Grayish-white film on skin, damaged

fins, ulcers, yellow to gray patches on
gills, tissue on head may be eaten
away.

Columnaris

methylene blue or potassium

permanganate and salt and lower
temperature - Very contagious
disinfect tank, rocks, net, et

Swelling of abdomen, raised scales

around swollen area.

Dropsy (Malawi Bloat) may be caused

by internal bacterial infection (if
swelling is sudden), parasites, or
cancer (if swelling is gradual)

Ragged or decaying fins.

Finrot

Add 1/8 teaspoon of Epsom salt for

every 5 gallons of water and monitor
for two weeks. Check for signs of
bacterial infection or parasites for
further treatment.
Check water parameters and correct
as needed. If level is normal, use OTC
antibiotic for fin or tail rot.

Inactivity, loss of color or appetite,

weight loss, skin defects.

Fish Tuberculosis

Enthuzize - Contagious to humans disinfect tank, rocks, net, etc. to

prevent transmission. Wash hands
and surfaces well.

Erratic swimming, bloating or

swelling in body, black patches on
body or fins and white cysts on the
skin and gills

Myxobacteriosis -- rare

Phenocide

Sluggishness, lack of appetite, fin

damage, reddish discoloration,
bulging eyes, clamped fins and
Hemorrhaging of internal
organs, skin and muscle.
Thin white/ greyish covering of eyes
On the eyes only and has a
Tendency to bump into things

Septicemia

General antibiotics will decrease

mortality rate.

Cataracts

Anti-fungus treatment has a low

chance of success

White or gray patches resembling

cotton, excess mucus.

Mouth or Body Fungus

Anti-fungus

White cotton-like patches on fins,

body, or mouth.

True Fungus (Saprolegnia)

Anti-fungus treatment occasionally

a secondary infection

Small string-like worms visible on

fish, or burrowed in skin.

Anchor worms

Parazin or a Anti Crustacean Parasite

treatment

Bluish-white film on body, strained

breathing caused by gill damage,
peeling skin.

Chilodonella

Salt treatment.

Weight loss, strained breathing.

Obvious small organism on skin.

Parasitic copepod

Dimilin not usally that harmful but

can lead to secondary infections

Symptoms Diagnosis Treatment

Rubbing against objects clamped fins,
inactivity, and rocking motions
common in discus

Skin flukes

Praziquantel, Formalin, flubendazole

and solupraz

Rubbing against objects clamped fins,

inactivity, inflamed gills, mucus
secretion and rocking motions
common in discus

Gill flukes

Praziquantel, Formalin, flubendazole

and solupraz

Lack of appetite, weight loss, small

holes or eroding pits appearing in the
head often found in cichlids.

Hole in Head Disease (Hexamita)

Metronidazole and an aquarium

buffer usually caused by poor
nutrients in the aquarium

Scratching, white salt-like spots

starting on head and spreading over
whole body, rapid breathing,
cloudiness on eyes or fins.

Ich whitespot (parasite)

Use ich medication be mindful of

lifecycle.

Scratching, green to brown lice visible

on skin.

Lice

Dipterex

Erratic swimming, weight loss, loss of

color.

Neon Tetra Disease

Unknown but treatment should be

with a gram-negative bacteria or with
nalidixic acid as the active ingredient.

Darting, scratching, small yellow to

white spots dusting skin.

Flagellates - Piscinoodinium

Formalin and malachite green keep

in darkness

Cloudy appearance on skin, red

patches on skin where parasite has
bitten, grey lime all over body, fish
may isolate themselves and are
lethargic often found in Koi &
goldfish
Red or bloody gills, gasping for air.

Trichodina

potassium permanganate, Malachite

Green or Formalin

Ammonia poisoning

No treatment except frequent water

changes and addressing the
underlying issues.

Small dark spots on fins and body and

snails in the aquarium

Black spot Diplopstomiasis

Remove all snails form the aquarium.

Cloudy white appearance to one or

both eyes.

Cloudy Eye

Melafix and correct poor water

quality

String of feces hanging from fish,

swollen abdomen, sluggishness,
disinterest in food, off-balance
swimming.

Constipation

Stop feeding for 2-3 days then feed a

more varied diet.

Symptoms Diagnosis Treatment

Small white spots that get larger over
time possibly with black streaks.

Fish Pox

No treatment as its a strain of herpes

Scratching, small gold to white spots,

loss of color, weight loss, difficulty
breathing due to gill damage.

Velvet Disease - Piscinoodinium

Formalin and malachite green keep

in darkness

Sluggishness, lack of appetite, open

sores with red edges.

Ulcers

anti-bacterial treatment

Fish looks swollen or has a fatty

growth on the outside of its skin

Tumors

Incurable.

Fish struggles to swim, may float with

head tipped down, or have difficulty
surfacing

Swim Bladder Disease

Stop feeding for 2-3 days and then

introduce frozen peas into their diet.
Pellets maybe a good option
afterwards

Aquarium diseases:

Diseases occur in the home aquarium often and when they do, it is our duty as
fishkeepers to ensure that the symptoms and the actual illness is treated along
with the root problem which caused the illness in the first place.
Usually the problem is caused by poor water quality and that is why when a
fish becomes ill it is vital to check all water parameters.
If water quality if found to be at fault then steps should then be taken to correct
whatever has caused the issue be that insufficient filtration, an overstocked
aquarium, poor fishkeeping habits or any of the many reasons that water
quality can deteriorate.
Only once the underlining cause has been determined and fixed is it that we
look at treating the symptoms and the secondary illness that has manifested in
the form of parasitic, bacterial or biological illnesses.