When it comes to maintaining an aquarium, it is important to keep it in a healthy and clean environment, providing the fish with a balanced diet and ensuring that the aquarium water stays within the appropriate parameters for different species.
If any signs of illness are detected in the fish, it is recommended to isolate them in a quarantine tank and seek advice from a veterinarian specializing in fish for proper diagnosis and treatment.
Some of the most common diseases in freshwater fish are as follows:
Parasites:
White Spot Disease (Ichthyophthirius multifilis): This is a single-celled parasite that appears on the skin and fins of fish as white spots. Infected fish become restless, rub against surfaces, and stop eating. It is highly contagious and is often associated with the introduction of new specimens.
Lernaea Worm: Actually, it’s a copepod crustacean. It’s a parasite that can grow to be 1-2 centimeters long and embeds its head in the scales of fish. There are two species: Lernaea carassi, more common in cold-water fish, and Lernaea cyprinacea, in warm-water fish. The main causes of infection are the introduction of new fish or algae without quarantine and improper aquarium water maintenance.
Velvet Disease: Velvet disease, or pilularosis, is caused by the microscopic parasite Oodinium pillularis. It gets its name from the fact that infected fish exhibit a powdery appearance on their skin with gray and yellow tones. Like many other diseases, preventing the development of this agent involves controlling water quality parameters and performing frequent water changes.