Disease Diagnosis

When basic needs are met, fish are not prone to many diseases and parasites

 

Symptoms / Treatments

Click on symptoms you see on your fish. Review the associated pictures for the option of how your fish look. Some symptoms are the same for different health problems. Click on picture best describes what you see. We cover cause of health issue, organic remedies, medicinal remedies, and how to best deal with the tank the infected fish came from.

 

+ White patches look like mold on body or fins

+ Fins appear eaten off with split and fraying

+ Fish’s feces become white, thin/stringy and long

+ Visible parasite attaching to skin of fish appearing as a lump or white specks

+ Fish scratch against objects and gravel

+ Fish appear listless, lethargic, with no energy or interest in food or breeding

+ Fish has fins folded in, appearance of discomfort

+ Grossly swollen belly, appearance it might split open

+ Scales stand out with a pinecone-like appearance

+ Fish's eyes bulge, one eye or both

General Care

  • Isolate every new inhabitant for 6-8 weeks before adding them to your aquarium

  • Make regular water changes

  • Do not overfeed

  • Keep temperature within the recommended range

  • Be observant; if a fish is not acting normal, there is a reason

  • Remove any fish not acting normal into a quarantine container for evaluation. Look the fish over well and note how they act and are using their fins

If you are using Ark BioRite Total Water Conditioner and BioRite Replenisher in your original tank setup, you are providing the fish with water conditions they prefer. Use BioRite Replenisher and Stress Relief together for all water changes. For water evaporation, only BioRite Water Conditioner is needed.

We have an interactive guide below to help you. Many diseases have common symptoms. Click on the symptom your fish displays, then click the picture that best matches what you observed. For each ailment, we offer a natural/organic treatment and a medicinal treatment. In addition, we guide you on what steps to take with your original tank to keep it safe if you moved troubled fish to a hospital tank for treatment.

Many bacterial and fungal diseases are hard to tell apart, yet treatments are completely different. We recommend treating the bacterial possibility first.