Detailed Explanation of Key Technical Points for Goldfish Disease Prevention and Treatment
Disease Prevention and Treatment Techniques for Goldfish
The common diseases of goldfish and their main prevention and treatment methods are as follows:
(1) Fish plague. Fish plague is a disease of goldfish in spring, often caused by goldfish lying dormant and moving little in winter, insufficient light and other factors that lead to weakened constitution, listlessness and other symptoms. By the plum rain season, the symptoms manifest as difficulty breathing, and in severe cases can lead to the death of goldfish.
Prevention and treatment methods: There is currently no specific drug treatment for fish plague, so only preventive work can be done. Every spring, goldfish should regularly be placed in the sun to strengthen their constitution. If goldfish develop fish plague, they should be isolated or culled as soon as possible.
(2) White cloud disease. It is a disease caused by Ichthyobodo (costia) or flagellates and Chilodonella parasitizing on the fish body. A thin white mist-like substance attaches to various parts of the body surface; this is the result of parasites multiplying rapidly and stimulating the epithelial cells at the parasitic site, causing increased skin secretions.
Prevention and treatment methods: Bathe the diseased fish in a 1:50000 potassium permanganate solution for 10--30 minutes each time. When white cloud disease is triggered by low water temperature, the diseased fish can be soaked in a 2%--2.5% salt water solution for 15 minutes, then returned to clean water, repeating this process. For severe cases, soak in a 1% salt water solution for 1 hour.
(3) Putrid skin disease. This is a common disease of goldfish, mainly prevalent in summer and autumn. The affected areas of the goldfish become red and swollen, with the epidermis rotting, resembling red marks; it mostly appears on both sides of the goldfish's abdomen, generally caused by bacterial infection after the fish body is injured.
Treatment method: Use a writing brush dipped in disinfectant (such as mercurochrome or high-concentration potassium permanganate solution) to wipe or apply to the affected area, once every other day; 3--4 times is sufficient for a cure.
(4) Tail rot disease. This disease is caused by Myxococcus infection and can occur in all four seasons. The tail fin of the diseased fish rots in a broom-like pattern.
Treatment method: Wipe the affected area with 1% malachite green, once every other day; 3--4 times is sufficient for a cure. When treating food fish, the use of malachite green is prohibited.
(5) White spot disease (also known as ichthyophthiriasis). This disease is caused by Ichthyophthirius parasitizing on the fish body. The reproduction temperature of Ichthyophthirius is 3--25°C, and the suitable reproduction temperature is 14--17°C. When the disease occurs, white spot-like cysts appear on the body surface and gill filaments of the diseased fish, and it spreads very quickly; it mostly occurs in spring and autumn. The diseased fish appear extremely inactive and often linger at the water surface.
Treatment method: Place the diseased fish in a 0.5×10 (to the power of negative 6) medical methylene blue solution and soak for a long time at a water temperature of 21--26°C, or soak in a 0.5%--1% baking soda water solution for 10--15 minutes. Since young fish have weaker resistance to the medicinal solution than adult fish, the soaking time should be appropriately shortened. In severe cases, soak 1--2 times per day.
(6) Saprolegniasis (also known as dermatomycosis, white hair disease). The occurrence of this disease is mainly due to injury to the fish body during rearing and when netting fish, or parasites damaging the fish skin, allowing water mold to invade the wound and parasitize. It can occur in all four seasons, especially commonly seen in the plum rain season. After the water mold invades the wound, the initial symptoms are not obvious; when visible to the naked eye, the hyphae have already multiplied extensively outward, and white fluffy hyphae (white hair) can be seen on the body surface of the diseased fish. After goldfish are infected with this disease, they become restless and uneasy, swim abnormally, move slowly, have reduced appetite, and increased skin mucus. In severe cases, the fish body becomes covered with white hair, leading to death.
Prevention and treatment methods: The fish body should be regularly exposed to sunlight, and an appropriate amount of salt should be added when changing water for sterilization and disinfection. Avoid scraping the fish body when netting fish. For treating diseased fish, soak in 1% salt water for 30 minutes each time. During the disease season, splashing 1:10000 salt water into the pond weekly can serve as a preventive measure.
(7) Scale protrusion disease (also known as pine scale disease). This disease is caused by deterioration of water quality and infection of wounds on the fish body by a water-type Pseudomonas punctata. The scales of the diseased fish open outward and stand up locally or over the whole body, swimming is sluggish, sometimes with abdominal edema, and in severe cases death occurs within 2--3 days.
Treatment method: Place the diseased fish in an equal-amount mixture of 2% salt and 3% sodium bicarbonate aqueous solution and soak for 10 minutes, twice daily for 2--3 consecutive days. Alternatively, add 250 grams of mashed garlic to 50 liters of water and soak the diseased fish several times, which can also treat the disease.
(8) Gas bubble disease (also known as burnt tail disease). This disease is caused by excessive dissolved gas in the water and mainly harms young fish. Many small bubbles of different sizes adhere to the fish fins and cause that area to become red and eroded, affecting the fish's swimming and body balance.
Prevention and treatment methods: Immediately move the diseased fish into slightly cooler clean water and raise it there for a period of time, which will allow it to return to normal.
(9) Fish louse disease. It is caused by fish lice, which are visible to the naked eye and shaped like bedbugs, invading the goldfish body and gills and parasitizing there. It can occur in all four seasons, and is most prevalent from June to August each year. Fish lice use their mouth spines and mandibles to pierce and tear the fish body tissues, sucking fish blood, causing the fish body to become emaciated and gather at the water surface or the corners of the fish container, gradually dying. Some diseased fish, due to stimulation by the toxin secreted by fish lice when using their mouth spines to suck blood, become extremely uneasy, swim wildly and jump. This disease can cause the death of goldfish.
Prevention and treatment methods: Before stocking fish fry, use quicklime to clear the pond with water to kill adult fish lice, larvae and egg masses in the water. Water used in fish ponds or other containers should be filtered to prevent fish lice and their larvae from flowing into fish ponds or fish containers with the water. After discovering fish lice parasitizing, apply 2.5% trichlorfon at 1 gram per cubic meter of water and splash it over the entire pond.
When using drugs to prevent and treat fish diseases, one must also correctly grasp the properties and usage methods of various drugs, and prescribe the right medicine according to the specified dosage. After application, observation should be strengthened, and effective measures should be taken promptly when problems are found, so as to prevent drug damage or delaying treatment.
(1) Fish plague. Fish plague is a disease of goldfish in spring, often caused by goldfish lying dormant and moving little in winter, insufficient light and other factors that lead to weakened constitution, listlessness and other symptoms. By the plum rain season, the symptoms manifest as difficulty breathing, and in severe cases can lead to the death of goldfish.
Prevention and treatment methods: There is currently no specific drug treatment for fish plague, so only preventive work can be done. Every spring, goldfish should regularly be placed in the sun to strengthen their constitution. If goldfish develop fish plague, they should be isolated or culled as soon as possible.
(2) White cloud disease. It is a disease caused by Ichthyobodo (costia) or flagellates and Chilodonella parasitizing on the fish body. A thin white mist-like substance attaches to various parts of the body surface; this is the result of parasites multiplying rapidly and stimulating the epithelial cells at the parasitic site, causing increased skin secretions.
Prevention and treatment methods: Bathe the diseased fish in a 1:50000 potassium permanganate solution for 10--30 minutes each time. When white cloud disease is triggered by low water temperature, the diseased fish can be soaked in a 2%--2.5% salt water solution for 15 minutes, then returned to clean water, repeating this process. For severe cases, soak in a 1% salt water solution for 1 hour.
(3) Putrid skin disease. This is a common disease of goldfish, mainly prevalent in summer and autumn. The affected areas of the goldfish become red and swollen, with the epidermis rotting, resembling red marks; it mostly appears on both sides of the goldfish's abdomen, generally caused by bacterial infection after the fish body is injured.
Treatment method: Use a writing brush dipped in disinfectant (such as mercurochrome or high-concentration potassium permanganate solution) to wipe or apply to the affected area, once every other day; 3--4 times is sufficient for a cure.
(4) Tail rot disease. This disease is caused by Myxococcus infection and can occur in all four seasons. The tail fin of the diseased fish rots in a broom-like pattern.
Treatment method: Wipe the affected area with 1% malachite green, once every other day; 3--4 times is sufficient for a cure. When treating food fish, the use of malachite green is prohibited.
(5) White spot disease (also known as ichthyophthiriasis). This disease is caused by Ichthyophthirius parasitizing on the fish body. The reproduction temperature of Ichthyophthirius is 3--25°C, and the suitable reproduction temperature is 14--17°C. When the disease occurs, white spot-like cysts appear on the body surface and gill filaments of the diseased fish, and it spreads very quickly; it mostly occurs in spring and autumn. The diseased fish appear extremely inactive and often linger at the water surface.
Treatment method: Place the diseased fish in a 0.5×10 (to the power of negative 6) medical methylene blue solution and soak for a long time at a water temperature of 21--26°C, or soak in a 0.5%--1% baking soda water solution for 10--15 minutes. Since young fish have weaker resistance to the medicinal solution than adult fish, the soaking time should be appropriately shortened. In severe cases, soak 1--2 times per day.
(6) Saprolegniasis (also known as dermatomycosis, white hair disease). The occurrence of this disease is mainly due to injury to the fish body during rearing and when netting fish, or parasites damaging the fish skin, allowing water mold to invade the wound and parasitize. It can occur in all four seasons, especially commonly seen in the plum rain season. After the water mold invades the wound, the initial symptoms are not obvious; when visible to the naked eye, the hyphae have already multiplied extensively outward, and white fluffy hyphae (white hair) can be seen on the body surface of the diseased fish. After goldfish are infected with this disease, they become restless and uneasy, swim abnormally, move slowly, have reduced appetite, and increased skin mucus. In severe cases, the fish body becomes covered with white hair, leading to death.
Prevention and treatment methods: The fish body should be regularly exposed to sunlight, and an appropriate amount of salt should be added when changing water for sterilization and disinfection. Avoid scraping the fish body when netting fish. For treating diseased fish, soak in 1% salt water for 30 minutes each time. During the disease season, splashing 1:10000 salt water into the pond weekly can serve as a preventive measure.
(7) Scale protrusion disease (also known as pine scale disease). This disease is caused by deterioration of water quality and infection of wounds on the fish body by a water-type Pseudomonas punctata. The scales of the diseased fish open outward and stand up locally or over the whole body, swimming is sluggish, sometimes with abdominal edema, and in severe cases death occurs within 2--3 days.
Treatment method: Place the diseased fish in an equal-amount mixture of 2% salt and 3% sodium bicarbonate aqueous solution and soak for 10 minutes, twice daily for 2--3 consecutive days. Alternatively, add 250 grams of mashed garlic to 50 liters of water and soak the diseased fish several times, which can also treat the disease.
(8) Gas bubble disease (also known as burnt tail disease). This disease is caused by excessive dissolved gas in the water and mainly harms young fish. Many small bubbles of different sizes adhere to the fish fins and cause that area to become red and eroded, affecting the fish's swimming and body balance.
Prevention and treatment methods: Immediately move the diseased fish into slightly cooler clean water and raise it there for a period of time, which will allow it to return to normal.
(9) Fish louse disease. It is caused by fish lice, which are visible to the naked eye and shaped like bedbugs, invading the goldfish body and gills and parasitizing there. It can occur in all four seasons, and is most prevalent from June to August each year. Fish lice use their mouth spines and mandibles to pierce and tear the fish body tissues, sucking fish blood, causing the fish body to become emaciated and gather at the water surface or the corners of the fish container, gradually dying. Some diseased fish, due to stimulation by the toxin secreted by fish lice when using their mouth spines to suck blood, become extremely uneasy, swim wildly and jump. This disease can cause the death of goldfish.
Prevention and treatment methods: Before stocking fish fry, use quicklime to clear the pond with water to kill adult fish lice, larvae and egg masses in the water. Water used in fish ponds or other containers should be filtered to prevent fish lice and their larvae from flowing into fish ponds or fish containers with the water. After discovering fish lice parasitizing, apply 2.5% trichlorfon at 1 gram per cubic meter of water and splash it over the entire pond.
When using drugs to prevent and treat fish diseases, one must also correctly grasp the properties and usage methods of various drugs, and prescribe the right medicine according to the specified dosage. After application, observation should be strengthened, and effective measures should be taken promptly when problems are found, so as to prevent drug damage or delaying treatment.