Page 57 - Encyclopedia of Aquarium and Pond Fish, 3rd Edition

HEALTH CONCERNS 55

Effective treatments
The effective commercial remedies now available treat the
great majority of tropical fish conditions; a knowledgeable ISOLATION AND MEDICATION
retailer should be able to guide you to the most suitable one. In some cases, it is desirable or essential to treat a fish in a separate
The treatment may be given in the home tank, in a stripped- hospital tank—a relatively stress-free environment where sick fish
down hospital tank, or in a small bath. Carefully follow the can recuperate. This should be a small tank (about 12 gallons or
instructions given on the medication. Overdosing is likely to 50 liters) containing no living plants, but with a simple filtration
system, and perhaps a flowerpot or plastic plant as a refuge.
be harmful, especially for a fish already weakened by illness;
similarly, do not stop the treatment earlier than advised if the Using a hospital tank
fish seems to be recovering. Remember to dechlorinate any to quarantine new fish
before transferring them
water used to make up treatment solutions and make sure it to the main tank is a
is at the same temperature as that in the main tank, in order sensible way of reducing
to lessen the stress on the fish. the risk that you will
If an outbreak of unspecified disease occurs in an introduce diseases to
your other fish.
established group of fish (rather than in one individual that
can be isolated from the group), regular partial water changes Simple filter in hospital tank
will always help, because they lessen the concentration of Eyedropper
disease-causing organisms present. Main tank
Some illnesses simply defy treatment. If you need to kill a Glass cover prevents
fish painlessly, carefully cut through the spinal cord behind the fish from jumping out
head with a sharp knife or take it to your veterinarian. Never
be tempted to flush a fish—living or dead—down the drain.

Home test kits include a wide variety
of chemical analyses that can be
carried out to identify almost any
problem associated with water quality. A small glass dish can be used Methylene blue is a traditional
to give concentrated remedy used for a range of
medication—for example, to remove ailments. It will, however, stain
The design of the aquarium
itself is influential in keeping external bacteria, parasites, and silicone sealant and should never
the fish healthy. A well- other disease-causing organisms. be added to the main aquarium.
planned tank provides retreats
for shy species and lessens the
risk of bullying in more
territorial species.

HUMAN HEALTH
• Switch off the power
before placing your hands
in the water.
• Always wear a pair of
rubber gloves when coming
in contact with tank water.
• Never try to create a flow
of water through a siphon
by sucking it.
• Don’t dump dirty water
down the kitchen sink; use
an outside drain if possible.

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