Preventative Care
Ailments And Enemies Of Goldfish
While none of the diseases or parasites that affect goldfish can affect humans, it is important to be hygienic when handling fish to stop diseases passing from one fish to another. Although there are many problems that can befall your goldfish, you should not worry as not all of these problems will occur. In fact, if you keep a pool for half a century you might only run into a few of these problems. Also, as with any health problem, prevention is better than treatment. If you keep your goldfish in good condition then they will be much less likely to develop problems later.
Keeping Goldfish Healthy
Keeping your goldfish in great condition is the key to avoiding problems. To keep your goldfish healthy you should:
1. Always observe advice regarding the size of container, temperature of water and feeding of fish.
2. Sterilize all plants before introducing them into the water.
3. Before adding new goldfish to a pond or aquarium, sterilize them in potassium permanganate and water for two hours. Use 1/8 grain per gallon of water.
4. Watch for dropping dorsal fins, sluggish movement, congested fins and excrement containing slime or bubbles. If there is a problem then isolate the fish immediately and treat according to their symptoms.
5. Sterilize all equipment and containers you use to put the fish in or handle the fish with.
Ailments and Diseases
While it might seem that some goldfish will have major problems because of their odd shapes, the only two disorders down to cramped body formations are constipation and swimming bladder trouble.
Healthy fish excrement is brown and free from bubbles or slime. Any change from this, especially if accompanied with sluggish behavior, suggests constipation. This can easily be cured using a pinch of Epsom salts put into water or scrambled eggs. The constipation is often caused by overfeeding, so make sure you reduce food levels after recovery.
One condition far more rare than constipation is dropsy. This condition mainly affects the tropical goldfish and fancy breeds but it is a serious condition. The body will swell and the scales will stick out. There is no known cure for dropsy but you should not worry as it is quite rare.
Fin congestion is a more common problem, especially among the fancier goldfish breeds. In this condition, the fins and tail become bloodshot and can split or fray in extreme cases. This condition is usually due to overfeeding or sudden shock. The best treatment for this is a salt water treatment for a few days or using potassium permanganate solution. Do not feed the fish during the treatments.
Other conditions that can affect your goldfish are:
- Gill congestion
- Gill fever
- Tail congestion
- Swimming bladder trouble
- Tail rot
- Tuberculosis