5 Fish Diseases and How to Fight Them

Parasites

Symptoms include Scratching, worms or lice on the body, spiderweb style legions on the body.

Leeches, fish lice, anchor worm, gill maggots and more can all prey on fish in your pond causing, as they feed on the fish, other diseases such as bacterial or fungal infections.

Fin Rot

Symptoms include fraying of the fins, the base of fins may become inflamed and large chunks of the fin may fall off.

This is usually found in aquariums but can also occur in natural environments too. It is a symptom of a disease that’s related to the water quality.

Treatments: Check that your filter is working, and use something like the AllPondSolutions Aquarium Rescue Bacteria Control to quickly treat your water. 

Open Wounds

Symptoms include wounds that are usually quite obvious, red and sore looking.

Treatments: you need to clean the wound and seal it, using specialist treatments like NT Labs Ulcer Swab and Wound Seal.

Popeye

Symptoms: one or both eyes bulging outwards; outer eye may be cloudy or white

If in both eyes, it is usually a reaction to poor conditions and could be a bacterial infection, if, in one eye, it’s most likely down to physical damage.

Treatment: make sure that your water quality is optimal; your fish’s diet is good; if the infection is bacterial, you may have to give your fish antibiotics.

Fungal Infections

Symptoms: fine white threads that resemble cotton wool

If your fish’s mucus layer on the top of their skin is damaged, then opportunistic fungus spores will take the opportunity to infect the living tissue. It can also occur through environmental stress.

Treatment: To help prevent them, use something like AllPondSolutions Aquarium Rescue Bacteria & Fungus Control to help make sure your fish’s environment is optimal and that they have the best opportunity for a healthy mucus coat.