Symptoms |
Causes |
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Treatments & Links |
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A). The gill filaments are light, having lost color If Not ↓
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Has the pH changed? Is chlorine in the water? Is ammonia in the water? If Not ↓ The fish can be affected by a Kidney Disease |
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Establish optimum water values. Check pH, and Chlorine. Use Aqua Gold.
Treat fish with TMP Sulfa -or- Erythromycin. |
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B). Small white objects (1 to 1.5mm) are attached to the gill filaments. They hold very tightly If Not ↓ |
Gill Crustaceans
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Treat the fish with De-Los and Methylene Blue.
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C). Blood-red worms are visible on the inside surface of the operculum (gill plate), but usually only in pond fish If Not ↓ |
The fish are affected with blood worms (Philometra spp)
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Treat the fish with De-Los
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D). Light flecks appear on the gills. The gill filaments are necrotic at this spot If Not ↓ |
Eggs of the blood fluke Sanguinicola spp are involved. If fungal hyphae are seen in the slides, then gill rot is involved
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Treat with: a bath in Acriflavine Neutral.
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E). Are the gills flecked with grey-white. Do the filaments keep falling out? If Not ↓ |
Branchiomyces fungal gill rot
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Treat with: Forma-Green
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F). Cotton-like threads grow on the operculum (gill plate) or gill filaments If Not ↓ |
Saproglenia fungal infection
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Treat with: Forma-Green -or- Acriflavine Neutral.
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G). Breathing is rapid, one or both opercula (gill plates) are open, and the fish rubs itself around the gills. The fish hangs below the surface and gulps for air If Not ↓ |
The fish is affected with gill worms or gull flukes
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Treat with: Praziquantel for marine fish or De-Los for freshwater fish
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H). The gill filaments appear slightly cloudy, even whitish on the surfaces If Not ↓ |
Your fish are affected by a Protozoan Infection
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Treat with: Forma-Green -or- Copper Sulfate. If marine cryptocaryon is resistant to the above treatments, use Quinine Sulfate
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J). Small, white modules appear on the gill filaments and cannot be removed If Not ↓ |
Most likely, sporozoan cysts
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No suitable treatment known.
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K). The gill filaments swell up, becoming slimy and stick together If Not ↓
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Chemical factors may be involved If Not ↓
Are the fish affected with gill worms or flukes? If Not ↓ The fill filaments break up from the tip on. The cartilage remains a little longer. Bacterial gill rot caused by Columnaris bacteria
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Change the water and filter over fresh, activated charcoal.
Treat fish with Praziquantel in marine tanks -or- De-Los. in freshwater aquariums & ponds.
Treat the fish with Acriflavine Neutral
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| L). The gill filaments are very pale pink | The fish is anemic, which often occurs following severe kidney damage or infection by blood flagellates | No suitable treatment known. |
