Disease in Fish

Columnaris:
Origin: Flexibacter columnaris bacteria
Symptoms: Whitish patches on skin and fins, lethargy, clamped fins, popeye
Prevention/Control: Maintain good water quality, avoid overcrowding, minimize stress
Treatment: Antibiotic baths, oxytetracycline
Clinical/Post mortem findings: Pale gills, ulcers on skin and fins, internal organ congestion

Crack Head Disease:

Origin: Unknown, possibly related to poor water quality and unbalanced diet
Symptoms:
Distended abdomen
Occasional popeye (exophthalmia)
Reddish lateral line on the skull in early stages
Prevention:
Reduce feeding and replace pond water upon early detection
Treatment:
Supportive care, fish may recover after a few weeks
Clinical/Post mortem findings:
Skull fracture in later stages, leading to death

Water Quality Disease:

Origin: Oxygen deficiency due to hot weather or reduced solubility
Symptoms: Suffocation and mass mortality
Prevention:
Remove excess mud after each culture period
Line-wash fish tanks regularly
Use aerators to increase oxygen levels
Treatment: No specific treatment, focus on prevention

Gas Bubble Disease:

Origin: Oxygen supersaturation from rapid algal growth
Symptoms:
Small bubbles on skin, fins, and internal organs
Floating behavior
Prevention:
Add fresh water and fertilize ponds to control excessive oxygen levels
Treatment: No specific treatment, focus on prevention
Scoliosis:
Origin:
High concentrations of heavy metals and acid in water
Mineral deficiencies (calcium, phosphorus, vitamin C)
Symptoms: Skeletal deformation of the fish body
Prevention:
Cure new tanks with animal manure or ferment grasses before stocking
Lime and fertilize dugout ponds before stocking
Provide balanced feed with adequate calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin C
Treatment: No effective treatment, focus on prevention

Running Horse Disease:

Origin: Overcrowding
Symptoms: Fish swimming erratically in groups
Prevention:
Control stocking density by regularly draining part of the tank water
Treatment: No specific treatment, focus on prevention

Anemia Disease:
Origin: Overcrowding and food shortage
Symptoms: Black coloration, large head, and small body
Prevention:
Avoid overcrowding
Provide adequate feeding
Treatment: No specific treatment, focus on prevention

Gill Rot:
Origin: Flexibacter columnaris bacteria
Symptoms:
Black gill filaments covered in mucus
Gill ulcers and discharge
Inflammation and redness inside the operculum
Treatment:
Bath with table salt (2-2.5%) for 10-15 minutes
Furazolidone mixed with feed or administered orally
Remember: This information is for general knowledge only and should not be considered a
substitute for professional veterinary advice. Always consult with a qualified fish health
professional for diagnosis and treatment of specific diseases in your catfish.

Enteric Septicemia:
Origin: Edwardsiella tarda bacteria
Symptoms: Dropsy, ulcers, popeye, bleeding around the fins and base of the tail, pale gills
Prevention/Control: Maintain good water quality, avoid overcrowding, provide a balanced diet
Treatment: Antibiotic baths, oxytetracycline
Clinical/Post mortem findings: Fluid accumulation in the body cavity, enlarged and pale liver and
spleen

Furunculosis:
Origin: Aeromonas hydrophila bacteria
Symptoms: Open sores (furuncles) on the skin and body, lethargy, popeye
Prevention/Control: Maintain good water quality, avoid overcrowding, minimize stress
Treatment: Antibiotic baths, oxytetracycline
Clinical/Post mortem findings: Skin lesions, internal organ congestion

Anchor Worm:
Origin: Lerneaea cyprinacaea parasite
Symptoms: Whitish worms attached to the skin and fins, flashing, rubbing against objects
Prevention/Control: Quarantine new fish, purchase fish from reputable sources
Treatment: Manual removal, parasiticide baths
Clinical/Post mortem findings: Skin lesions, attachment points of worms

Ichthyophthirius (Ich):
Origin: Ichthyophthirius multifiliis parasite
Symptoms: White spots on the skin and fins, flashing, clamped fins
Prevention/Control: Maintain good water quality, avoid overcrowding, quarantine new fish
Treatment: Increase water temperature, formalin baths, salt baths
Clinical/Post mortem findings: White spots on the skin and fins, gill damage

Channel Catfish Virus Disease (CCVD):

Origin: Herpesvirus
Symptoms: Pale gills, lethargy, dropsy, popeye, internal bleeding
Prevention/Control: No effective treatment or prevention, avoid introducing infected fish
Treatment: Supportive care
Clinical/Post mortem findings: Pale gills, enlarged and pale liver and spleen, internal bleeding

Gill Flukes:
Origin: Monogenean parasites attached to the gills
Symptoms: Rapid breathing, flashing, lethargy, pale gills
Prevention/Control: Maintain good water quality, avoid overcrowding, quarantine new fish
Treatment: Fluke specific medications, formalin baths
Clinical/Post mortem findings: Damaged gill tissue, excessive mucus on gills

Costiasis:
Origin: Ichthyobodo necator parasite
Symptoms: Whitish film on the skin and fins, flashing, clamped fins
Prevention/Control: Maintain good water quality, avoid overcrowding, quarantine new fish
Treatment: Malachite green baths, salt baths
Clinical/Post mortem findings: Skin irritation, gill damage
Kidney Disease:
Origin: Bacterial infections, environmental toxins, nutritional deficiencies
Symptoms: Lethargy, loss of appetite, pale gills, abdominal swelling
Prevention/Control: Maintain good water quality, provide a balanced diet, avoid exposure to
toxins
Treatment: Treatment depends on the underlying cause, limited treatment options
Clinical/Post mortem findings: Pale kidney tissue, internal organ abnormalities

Eye Flukes:
Origin: Diplostomum spp. parasites
Symptoms: Cloudy eyes, popeye, flashing, erratic swimming
Prevention/Control: Avoid introducing infected snails (intermediate hosts) into the aquarium
Treatment: Praziquantel, surgery in severe cases
Clinical/Post mortem findings: Cataracts, damaged eye tissue

Whirling Disease:
Origin: Myxobolus cerebralis parasite
Symptoms: Spinning or whirling behavior, erratic swimming, difficulty swimming
Prevention/Control: No effective treatment or prevention, avoid introducing infected fish
Treatment: Supportive care
Clinical/Post mortem findings: Damage to the nervous system, skeletal deformities

Bacterial Gill Disease:

Origin: Various bacterial pathogens
Symptoms: Rapid breathing, flashing, lethargy, pale gills
Prevention/Control: Maintain good water quality, avoid overcrowding, minimize stress
Treatment: Antibiotic baths, oxygen therapy
Clinical/Post mortem findings: Damaged gill tissue, excessive mucus on gills

Skin Flukes:
Origin: Gyrodactylus spp. parasites
Symptoms: Flashing, rubbing against objects, excessive mucus on the skin
Prevention/Control: Maintain good water quality, avoid overcrowding, quarantine new fish
Treatment: Fluke specific medications, formalin baths
Clinical/Post mortem findings: Skin lesions, irritation

Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS):

Origin: Rhabdovirus
Symptoms: Pale gills, lethargy, dropsy, internal bleeding, ulcers
Prevention/Control: No effective treatment or prevention, avoid introducing infected fish
Treatment: Supportive care
Clinical/Post mortem findings: Pale gills, enlarged and pale internal organs, internal bleeding
Epistolitis:
Origin: Bacterial infection of the swim bladder
Symptoms: Difficulty swimming, buoyancy problems, erratic swimming
Prevention/Control: Maintain good water quality, avoid overcrowding, minimize stress
Treatment: Antibiotic baths, oxygen therapy
Clinical/Post mortem findings: Inflammation of the swim bladder, fluid accumulation

Enteritis:
Origin: Bacterial or parasitic infections, improper diet
Symptoms: Loss of appetite, lethargy, pale feces, abdominal swelling
Prevention/Control: Maintain good water quality, provide a balanced diet, avoid overfeeding
Treatment: Antibiotic or antiparasitic medication depending on the cause
Clinical/Post mortem findings: Inflamed intestines, internal organ abnormalities

Mouth Rot:
Origin: Bacterial infections
Symptoms: Lesions around the mouth, difficulty eating, lethargy
Prevention/Control: Maintain good water quality, avoid overcrowding, minimize
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Treatment: Antibiotic baths, medicated food
Clinical/Post mortem findings: Mouth lesions, tissue damage

Fin Rot:
Origin: Bacterial or fungal infections, injuries
Symptoms: Fraying or erosion of fins, discoloration, lethargy
Prevention/Control: Maintain good water quality, avoid overcrowding, minimize stress
Treatment: Antibiotic or antifungal baths depending on the cause, clean water
Clinical/Post mortem findings: Damaged fin tissue.

Ichthyophonus Disease:
Origin: Ichthyophonus hoferi parasite
Symptoms: Lethargy, loss of appetite, weight loss, skin ulcers
Prevention/Control: No effective prevention, maintain good water quality, avoid introducing
infected fish
Treatment: Supportive care
Clinical/Post mortem findings: Enlarged liver and spleen, internal organ abnormalities

Saprolegnia (Fungus):
Origin: Saprolegnia spp. fungus
Symptoms: Cotton-like growth on the skin and fins, ulcers, lethargy
Prevention/Control: Maintain good water quality, avoid injuries, minimize stress
Treatment: Malachite green baths, salt baths
Clinical/Post mortem findings: Fungal growth on the skin and fins, skin ulcers.
Ammonia Poisoning:
Origin: Excessive ammonia levels in the water
Symptoms: Rapid breathing, lethargy, gasping at the surface, red gills
Prevention/Control: Maintain proper water quality through regular water changes and filtration
Treatment: Improve water quality, aeration
Clinical/Post mortem findings: Pale gills, gill damage.

Vitamin C Deficiency:
Origin: Lack of vitamin C in the diet
Symptoms: Scoliosis, weak bones, fin erosion, popeye
Prevention/Control: Provide a balanced diet rich in vitamin C
Treatment: Supplement diet with vitamin C
Clinical/Post mortem findings: Skeletal deformities, weak bones

African Catfish Virus Disease (ACVD):

Origin: Unidentified virus
Symptoms: Lethargy, loss of appetite, skin ulcers, pale gills, internal bleeding
Prevention/Control: No effective prevention, maintain good water quality, avoid introducing
infected fish
Treatment: Supportive care
Clinical/Post mortem findings: Enlarged and pale internal organs, internal bleeding

Trichodina:
Origin: Trichodina spp. parasite
Symptoms: Excessive mucus on the skin and fins, flashing, clamped fins
Prevention/Control: Maintain good water quality, avoid overcrowding, quarantine new fish
Treatment: Formalin baths, salt baths
Clinical/Post mortem findings: Excessive mucus on the skin and fins, gill damage

Swim Bladder Disease:

Origin: Various factors like bacterial infections, nutritional deficiencies, or physical injuries
Symptoms: Difficulty swimming, buoyancy problems, erratic swimming
Prevention/Control: Maintain good water quality, provide a balanced diet, avoid overfeeding
Treatment: Treatment depends on the underlying cause, supportive care
Clinical/Post mortem findings: Gas accumulation in the swim bladder, internal organ
abnormalities.