| One unfortunate aspect of fish keeping is the | | | | water conditioner to remove chlorine, charcoal in the |
| possibility that your fishes will become ill at some | | | | filters and aquarium salt (if needed). If you need to |
| point in time. If you are a responsible fish keeper | | | | adjust the pH of the water, you should use rocks or |
| then you probably worry about this and check them | | | | substrate to raise the pH or wood or plants to lower |
| for signs of disease on a regular basis. While this | | | | it. This will stabilize the pH and prevent wild swings in |
| practice is both responsible and wise, you should be | | | | pH. |
| far more focused on the prevention of disease than | | | | Health Fish Tip #4 - Use a quarantine tank: If you |
| the treatment of disease. With this in mind, I have | | | | have an established tank with no real problems and |
| created a list of the 5 important tips to follow to | | | | follow all of the healthy fish tips above then the |
| prevent disease in aquarium fish. I call them "Healthy | | | | chances of the fish in your tank spontaneously |
| Fish Tips". | | | | contracting a disease is very little. The quickest way |
| Healthy Fish Tip #1 - Water changes, water changes, | | | | to raise this risk is to introduce new fish to your tank |
| water changes: This is probably the most important | | | | that have come fresh from the fish store. It does |
| of the healthy fish tips. Regular water changes | | | | not matter how good the fish store has been in the |
| remove contaminants and waste byproducts from | | | | past, the fact of the matter remains that fish stores |
| the aquarium and replace them with fresh clean | | | | have a lot of fish coming in and going out so the |
| water. Typically you should perform water changes | | | | chances are greatly increase for the risk of disease |
| on a regular schedule so that all of your water | | | | infection. I always quarantine my fish in a 20 gallon |
| changes add up to about 100% in a month. Some | | | | quarantine tank for 3 weeks prior to introduction into |
| common examples are 25% water change once a | | | | an established tank. |
| week or 15% water changes twice a week. | | | | Health Fish Tip #5 - Keep aggression under control: If |
| Healthy Fish Tip #2 - Consistent Temperature: This is | | | | you have an aggressive tank such as an African |
| another important healthy fish tip. Unlike humans fish | | | | cichlid tank then there will be aggression and territorial |
| cannot regulate body temperature so variations in | | | | conflict. This is normal and probably healthy for the |
| water temperature are very stressful to a fish. | | | | fish because it is natural. However if you notice a fish |
| Research the recommended temperature range for | | | | that is too aggressive or one that seems to be |
| your fish and make sure that all of the fish in your | | | | getting picked on by all of the fish in the tank, then |
| tank can live in the same temperature range. After | | | | you need to find a way to resolve the problem. |
| finding out what temperature is acceptable to all of | | | | Sometimes merely rearranging the tank can change |
| your fish species set your temperature there and try | | | | the tank dynamic and perhaps give a "picked on" fish |
| to keep it from changing much. Be especially careful | | | | some new hiding spaces. If rearranging the tank does |
| when performing water changes that the water is | | | | not work, then consider removing the problem fish |
| not too hot or cold when you change it. | | | | from the tank and placing it in a different tank or |
| Healthy Fish Tip #3 - Don't use too many chemicals | | | | perhaps trading it in to the local fish store. Stressed |
| or products: Using pH adjusters or chemicals to clear | | | | fish are prone to disease and once a stressed fish |
| the water is usually not a very good method to keep | | | | becomes diseased it is more likely other healthy fish |
| healthy fish. Also keep in mind that most medicines | | | | in the tank will contract the disease from the |
| are very harmful to the fish because they either | | | | stressed fish. |
| stress them directly or kill the biological bacteria in | | | | The goal of following these healthy fish tips is to |
| your tank that is keeping it healthy. The only | | | | avoid having to treat the fish after they become |
| chemicals that go into my tanks are tap water, | | | | sick. Happy fish keeping! |