Symptoms |
Causes |
Treatments & Links |
|
A). The fish's colors fade, they appear light If Not ↓
|
Is the lighting too bright? If Not ↓
Is the chemical composition of the water suitable for the fish? Could the pH be wrong? If Not ↓ Was any medication, fertilizer or other substance added to the water? If Not ↓ Have the fish been fed strictly with the same feed for long periods? Is the food old or stale?
NOTE: The coloration of a fish often reflects it's state of health. Pay attention to hygiene, water quality and diet.
|
Provide shady spots in the aquarium.
Do a partial water change and monitor the pH with a chemical test kit or a pH pen.
Observe the fish, change the water if their condition deteriorates.
This can lead to deficiency symptoms, try to vary the diet as much as possible.
|
|
B). The mouth parts of one or more fish take on a color ranging from reddish to deep red If Not ↓ |
These are harmless hemorrhages that often occur after intensive cleaning of the spawning site or after mouth fights.
|
Normally, no treatment is necessary. In severe cases, isolate the fish in a quarantine tank and treat with Methylene Blue or Forma-Green.
|
|
C). Does the whole body turn black? If Not ↓ |
The fish may have a thyroid tumor
|
See Physical Changes page, Part B).
|
|
D). The skin of the fish turns deep black in closely adjacent areas. These areas thicken and the scales stand out If Not ↓ |
The fish may have a thyroid tumor
If Not ↓ |
No suitable treatment known. Sacrifice the fish humanely.
|
| E). One or more of the fish are continually dark, ranging to black. They stand apart from the others and do not feed anymore. A slight bloating is often apparent |
The fish are probably affected with a flagellate infection of the gut
|
Treat with Metronidazole -or- Paracide-D.
|
