Healthy aquarium fish n Recognize fish diseases, find out causes n Treat successfully with sera treatments Contents 1 Prevention is better than the cure! ............... 3 2 Recognizing fish diseases ............................ 5 2.1 Diseases caused by viruses ......................... 7 2.2 Diseases caused by bacteria ....................... 7 2.3 Diseases caused by fungi ............................10 2.4 Diseases caused by flagellates ....................11 2.5 Diseases caused by ciliates .........................13 2.6 Diseases caused by Plathelminthes (flatworms) ....................................................16 2.7 Diseases caused by fish leeches .................18 2.8 Diseases caused by crustaceans .................18 s 2.9 Multiple infections ........................................20 i s 3 Deficiency diseases and malnutrition ..........21 o n 4 Maintenance mistakes and intoxications .....22 g 5 Treatment chart a Di – the most important information in brief! ....26 6 Treating fish diseases ...................................27 6.1 Treating virus caused diseases ....................27 6.2 Treating bacterial diseases ...........................28 6.3 Treating fungal infections .............................30 6.4 Treating flagellate infections .........................30 6.5 Treating ciliate infections ..............................32 6.6 Treating flatworm infections .........................34 6.7 Treating fish leech infections ........................35 6.8 Treating crustacean infections .....................36 t 6.9 Treating multiple infections ..........................37 n e 7 Preventing and treating deficiencies m and malnutrition ...........................................38 t a 8 Preventing and remedying maintenance e r mistakes and intoxications ...........................41 T al 9 sera med Professional treatments ...............46 n 9.1 sera med Professional Flagellol ...................47 o si 9.2 sera med Professional Protazol ...................48 s 9.3 sera med Professional Tremazol ..................51 e of 9.4 sera med Professional Nematol ...................54 Pr 9.5 sera med Professional Argulol .....................57 l 10 General recommendations a r for application ..............................................60 e n 11 Checklist ......................................................64 e G 22 1 Prevention is better than the cure! Stress affects the immune system and weakens You will find extensive and well founded infor- disease resistance. It therefore is – just as in mation about keeping your aquarium fish humans – one of the main factors for fish dis- stress free in the seraguides “How to set up ease outbreaks. Stress is caused by different an aquarium”, “How to feed your tropical fish factors. Maintenance mistakes (too many, in- naturally” and “Aquarium care according to sufficient or wrong measures taken), a fish nature”, and on www.sera.de. Your specialized stock that does not harmonize, adding too retailer can counsel you in detail which fish are many fish, strongly varying temperatures, suitable for keeping together, and which spe- overfeeding and correspondingly high organic cial features and water parameters they re- water pollution along with a large number of quire. If you then dedicate one to two hours pathogens in the water are among the most per week to your aquarium it will provide you common ones. Frequently, diseases then plenty of joy for a long time. In case a disease break out whose unnoticed corresponding ever actually occurs, this guide and the sera pathogens were already present in the tank products will provide excellent support for (secondary parasites, among others). helping your fish quickly and effectively. Other important stress factors include monot- We want you to enjoy your aquarium and your onous or unsuitable nutrition, fear due to being healthy, lively fish to the fullest. caught, frequent maintenance in the aquarium, transport, toxic substances in the water and unsuitable plant fertilizers. How does stress develop in an aquarium? – Examples • Fish transfers and transports • Varying temperatures • Frightened fish, e.g. due to keeping unsuit- able species together or due to permanent hierarchy fights • Frequent maintenance in the aquarium, e.g. due to permanent decoration changes • Aquariums without places to hide or retreat • Too strong water agitation • Unsuitable water parameters • Improper application of chemical agents (e.g. unsuitable fertilizers, wrong application of treatments) • Poor hygienic conditions, e.g. by insufficient or wrong care • Overfeeding or wrong/deficient nutrition due to feeding poor quality food • Overstocking Avoiding stress = preventing diseases 3 1 Prevention is better than the cure! !! Tip The sera UV-C Systemsreduce the number to the filter material (sera siporaxis particu- of pathogens in fresh and salt water aquari- larly well suited) and to the bottom gravel. ums as well as in ponds in a merely physical The sera UV-C Systemstherefore provide an way, without chemical agents. Many important contribution to disease prevention pathogens as well as annoying algae are re- and largely contribute to high life quality in duced or even almost entirely removed by di- aquariums. rected use of a UV-C lamp. Filter bacteria re- main largely unaffected as most of them cling UV-C lamp filter mat (floss) filter sponge sera siporax sera UV-C System 5 W for adding to existing filters 4 2 Recognizing fish diseases Unfortunately, fish diseases may occur even Regular and careful observation allows to rec- when best care conditions are provided. It is ognize many diseases already in their early important to recognize these diseases, allo- stages. The affected fish are not yet weakened cate them correctly and treat them. Some ba- too much, and chances are good that healthy sic knowledge about the most common fish fish will not be infected at all. diseases is required to do so. Correct diagnosis is a precondition for suc- You should observe the fish for disease symp- cessful treatment. sera treatments are tai- toms and unusual behavior every day when lored to specific diseases and does not unnec- feeding them, as to ensure you can judge their essarily burden the fish nor the aquarium. health status. Be extremely vigilant even if only one fish separates from the others or behaves A general rule applies for all diseases: treating conspicuously in another way. quickly considerably increases the chances for recovery. This in particular applies for very Generally, external and internal diseases are contagious diseases. distinguished, depending on where they occur. We will provide you with exemplary pictures External diseasesmainly occur on the fins, and symptom descriptions for diagnosis sup- the skin and the gills. They can usually be rec- port in the following chapters. Please take ognized in early stages and therefore be treat- your time and carefully read the sections ed in time. about all possible disease causes as well as the general useful advice at the end of this Internal diseasesare less easy to recognize. guide booklet. Some disease symptoms look However, upon careful observation almost all very similar at first. A hasty and, accordingly, diseases lead to untypical behavior. This in- possibly wrong diagnosis may lead to a wrong cludes loss of appetite, conspicuous swim- treatment with possibly far reaching conse- ming behavior, apathy and color changes (es- quences. If in doubt, please consult a special- pecially darkening). ized veterinarian. Attentive aquarists therefore can quickly no- tice something is wrong also in case of internal diseases. !! Tip Observation Diagnosis Treatment 5 2 Recognizing fish diseases The contents of this guide were compiled by Please note that the chemical and biological an expert team with all required care and ac- conditions in different aquariums may differ cording to newest scientific findings. Never- very strongly. It is therefore not possible to theless, this short brochure can only give an precisely predict the exact reaction for each overview about the most common fish dis- single aquarium and for each animal species. eases and their causes. Rarely occurring dis- This in particular applies if chemical sub- eases or those that cannot be treated at all or stances have entered the aquarium with water, only with support from a veterinarian (e.g. ul- organic pollution or previous treatments and cers caused by cancer, nerve damages and might cause unpredictable cross reactions genetic deformations) are not included here. In with the treatments. A general warranty and li- such cases, we wish to refer you to further ability for personal injuries, property damage specific literature, e.g. to the easily under- or financial loss due to the treatment sugges- standable and abundantly illustrated book, tions in this guide is therefore excluded by the “Krankheiten der Aquarienfische” by the sera editor. specialist Dieter Untergasser, issued by the Kosmos Verlag (available only in German lan- You will find extensive advice about setting up guage). and maintaining your aquarium on our Internet site www.sera.de or in our numerous guide booklets. 6 2.1 Diseases caused by viruses Pearl Gourami with Lymphocystiscysts in its skin Observation Firm, globular cysts measuring 0.5 to 1 mm on the skin and the fins (mucous membrane cells strongly enlarged by the virus). Diagnosis: Lymphocystis (possible in freshwater and saltwater fish) Treatment: page 27 2.2 Diseases caused by bacteria White lips caused White spots by Columnarisdisease underneath the skin Columnaris disease, also affecting scale pockets Observation Clamped fins, white lips, white edged scales and white coatings in the head and back area; skin tears open; loss of scales; spreads wider within hours. Diagnosis: Columnarisdisease Treatment: page 28 7 2.2 Diseases caused by bacteria Decomposed caudal fin Observation Fins rot away with white edges, in final stages up to the fin base. Diagnosis: Fin rot Treatment: page 28 Bacterial gill rot (gill lid removed) Observation Pale gills, milky skin areas, the gill filaments decompose in final stages. Diagnosis: Bacterial gill rot (mostly secondary infection, e.g. after a parasite infestation) Treatment: page 28 8 2.2 Diseases caused by bacteria … and at the caudal peduncle Silver Molly with multiple bacterial infection: Skin bleeding at the side Observation Small bleeding spots on the skin, the fins and the gills, or boils and ulcers that break up bleeding. Diagnosis:Infection by Aeromonasor Pseudomonasbacteria Treatment: page 28 Severe dropsy Observation Protruding eyes, puffed out anus, slimy fish waste, bloated belly and protruding scales (not all symptoms are always fully distinctive). Diagnosis: Dropsy (caused by bacteria) Treatment: page 29 9 2.3 Diseases caused by fungi Cichlid with fungal infection on the side Fungus infected Discus with injury infected Firemouth Cichlid by fungi Observation White, cotton-like outgrowths on the skin with long filaments standing away (often after a previous injury). Diagnosis: Fungal infection (Mycosis) Treatment: page 30 10