How to Identify Aquarium Fish Diseases

Before you do anything else, quarantine the sick fish so the disease does not spread.

Observe your fish. Write down anything unusual you see.

Next, look at your list and compare the symptoms to the chart below:

Symptoms- Disease
Flashing- Parasites
Small salt like spots- Ich/Ick
Fuzzy patches- Fungus
Ragged/degenerating fins- Fin Rot
White fuzz around mouth- Fungus
Bloated w/ scales sticking out- Dropsy
Large distended eyes- Pop eye
Whitish "coating" on fish- Velvet
Pale coloration (usually neon tetras)- Neon Tetra Disease
Emaciated, tucked in belly- Tuberculosis
Holes in head- Hole in the Head Disease
Gasping at surface- Water quality issue
- The above chart does not contain all aquarium fish disease, only the most common problems. Once you have diagnosed your fish, treat it with the proper medication using the chart below:
Disease-Treatment
- Fungus- Maracyn
- Ich and Velvet- Coppersafe
- Parasites- Prazi Pro
- Tail/Fin Rot- Maracyn
- Pop Eye- Maracyn
- Dropsy- Maracyn
- Hole in the Head- Paragon
- Tuberculosis- No known cure, highly contagious
- Neon Tetra Disease- No known cure, highly contagious
- Water quality issue- Do a water change immediately, continue doing water changes once a day until fish stop gasping.
  - Note: Gasping, although usually a sign of bad water quality, can also be a sign of several other problems. If gasping is the only symptom, it is probably water quality, but if other symptoms accompany the gasping, it probably means the fish is suffering from a disease.
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    Once the fish is completely cured, you can put it back in the main tank.

Ornamental fish diseases

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