What to do when fish get sick? Hangtai Aquarium shares several treatment methods

Ecological prevention of ornamental fish diseases is the "root cure", while actively, correctly and scientifically using medication to treat fish diseases is the "symptomatic treatment". Based on the principle of "treating both the root cause and the symptoms", it is a necessary measure to effectively treat ornamental fish diseases or slow the spread of fish diseases and reduce losses.

I.General principles for treating ornamental fish diseases

"Constant monitoring, early detection, scientific diagnosis, correct medication, active treatment, treating both the root cause and the symptoms" are the general principles for treating ornamental fish diseases.

II.Specific treatment principles for ornamental fish diseases

Water first, then fish

"To treat the disease, first treat the gills; to treat the gills, first treat the water." Various gill diseases are one of the most important diseases causing death in ornamental fish. For ornamental fish, the gills are more important than the heart, because the gills are not only an important site for gas exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in ornamental fish, but also a site for the exchange and excretion of calcium ions, potassium ions, sodium ions, ammonia and urea. Therefore, only by treating gill diseases as soon as possible and improving their respiratory and metabolic functions can disease prevention and treatment be facilitated. The ammonia, nitrite and changes of water being too acidic or too alkaline in the water environment all directly affect gill tissue and affect respiration and metabolism. Therefore, the ecological environment must first be controlled to accelerate the metabolism of the water body.

External first, then internal

First treat the external environment, which includes the water body, bottom sand and the fish body surface, and then treat internal diseases, that is, diseases of the internal organs. In other words, first treat various body surface diseases, which are relatively easier to treat fish diseases, and then treat diseases of the internal organs through medicated bait, injection and other methods.

The three phenological periods of the Beginning of Summer

Mole crickets sing: on the day of the Beginning of Summer, "mole crickets sing". According to the explanation of Zheng Xuan of the Eastern Han Dynasty, "mole cricket" refers to frogs, not mole crickets (lou gu). The one said to sing at the Beginning of Summer is a brown-black frog. Earthworms appear: five days after the Beginning of Summer, "earthworms appear". Earthworms are also called qu shan; the shan sings long underground, curling in response to yin qi and extending and appearing when yang qi rises. Royal melon grows: another five days later, "royal melon grows". This royal melon is also called "earth melon", "the melon resembles hail, and when ripe its color is red; crows like to eat it, hence it is called 'old crow melon'", not cucumber.

Parasites first, then bacteria

Parasites, especially large parasites, have extremely strong destructive ability on the body surface of ornamental fish, and the wounds are exactly the route for bacterial invasion and infection, which will thereby produce various complications, so preventing and treating parasites becomes the first step in fish disease prevention and treatment.

III.Common medication methods for ornamental fish diseases

Among ornamental fish diseases, infectious diseases and parasitic diseases caused by pathogens account for the vast majority. Therefore, using medication to kill these pathogens is the most important measure for preventing and treating ornamental fish diseases. The medication method is crucial to the prevention and treatment of ornamental fish diseases. We should choose different medication methods according to the type of fish disease, the condition, the fish species, the rearing method and the purpose of application (whether to treat or prevent fish diseases). The commonly used application methods mainly include:

1、Whole-pond broadcasting method

This method takes the water body of the entire fish pond as the object of application. On the premise of correctly calculating the water volume, an appropriate application concentration is selected to calculate the dosage, and then the weighed medication is diluted with water and evenly splashed into the water body of the entire fish pond. The ornamental fish are kept in water containing the medication and bathed in it, so that the body surface and gills of the sick fish and the pathogens in the water can directly contact the medicated liquid, thereby treating fish diseases. This method has a significant effect on killing bacteria and parasites in the water and on the body surface and gills of sick fish, and is simple to operate, so it is the most commonly used method for preventing and treating ornamental fish diseases. However, the medication cost is relatively high, and it should be avoided to cause the serious consequence of ornamental fish death due to too high an application concentration; at the same time, it should also be avoided that the application concentration is too low and fails to achieve the prevention and treatment effect.

2. Medicated bait method

Also called the oral administration method. The specific method is to, according to the condition of the fish, add the corresponding medication in a certain proportion to the powder feed and mix it to make granular medicated bait, or mix the medication into granular bait for feeding. The medication enters the fish body as the fish feed on the feed, thereby taking effect inside the body. This method has a relatively good effect on internal parasitic diseases, bacterial diseases and nutritional diseases such as vitamin deficiency. Its advantages are relatively thorough effectiveness, less medication waste and cost savings; its disadvantage is that it has no effect on fish with severe conditions that have already stopped feeding.

3. Immersion method

Also called the washing treatment method or medicated bath method. The ornamental fish are concentrated in a smaller container with a higher concentration of medicated liquid for short-term forced medicated bathing, in order to kill bacteria, viruses and parasites on the fish body surface. The specific procedure is to put water into a prepared container, measure the volume, add the medication at one time, stir evenly after the medication is fully dissolved and measure the water temperature, then put the fish into the medicated liquid and record the time. During the entire immersion process, the activity of the fish should be observed. If the fish are found to have difficulty breathing or show signs of floating to the surface, the fish can be taken out early and directly returned to the pond or placed in prepared clean water. The advantage of this method is that the dosage is small and accurate, and it does not affect the growth of bait organisms in the pond. The disadvantage is that it cannot kill pathogens in the water, and transferring sick fish is rather troublesome and easily damages the fish body, thereby worsening the condition. In fish ponds or aquariums with flowing water or convenient water changes, the water level can be lowered, the flowing water stopped or the flow rate slowed, the medicated liquid broadcast over the whole pond, and after medicated bathing for a certain period, the water level and flow rate restored, making the effect more obvious. Parasitic diseases generally require 1 to 2 immersions, and after immersion for infectious diseases it is best to broadcast once more.

4. Injection method

After discovering that ornamental fish are sick, a certain amount of medication is directly injected into the fish body through a syringe so that it is directly absorbed in the body, thereby achieving a therapeutic effect. This method is mostly used for treating broodstock and precious fish, for immunization vaccination when stocking famous and superior fish, and for seriously ill fish that cannot feed. Injection methods can be divided into three types: intraperitoneal injection, intramuscular injection and intrapleural injection. Intraperitoneal injection is mostly performed by inserting the needle along the inner base of the pelvic fin at an angle toward the pectoral fin, with the injection depth depending on the size of the fish, generally 0.2 to 0.5 cm, as long as it does not injure the internal organs; or injecting from the middle upper part of the pelvic fin and lateral line. After all the medication in the syringe is pushed out, the needle should be withdrawn slowly to reduce stress and avoid the medicated liquid leaking out through the needle hole. Intramuscular injection is generally performed in the scaleless area at the base of the dorsal fin, at an angle of 30° to 40° to the fish body, with the needle inserted toward the head. The injection depth is based on the size of the fish, as long as it does not reach the spine. It is best to choose medication that has no stimulation or effect on muscle tissue.

5. Smearing method

Also called the rubbing method, that is, applying a relatively concentrated medicated liquid or ointment to the affected area on the body surface of ornamental fish to kill pathogens, thereby achieving a therapeutic effect. It is mostly used for treating broodstock, precious fish, and individual external injuries and local inflammation. The specific operation is to catch the sick ornamental fish and apply the medication directly to the wound. This method uses a small amount of medication, is convenient, safe and has few side effects; however, its disadvantage is that it cannot be used for large batches of medication, and care should be taken to lift the head slightly when applying the medication, so as to prevent the medication from flowing into the mouth and gills and causing harm.

6. Hanging medicated bag (basket) method

A water-permeable bag (or bamboo basket) containing a certain amount of medication is placed in the water to slowly release the medication, creating a medicated area of a certain concentration in the pond water, so that ornamental fish can freely enter and leave this area within the range of medicated concentration they can tolerate, thereby achieving the purpose of killing pathogens on their body surface and gills. Its advantages are saving medication cost, convenient operation and little pollution to the water body, but it does not thoroughly kill pathogens and is only suitable for prevention and early treatment of diseases.

7、Soaking method

This is to tie Chinese herbal medicines into bundles and soak them at the upwind position of the fish pond or at the water inlet, allowing the effective components released by soaking to diffuse into the pond, so as to kill or inhibit pathogens on the body surface of ornamental fish and in the water. This method takes effect relatively slowly and is generally only suitable for prevention.

No matter which method is used, it should be operated according to the actual situation. Alright~ I hope this article can help everyone~