| Detailed 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 - Cotton Wool Disease) |
Must be treated immediately with Over The Counter (OTC) antibiotic medications. Very contagious – disinfect tank, rocks, net, etc. |
| Swelling of head, bulging eyes. |
Corneybacteriosis |
OTC antibiotics such as penicillin and tetracycline. |
| 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). |
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. |
| Ragged or decaying fins. |
Finrot |
Check pH 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 |
Human strength TB medication may help in early stages. Contagious – 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. |
Myxobacteriosis -- rare |
Medications, if any, are difficult to come by. Keep up on water maintenance to prevent it. |
| Sluggishness, lack of appetite, fin damage, reddish discoloration, bulging eyes, clamped fins. |
Septicemia |
Antibiotic treatment in food form is required. |
| White or gray fungus on eyes. |
Cataracts |
OTC medication for fungus. |
| White or gray patches resembling cotton, excess mucus. |
Mouth or Body Fungus |
OTC medication for fungus. Usually added to water, but may need direct application. |
| White cotton-like patches on fins, body, or mouth. |
True Fungus (Saprolegnia) |
OTC medication for fungus. Check for symptoms of other illnesses. |
| Small string-like worms visible on fish, or burrowed in skin. |
Anchor Worm |
OTC medication for parasites. |
| Bluish-white film on body, strained breathing caused by gill damage, peeling skin. |
Chilodonella |
Salt treatment - see below). |
| Weight loss, strained breathing. |
Copepods |
OTC medication for parasites, also fungal treatment for possible secondary infection on damaged gills |
| White film, reddened areas on body, abnormal swimming, scratching, folded fins. |
Costia - Slime Disease) |
Must be treated quickly. Raise water temperature and use OTC medication for parasites. Salt treatment may work, as well. |
| Weight loss, abnormal swimming, generally looks very ill. Will accompany or follow leech infestation. |
Blood Flagellates - Sleeping Sickness) – rare |
Salt treatment can be used to kill leeches, but may not cure flagellates. |
| Sluggishness, flashing, spider web lesions on skin, color loss, reddened fins, drooping fins, fin damage. |
Skin Flukes - Gyrodactylus) |
OTC medication for parasites |
| Lack of appetite, weight loss, small holes or eroding pits appearing in the head. |
Hole in Head Disease - Hexamita) – more common in cichlids |
OTC medication for Hole in Head Disease. |
| Scratching, white salt-like spots starting on head and spreading over whole body, rapid breathing, cloudiness on eyes or fins. |
Ich - Ichtyophthirius) – very common |
OTC medication for Ich or Ick. |
| Scratching, small worms hanging from body. |
Leech |
Salt treatment or OTC medication for parasites. |
| Scratching, green to brown lice - up to ½ inch) visible on skin. |
Lice |
OTC treatment for parasites. |
| Erratic swimming, weight loss, loss of color. |
Neon Tetra Disease – mostly affects tetras, danios, and barbs |
Treatment is difficult – look for a medication that treats gram-negative bacteria or with nalidixic acid as the active ingredient. |
Darting,
scratching, small yellow to white spots dusting skin. |
Oodinium |
OTC treatment for parasites. |
| Cloudy appearance on skin, red patches on skin where parasite has bitten. |
Trichodina -- predominately freshwater |
Salt treatment. |
| Red or bloody gills, gasping for air. |
Ammonia Poisoning |
No treatment. Regular water testing and maintenance will prevent it. |
| Small dark spots on fins and body. |
Black Spot |
OTC medication for parasites. Spots - cysts) may remain after treatment. |
| Cloudy white appearance to one or both eyes. |
Cloudy Eye |
Check for symptoms of another illness like velvet, ich, or tuberculosis. Treat with OTC medication. |
| String of feces hanging from fish, swollen abdomen, sluggishness, disinterest in food, off-balance swimming. |
Constipation |
Stop feeding for 2-3 days and continue with a more varied diet including live and plant-based foods. |
| Small white spots that get larger over time possibly with black streaks. |
Fish Pox |
No treatment. Keep up on water maintenance and symptoms should cease after about 10-12 weeks. |
| Difficulty swimming, swimming upside-down, floating, unable to surface. Do not confuse with swim bladder disease. |
Flipover |
Air can be removed from swim bladder by a veterinarian. Surgery is also a possibility in larger fish. Check for signs of internal infection or parasites and treat as necessary. |
| Reddening on or under skin, sudden abnormal behavior. |
Inflammation |
OTC antibiotic treatment. |
| Unusally bulging of one or both eyes. |
Pop-eye - Exophthalmia) |
OTC medication for bacterial infections and/or parasites. Check for other symptoms of bacterial or parasitic infections. |
Fish struggles to swim, may float with head tipped down, or have difficulty surfacing, no balance, etc. May occur after eating. |
Swim Bladder Disease |
Stop feeding for 3-4 days. If symptoms persist, feed the affected fish a small amount of fresh spinach or a green pea without the skin - laxatives). |
| Swelling or distention for internal tumors, external can be seen growing on skin. |
Tumors |
Usually incurable. Consult a veterinarian about potassium iodide treatment for thyroid tumors. |
| Sluggishness, lack of appetite, open sores with red edges, possible fin rot. |
Ulcers |
OTC medication for bacterial infections. |
| Scratching, small gold to white spots, loss of color, weight loss, difficulty breathing due to gill damage. |
Velvet - Gold Dust Disease) |
OTC medication for parasites. |
