How To Know If A Fish Is Healthy
Before deciding to buy an aquarium for your home, you should be aware that its interior will be populated by living beings that require specific care: fish. In this article, we explain how to know if a fish is healthy.
Fish in an aquarium are sensitive animals that must have an optimal quality of life to grow properly and avoid being affected by numerous diseases. Here are the main signs that help you know if a fish is healthy.
How to know if a fish is healthy: the most common diseases
Before explaining how to know if a fish is healthy, it is worth making a brief introduction to the main diseases that can affect its health. Once you understand which are the most common diseases in aquarium fish, it will be easier to prevent them and recognize the symptoms.
The Lernaea worm
The Lernaea worm is a tiny parasite that inserts its head into the body of the parasitic animal, usually a fish. Its presence generates an inflammatory process in the animal’s skin, which will show some green streaks that may be difficult to identify with the naked eye.
When this parasite gets into the skin, the fish usually swims persistently from side to side to rub its body against the aquarium glass. This is how the animal tries to relieve the itching and discomfort caused by the inflammation.
Dropsy
Dropsy is a chronic pathology that usually progresses silently in the body of the fish. It is usually associated with poor or inadequate aquarium hygiene or lack of filter maintenance. However, nutritional deficiencies can also cause it.
When the aquarium is not cleaned properly, the water becomes fertile ground for the proliferation of numerous bacteria, fungi and algae. As a result, an excessive level of sodium and nitrites is observed.
In most cases, symptoms will only be visible in the more advanced stages of the disease. A fish with advanced dropsy has a swollen abdomen and protruding scales on the body.
White spot
The disease commonly known as “white spot” is very common in aquarium fish. It is a highly contagious disease caused by a microscopic parasite that lodges under the skin of the animal.
These parasites have to leave the fish’s body to reproduce. Therefore, the progression of the disease leads to the formation of holes in the skin of the animal, which usually get infected quickly. In these small holes, cysts form from which new parasites will arise.
One of the most characteristic symptoms of this pathology is the appearance of white spots on the skin of the fish, which are precisely the holes generated by parasites. Breathing problems are also observed as the gills are prevented from moving normally.
Slobber in the skin of the fish
If a fish is healthy, its skin will show a distinctive sheen that enhances its beauty. However, when a fish suffers from drool in the skin, we see that its body becomes more and more dull.
This is the main symptom of this disease and occurs due to the formation of a gray layer on the skin and gills. Another obvious sign of skin drool is that the fish will start rubbing its body against the glass or in the aquarium plants.
Typically, skin drool is associated with poor fish tank hygiene or a problem in the filter system.
5 signs that your fish is healthy
When a fish is healthy, in addition to not exhibiting the symptoms mentioned above, other signs can also be recognized that indicate that its life and behavior are balanced. These are clear proofs that your fish is healthy and enjoying its environment:
- Balanced and coordinated swimming. When a fish is healthy, its swimming style includes balanced and coordinated movements. In addition, they simply move on the swimming strip where individuals of their species usually move.
- Fast reactions. Healthy fish are sensitive and always attentive to the stimuli of their environment. Therefore, if they perceive an unusual threat or a different stimulus, they quickly flee.
- Its skin and scales are healthy and brightly colored. A healthy fish should not experience any loss of scales or changes in its appearance, brightness or color. It must not have spots, inflammation or excessive mucosal formation in the skin or gills.
- Balanced Appetite : If your fish is healthy, their appetite is normal and they will eat regularly at certain times of the day. However, some diseases can cause a lack of appetite, while others lead to increased food consumption.
- His body shows no changes in appearance or shape. The body of a healthy fish is well proportioned according to the characteristics of its species. When a fish gets sick, some alterations in the shape of the body can be observed, such as a swollen abdomen or a too thin appearance.
Many diseases progress silently and compromise fish health without showing obvious signs. Remember to pay particular attention to aquarium hygiene and the nutritional needs of your fish.
