| Early diagnosis of disease is an important part of the | | | | while you treat it. This may lessen the stress on the |
| overall goldfish care. If you can't readily diagnose a | | | | fish. Swimbladder disease often occurs quite suddenly |
| goldfish disease see your local vet, or pet store. | | | | in previously healthy fish. |
| Fish live by absorbing oxygen and they give off | | | | Dropsy is not a specific goldfish disease, but appears |
| carbon dioxide as a waste product. Plants under the | | | | as a condition where the fish's abdomen becomes |
| influence of daylight do the opposite so that what is | | | | swollen due to a concentration of fluids in the body |
| poison to one gives life to the other. So adding plants | | | | tissues or cavities. The abdominal swelling can create |
| to your aquarium will assist in keeping your goldfish | | | | a pinecone effect where the fish's scales protrude |
| healthy and disease free. | | | | from the body. The cause of the swelling could be any |
| Prevention is always easier than cure, so by keeping | | | | of several conditions including cancer, internal parasites |
| your aquarium clean, feeding your fish properly, | | | | or bacterial infection, cancer, internal parasites. |
| avoiding wide temperature fluctuations and performing | | | | Depending on the source of the condition dropsy may |
| partial water changes as necessary you will go a long | | | | be contagious. There are no known successful |
| way to keeping your fish healthy. However, no matter | | | | treatments for dropsy and the condition usually proves |
| how well you maintain your tank, from time to time one | | | | fatal. |
| or more of your goldfish may become stressed or ill. | | | | Torn or frayed fins are usually indications of fin or tail |
| Some of the more common goldfish diseases are | | | | rot if the fish has not been fighting. This is a bacterial |
| discussed here. | | | | infection that first appears as a whitish edge on the |
| Anchor worms appear as a 1/4 to 3/8 inch piece of | | | | fins, before the fins begin to rot away. It is easily |
| string with a forked tail. Large anchor worms can be | | | | treated with antibiotics available from your local pet |
| easily seen. They appear as clear, brownish-red, or | | | | store. Ensure the medication states that it treats fin or |
| greenish-white strings. After the anchor worms have | | | | tail rot. In some cases a secondary fungal infection |
| buried themselves into the flesh of the fish open sores | | | | may occur. If this is the case, treat the fin rot before |
| may appear on the skin. The anchor worms may be | | | | dealing with the fungal problem. |
| visible in the sores. Frequently this parasite is | | | | Fungus is usually a secondary infection. A fish with an |
| introduced into the fish tank from aquarium plants - | | | | open wound or sore caused from injury or disease |
| especially those taken from creeks or rivers, or from | | | | may suffer from a lack of mucous around the area of |
| adding live food to the tank. Anchor worms attach | | | | the wound. This open wound can often attract a |
| themselves beneath the scales of the fish where they | | | | secondary fungus infection. Look for patches of grey |
| bury their anchor-shaped head under the skin causing | | | | or white fuzzy puffs attached to the skin. There are |
| ulceration and distress. | | | | several treatments available for fungal infections from |
| Anchor worms are highly contagious and should be | | | | the pet store. Fungus responds well to quick treatment. |
| treated immediately. Your local pet store can supply an | | | | Perhaps the most common parasitic disease in goldfish |
| appropriate treatment for anchor worm, usually in the | | | | is ick. It is frequently present in freshwater fish tanks |
| form of a gyrase inhibitor that can be added to the | | | | and will infect fish that have suffered recent infection |
| tank water. This should be effective in killing the | | | | or those in poor general health. Ick is characterized by |
| parasites within three to four days. | | | | small white dots that look like sprinkled salt on the |
| Swimbladder disease should be suspected when a | | | | body. The fish may try to scratch the infected areas |
| fish has difficulty stabilizing itself in the tank. It is not | | | | on the wall of the tank which can cause further |
| uncommon in goldfish although fancy varieties appear | | | | damage. Cloudy eyes and rapid breathing can also be |
| more susceptible to this disease. It can be genetic in | | | | signs of ick. See you pet store for ick treatment. Badly |
| origin or caused by a variety of other factors including | | | | infected fish should be moved to a quarantine tank for |
| inadequate or improper diet, bacterial infection or even | | | | treatment but it is important to treat the main aquarium |
| poor quality aquarium water. | | | | as well to ensure that the parasite has been removed. |
| Apart from improving the water condition if that is | | | | Goldfish are actually hardy fish but there are many |
| necessary, some fish keepers suggest feeding your | | | | diseases that can cause them stress and discomfort. |
| goldfish thawed out frozen peas. It is also worth | | | | If you want your goldfish to live a long and healthy life |
| feeding the fish with sinking food instead of floating | | | | you need to make sure that you treat the aquarium |
| food to minimize the intake of air. It may also be | | | | properly. |
| worthwhile moving your sick goldfish to a shallow tank | | | | |