Sick Fish treatment

Summary

When dealing with any animal, there is always the possibility of illness and injury occurring. Thankfully 99% of illnesses in fish are curable with quick intervention and treatment.

I have dealt with and successfully treated almost all aquarium illnesses with minimal fish loss. I offer quarantining and medication services off site.

Full look at sick fish treatment 🔍

how do i approach ill fish?

Animals can get sick, it’s just part of life, but thankfully with science, medicine, and human intervention, 99% of fish illnesses can be cured. I take quick and appropriate measures to maintain the health and wellbeing of these animals.

The Incurable One

This is not meant to scare you, but to make you aware of possibilities. This disease is incredibly rare. Let’s get the important thing out of the way. Mycobacterium Marinum. Often referred to as “Fish TB” due to it being closely related to Mycobacterium Tuberculosis (yes, THE tuberculosis). Mycobacterium causes this deadly disease in fish, and has the risk to infect humans and other animals. Many people who fish out in the wild actually contract this, and it’s called “Fish Handler’s Disease”. Mycobacterium (Fish TB), is the worst possible thing that can happen in this hobby. There is no cure for the fish. It is curable in humans. Any tank that is found to be infected by this must be ran as a closed system, with no new additions. Euthanasia is the only recommended route of treatment. All fish are infected, and all surfaces are infected. I supply fish from high quality sources to minimize this risk. The only sure way to know that a fish is infected is to send it for testing. Please know that this disease is very rare, especially when sourcing from high quality sources. I have personally dealt with this specific illness and I did take the proper route to deal with it. It is not something I would wish on anyone. Cures are being researched.

The Curable Ones

99% of all aquarium illnesses are curable and treatable. The most common aquarium problem is Ich. Ich is caused by a microscopic protozoan parasite. Ich is also one of the easiest parasites to treat. Most times raising the temperature and adding some aquarium salt is all you need to cure this.

Staying stocked up on medication is the best way that I combat these things. With early intervention, most diseases/illnesses/parasites don’t even have the time to cause major issues. I can identify, diagnose, and treat ill fish on or off site.

Preventing Illness

The best way to treat illnesses is to prevent them in the first place, so let’s go over where they come from and how to stop them before it happens. Observation is the key in early detection of illnesses. Fish behavior is something that I am proficient in observing. Once you learn fish behavior, it becomes increasingly easy to identify problems. Their movement will tell you everything. Most fish illness is caused by poor water quality. Lots of little diseases and parasites thrive in unmaintained aquariums. With all the waste on the bottom, it becomes a breeding ground for them. Keeping your tank clean is the first step in prevention. The next major step is quarantining new fish.

Quarantine

Some say that quarantining new fish is unnecessary, but I believe those same people have never experienced fish illness at its worst. I ensure that the fish, prior to being purchased, have been quarantined, and if not, I quarantine off site. I typically quarantine for 2 weeks, keep the water warm and clean, and dosed with methylene blue. Methylene blue is a great first step in acclimating new fish in quarantine. Methylene blue is a medication that can disinfect and treat/prevent fungal infections, external parasites, and can treat ammonia and nitrite poisoning. And in diluted mixes are good for the quarantine time.

Euthanasia

Some illnesses are beyond treatment. Clove oil is the most humane way of providing end of life care to ill fish. The process is slow and painless for the fish.