24th Nov 2009
Symptoms of Dying Fish
One of the biggest challenges of aquarists is keeping their fishes healthy and making them live long. Different species of fishes have different life spans, but with proper care, fishes could actually survive much longer than they are expected to. If you wish to keep your fishes healthy, you need to be aware of the typical symptoms of a sick fish so you could better prevent them from dying. Or if your fishes are sick, you should be watchful of the different signs that your fish might be dying so you could get the necessary help at the soonest time.
Among the most common causes of death of your fishes is poor water conditions caused by either lack of maintenance, filters and pumps not working or overcrowding of fishes. Stress is another reason and may be caused by shipping, perhaps from moving around or by the presence of a bully fish in the tank. An untreated disease or opportunistic infections affecting existing injuries or wounds could also be another factor. When a fish is sick, its weakened state makes them more vulnerable to pick up parasites and other infectious microorganisms that would develop into a secondary condition. Poor feeding, incorrect water temperature settings and being transferred to a new tank with a different water chemistry are common causes as well.
When any of your fishes could not cope with the stress, disease process, lack of oxygen, hunger or undesirable water conditions, they would be demonstrating certain signs which could indicate they are dying. If you are not observant enough, you may eventually lose your fishes. Among the symptoms you need to be aware is when your fishes are swimming abnormally. This is seen when your fishes start to swim on their sides, tilting or at an angle, or even upside down. They would also show sluggish, lethargic and uncoordinated movements. Your fishes would appear a lot less active than it normally is and at times, not swimming at all. Aside from the change in your fish’s level of energy, its normal behaviour may change too. If your fish normally swims at the bottom of the aquarium and is now constantly seen at the surface, it is a sign that shouldn’t be neglected. Or if your fish is normally a mid-water or surface swimmer but is now constantly sitting at the bottom of the tank, there is a need for you to watch them closer too. A normally hiding fish that is now always visible is also indicative of behavioural change. A dying fish is not eating or could be losing weight even if eating regularly. Also, slow movement of your fish’s gills, appearing to be breathing heavily should never be ignored. Signs of distress can be demonstrated when the fish opens and closes its mouth constantly than it normally does, frequently swimming at surface and sticking its head out of the water to gasp for oxygen. You would notice physical changes as well. A dying fish may have a sunken belly on certain occasions. There could also be blood or red area around the fins that isn’t previously present. Be watchful of the presence of colored spots (may be black, white, gray or yellow) and sores on certain areas of your fish’s body. At times, there would also be a noticeable color change where the fish’s shade may appear paler or darker than the normal.
Often, a fish may show signs of poor health and nearing death. The problem of fish owners is that some of their fishes sometimes do not show these signs and would just be found dead or floating on the tank. Proper tank and water maintenance would always be helpful to avoid any of these from occurring then. Constant interaction with your fishes, especially during feeding, gives you the opportunity to inspect them and observe for changes. If you better understand the symptoms of a dying fish, you we may be able to prevent it more effectively. Keeping your fishes safe and healthy saves you from disappointments, heart aches and money wasted.
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