How to Keep Your Fish Healthy


Avoid Overfeeding. Too much food kills more fish than any other cause. Rotting food starts this chain of events:

1. Overloads your filter.
2. Releases ammonia.
3. Clouds the water.
4. Makes the water smell.
5. Removes oxygen.
6. Weakens the fish.
7. Invites disease.
If you do ever accidentally overfeed, a quick cleaning with a gravel vacuum cleaner prevents the above problems. But it’s much easier to just feed less.

Feed the Right Foods. Feed at least two types of food for best results:

1. Basic flake or pelleted food.
2. Frozen brine shrimp.
3. Color food.
4. Any “treat food.”
5. Vitamin blocks to help heal split fins.

No single food contains every nutrient your fishes need. A variety of foods make sure they get all their nutritional needs and keeps their appetites sharp. Hungry fish are healthy fish.

Maintain Quality Water. Weekly 20% water changes with your gravel vacuum cleaner will keep you from learning the names of most fish diseases. Remember to add salt and a dash of NovAqua to any water you replace. Regular partial water changes work like a spring tonic for your fish.
Clean Lightly. Wipe your front glass often. You want to see your fishes. But resist the urge to scrub down the sides, the back, the plastic plants, and other décor. Fishes snack on the algae and tiny organisms that live in the “slime” that grows in your tank.

Overly clean tanks won’t filter correctly, and they crimp the diet of the fishes that live in them. Fish get many vitamins and trace elements from the microscopic life growing in their tanks.
Look for Disease. These signs mean your fishes need help:

1. Clamped fins.
2. Washed out colors.
3. Hiding, shaking, resting.
4. Gasping at surface.
5. White spots or open sores.
6. Slimy patches or hickies.
7. Eroded fins.
When treating for disease, follow these steps for best results:

1. Correct water quality.
2. Check filter system.
3. Increase aeration.
4. Correct the temperature.
5. Feed the right foods.
6. Remove carbon.
7. Use the correct medication.

If you encounter any problems just take back the sick fish and a water sample to your local LFS, if you don’t know exactly what you’re treating. Effective medications often interfere with the helpful bacteria in your filter system. Use medications only when absolutely necessary. Try to avoid rather than treat diseases.

Specials thanks to LA from aqualand pets plus for the profile.

firstly may i say welcome Cichlid Commander and what a cracking first post you have shared with us very informative thanks

This post makes me think, ...

We may need another folder in the Fish Health section. Everything thing there is the 'nasty' stuff. We perhaps should have something more optimistic.

Although, could be worth seeing how our Reference section goes when it comes online. That will have great 'sprawl' potential.

What are your thoughts, Clunkster ?