Fish

Ways to Keep Your Fish Healthy

A healthy fish is easy to spot: it eats regularly and is active and interactive. While sometimes fish just get sick, aquarium enthusiasts can keep their fish as healthy as possible by providing an appropriate diet and a clean tank outfitted with the proper filtration system. They also need an environment free of bullying by bigger, stronger fish and other annoyances such as children tapping on the glass, too much handling by humans or too many fish in the tank — all can cause stress, which can lead to health problems. Also, try to keep water temperature and pH consistent (even when moving fish between tanks), and don’t let an injury go untreated — otherwise the fish could suffer.

If a fish does get sick, it will likely stop eating and stop swimming around with its usual speed and frequency. Other indicators of illness include labored breathing and visible physical symptoms such as cloudy eyes, abnormal spots, injury, discoloration and a distended stomach. The first thing to do in this situation: remove the fish in question from the tank, in case it has a contagious illness, and place it in an “isolation tank” (just like the regular tank, this temporary habitat should have proper filtration and clean water). Rapid improvement likely means the cause is environmental, so investigate and make any necessary adjustments (including removing overly-aggressive fish or re-locating the aquarium to a quieter room). When a few days in isolation don’t help, chances are the fish is suffering from an infection (bacterial, fungal), a virus or a parasite. Continue to keep the fish away from its tank-mates, and treat it with an antibiotic (antibiotics for fish are available at pet and aquarium stores) until a healthy appetite and usually activity level returns. Still unsure? Don’t hesitate to contact a veterinarian or an aquarium expert with questions or concerns — their specialized knowledge can help get your fish back to optimum health.