Fin rot in fish: treatment, symptoms, causes of the disease

Fish, like any other pet, are susceptible to diseases; you need to constantly take care of their health. A variety of ailments can develop in a community aquarium, and one of the most common diseases is fin rot. Self-medication requires a lot of effort and patience, as well as the right methods of getting rid of the disease.

Where does it come from?

Pathogen bacteria live in natural bodies of water, entering the aquarium through soil, food, decor, or from new fish purchased at the store. Therefore, it is better to immediately place aquarium fish in forced quarantine, and not place them with the rest of the aquarium inhabitants. You just need to leave them for a few days in an old tank with store-bought water, gradually adding water from your aquarium to it.

With fin rot, it is the fins of the fish that suffer, losing their former appearance - they tear and become worn out. Many beginners mistake this for the result of mechanical damage, so they do not take any action. In this case, the disease progresses quite quickly, which leads to the death of aquarium fish.

There are several main causes of infection:

insufficient care of the aquarium, failure to clean it in a timely manner;
lack of a filter, so the water inside is not clean enough;
increased acidity level;
incorrect temperature in the tank;
various factors that can cause stress in fish;
rotting plants in the aquarium;
improperly selected food, which leads to a deficiency of essential microelements and decreased immunity.

Why does the disease appear?

Rotting of fins in fish develops only in conditions favorable to it: where there is no biological balance, feeding is not carried out according to the rules. That is, they do not receive enough necessary microelements and vitamins, as a result of which immunity decreases, and it is easier for any viruses to penetrate into a weakened body.

The cause of the disease is the bacteria Vibrio, Pseudomonas and Aeromonas; they can be introduced into the home pond in various ways. Most often, the source of infection is a sick fish released into a community aquarium.

The disease has another name; in scientific circles it is usually called pseudomonosis.

Symptoms

Characteristic signs of the disease are:

fin rot at the edges;
partial splitting;
the occurrence of ruptures;
pale blue coating.

Adult fish rarely die from it; young fish are more often affected.

Pseudomonosis in a cockerel

If the symptoms of fish pseudomonosis are ignored, the disease completely destroys the caudal fin. Fin rot is easily detected and treated in the early stages. A timely diagnosis will prevent the development of the disease.

Although this is not a disease, fin destruction is often associated with high Ph levels in the aquarium.

What species of fish are at risk?

This disease is often considered characteristic only of veiled forms, but this is not entirely true. Indeed, fin rot is more common in fish, but representatives with shorter fins can also suffer from it. Even commercial species are susceptible to this.

Risk groups include:

veil forms (cockerels, angelfish and others);
swordtails;
platies;
neons;
barbs (especially cherry ones);
viviparous fish;
gold;
labyrinthine (gourami, macropods, etc.);
characins.

Main symptoms

The symptoms of this disease are quite characteristic, so it can be easily identified. With this pathology you can notice:

cloudiness of fins;
the appearance of red spots and stripes is a consequence of blockage of blood vessels;
change in the color of the fins, which become bluish (the color changes from the edges, gradually spreading over the entire surface);
breaking off fins;
the appearance of ulcers throughout the body - this occurs at the last stage of the disease, so the probability of death of the aquarium fish is very high.

Non-infectious

This type includes diseases that appear due to irrational maintenance or the influence of large parasites.

Chlorine poisoning

Caused by exposure to a chemical element.

Symptoms:

difficulty breathing;
mucus on gills;
lightening of the color of the gills;
restless behavior of pets: they rush around and try to jump out of the container;
apathy.

At the first manifestations, the pets are immediately transplanted into another container.

Lack of oxygen

The disease occurs in an overcrowded vessel with oxygen deficiency, due to rotting feed residues and dead individuals, at elevated temperatures.

Symptoms:

restless behavior;
swimming near the surface;
gasping for air;
weakening of the immune system;
suffocation;
infertility;
lack of appetite.

First you need to eliminate the cause of oxygen deficiency, then change some of the water and carry out aeration.

Failure to comply with temperature conditions

The disease is caused by increased or, conversely, decreased temperature of the water in the vessel.

Symptoms of high fever:

excessively energetic behavior;
fish rise to the surface due to lack of oxygen.

Symptoms at low temperature:

lethargy;
motionless presence at the bottom;
cold symptoms, often leading to death.

To avoid the occurrence of such diseases, you need to constantly check the water temperature.

Alkali disease

Caused by increased (alkalosis) or decreased (acidosis) pH levels in water.

Symptoms of alkalosis:

excessive activity;
spreading of gills and fins;
lightening of color;
covering the gills with mucus.

Symptoms of acidosis:

excessive fearfulness;
decreased energy;
fish can swim sideways or belly up.

As a therapeutic measure, you need to gradually change the acid-base balance in the container to normal.

Obesity fish

The reason is an increase in the fat content of food by 3% in herbivorous individuals and 5% in carnivorous individuals. If fish are overfed, provided with a poor or irrational diet, they may also develop signs of obesity. As a result, internal organs are damaged, leading to death.

Symptoms:

apathy;
rounding of sides;
infertility.

From the editor: Sanguinecolosis

To prevent obesity, you need to provide the fish with a varied diet, give them fatty food, and also, for preventive purposes, do not feed them for 2 days. Pets need to swim freely, so you should worry about choosing a container of the appropriate size.

Gas embolism

Appears when the volume of oxygen is exceeded, as a result of which the fish’s blood vessels become clogged and blood supply is disrupted.

Symptoms:

anxiety;
sidestroke;
immobility of gill covers;
bubbles on individuals.

It is necessary to check air circulation and avoid excess plants, which contribute to the release of increased oxygen and soiling of the soil.

Tumors

As a rule, tumors are caused by physicochemical factors, ionizing radiation, and oncogenic viruses. In some situations, parasites and genetic code become the causes.

Symptoms of melanosarcoma:

neoplasm;
black body color.

Other types of tumors can be recognized by their characteristic shape and color. Sometimes they are so large that they swell the pet’s body. Small internal neoplasms are revealed only at autopsy.

Therapeutic measures are powerless. Tumors are quite rare. The affected individual is killed.

Improper feeding

Frequent and abundant feeding of fish, especially monotonous feeding, can cause a number of diseases, including fatal ones. This, as a rule, leads to obesity of internal organs and liver degeneration, as a result of which the fish dies.

Symptoms:

colorless or bloody thread-like feces;
hydrocele of the abdomen.
Dropsy cannot be treated, so the sick fish is removed from the container.

Feeding a monotonous diet poor in vitamins causes vitamin deficiencies, which in turn can lead to metabolic disorders, weakening of the pet’s immune system, and deterioration in its health and appearance.

Therefore, it is necessary to provide your pets with a varied, balanced diet and follow the golden rule of aquarium keeping: “It is better to underfeed than to overfeed.”

Who is most likely to get fin rot?

Any fish that has a weakened immune system can become infected with these diseases. But most often those who suffer are those with fairly large fins that form folds. These are guppies, angelfish, cockerels, goldfish and other species.

The further treatment strategy depends on the type of aquarium inhabitant. For example, bettas can recover under quarantine conditions, while angelfish do not tolerate being moved to another tank well.

At the same time, recovered individuals do not always restore their previous appearance of fins. Often there is a noticeable reduction in size and uneven edges.

How to treat fish for fin rot?

The success of treatment directly depends on how timely it was started. If symptoms are detected in individuals, it is necessary to move them into a separate tank, and clean the aquarium itself.

In the initial stages of the disease, changing the water daily by 30% and increasing its temperature to the maximum permissible values helps. You need to find out what the maximum temperature is for each type of fish and choose an average that would be suitable for everyone. If these actions do not help, then you can move on to more intensive treatment, which involves the use of medications and household products.

Advice

Peroxide is a cheap and quite effective remedy. When it gets into the aquarium, an active reaction begins to occur. In this case, the substance decomposes into two harmless components - oxygen and water. But despite this, peroxide should only be used if severe rot of the fins of veiltails, barbs, livebearers, etc. is detected. At the initial stage, it is better to treat the fish with some more gentle commercial product. In any case, you need to add peroxide to the aquarium in an amount of no more than 2.5 ml per 10 liters of water. Otherwise, aquatic plants will be damaged. In particular, they do not like vallisneria peroxide, various types of mosses, camboba and hornwort. Adding 4 ml of this substance per 10 liters to an aquarium will pose a danger to the fish themselves. Fortunately, peroxide does not have any special effect on the biofilter bacteria.

How to treat fin rot with medications?

How to treat fish in an aquarium if changing conditions does not help? There are several options here. There are specialized drugs for this disease that can be bought in specialized stores. There are a number of household methods that also show their effectiveness.

Here are just a few possible remedies:

Streptocide. It is diluted in warm water, then poured into a tank (or hotel baths are made for infected individuals).
Levomycetin. The antibiotic is diluted in a glass of settled water, then poured into the aquarium (ratio - 1:20). The procedure is repeated every 3 days.
Furacilin. One tablet is enough for 30 liters. Treatment continues for up to 14 days.
Biseptol-480. One quarter of this tablet is enough for 10 liters of water. It is important that the aquarium inhabitants are constantly in this solution until they recover.
Bicillin-5. Consumption – one bottle per procedure (there will be 6 in total). To prevent the antibiotic from decomposing, it is necessary to ensure that the aquarium is darkened during treatment.
Hydrogen peroxide (3%). Mixes with water separately, i.e. Do not pour peroxide directly into the tank, as this can cause burns to the fish. The duration of treatment is from 7 to 14 days.

Among the specialized products used to treat aquarium fish, we note Antipar. This is a solution consisting of formaldehyde, malachite green and blue. On average, therapy continues for a week (it is necessary to turn off filtration, aeration, and also exclude exposure to sunlight).

Nastena

List, description and use of medicinal products designed to help in the medicinal treatment of aquarium inhabitants.. Fiosept The active component of this drug is the synthetic dye basic violet K. Its medicinal solutions are traditionally used to treat many diseases of aquarium fish, including those caused by bacteria (fin rot, peptic ulcer disease, lepidorthosis - ruffling of scales), fungi and protozoa. The drug "Fiosept" is intended for the treatment of fish in a separate vessel (quarantine aquarium). The contents of the bottle (50 ml) are designed to prepare 50 liters of medicinal solution, that is, 10 ml of the original solution per 10 liters of water. As a measuring container, you can use the cap of the bottle, which holds approximately 5 ml of solution. Sick fish are placed in a medicinal solution and kept in it for 4 days. Usually, when treating in a separate vessel, to increase its effectiveness, maximum, close to toxic, doses of drugs are used. The dose indicated above is also close to the maximum. Therefore, if the fish turn out to be too sensitive to the recommended concentration of the drug, which is manifested in sudden jerky movements, then the concentration should be lowered by adding water, or by transplanting the fish into a vessel with fresh water. If necessary, the course of treatment can be repeated after 3 days. Do not exceed the recommended dose, and for small fish, reduce it by half.

Copper sulfate Medicinal solutions of copper sulfate are used to treat fin rot, fungal diseases and diseases caused by single-celled parasites living on the body of fish. Copper sulfate is toxic to all aquatic organisms and aquarium vegetation, as well as to particularly sensitive fish. In this regard, when using it, the exact dosage should be observed. 1 bottle (50 ml of solution) contains 0.3 g of copper sulfate. This amount is designed for treating fish in a general aquarium with a water volume of 200 liters, that is, 2.5 ml of this solution for every 10 liters of aquarium water. As a measuring container, you can use the cap of the bottle, which holds approximately 5 ml of solution. Treatment in a general aquarium: A certain amount of the initial solution of the drug, strictly calculated for the entire volume of water in the aquarium, is diluted with fresh, settled water in a bottle (glass, flask) with a capacity of 200–250 ml. Then the solution from the bottle is gradually poured into the aquarium in equal portions in three doses at intervals of 20–30 minutes, while carefully stirring the water. To mix the solution faster and more evenly after adding it to the aquarium, you can temporarily (for 20–30 minutes) turn on the aeration unit. It is unacceptable to pour the entire medicinal solution at once. The temperature of the water in the aquarium is not increased. Treatment lasts no more than 10 days. During the entire course of treatment, the copper sulfate content should be in the range of 0.12–0.18 mg/ml. By gradually changing the water piece by piece, the medicinal solution in the aquarium is replaced with fresh water. In addition to this method of treatment with copper sulfate, in a general aquarium you can use a combined solution of malachite green and copper sulfate at the rate of: 5 ml of the initial solution of copper sulfate for every 10 liters of aquarium water. The water temperature is increased to 28°C and maintained at a given level until the end of the course of treatment at a pH of 5.5–6.8. Initial doses of drugs are added to the aquarium water every 7–10 days. The course of treatment lasts up to a month or longer. If there is a need to replace the water during treatment, the concentration of the drug should be restored. Malachite green is a stable dye, so the color lasts for a long time. To free water from coloring at the end of the course of treatment, filters with activated carbon are used. Treatment in a separate vessel: A medicinal solution of copper sulfate is prepared by diluting 50 ml of the original solution (1 bottle) in 3 liters of fresh, settled water; sick fish are kept in the solution for 10–30 minutes daily for a week.

Malachite Green (Oxalate) Malachite green is a synthetic dye. Its medicinal solutions are used to treat fin rot, ringworm and invasive diseases caused by protozoa. Only adult fish of the following species are subject to processing: guppies, swordtails, platies, mollies, playferies, gouramis, heteroclitus, barbs, heteromorph rasboras, arapirangian nannostomus, shubunkins and veiltails. Treatment of other fish species should be treated with great caution. 1 bottle (50 ml of solution) contains 10 mg of malachite green (please note that the bottle label contains incorrect information about the contents of the drug). This amount is designed for treating fish in a general aquarium with a water volume of 100 liters, that is, 5 ml of this solution for every 10 liters of aquarium water. As a measuring container, you can use the cap of the bottle, which holds approximately 5 ml of solution. Treatment in a general aquarium: For treatment in a general aquarium, it is recommended to use a combined solution of malachite green and copper sulfate at the rate of: 5 ml of the initial solution of malachite green and 5 drops of the initial solution of copper sulfate for every 10 liters of aquarium water. A certain amount of preparations, strictly calculated for the entire volume of water in the aquarium, is diluted with fresh, settled water in a bottle (glass, flask) with a capacity of 200–250 ml. Then the solution from the bottle is gradually poured into the aquarium in equal portions in three doses at intervals of 20–30 minutes, while carefully stirring the water. To mix the solution faster and more evenly after adding it to the aquarium, you can temporarily (for 20–30 minutes) turn on the aeration unit. It is unacceptable to pour the entire medicinal solution at once. The water temperature is increased to 28°C and maintained at a given level until the end of the course of treatment at a pH of 5.5–6.8. Initial doses of drugs are added to the aquarium water every 7–10 days. The course of treatment lasts up to a month or longer. If there is a need to replace the water during treatment, the concentration of the drug should be restored. Malachite green is a stable dye, so the color lasts for a long time. To free water from coloring at the end of the course of treatment, filters with activated carbon are used. Treatment in a separate vessel: Sick fish are treated four times, creating a concentration of the treatment solution for the first two days at the rate of 0.5 mg, on the third and fourth days - 0.7 mg of malachite green per 1 liter of water. The temperature of the water in the vessels with water and the medicinal solution should be 24–25°C with a pH of 5.5–6.8. The fish are kept in a medicinal solution of malachite green for 5 hours. Fresh medicinal solutions are prepared daily. Medicinal solutions and water in the vessels where fish are kept during the treatment period and between treatments are aerated.

Tetra ZMF Hexa–ex Disinfectant for ornamental freshwater fish. A drug for treating freshwater aquarium fish against hexamitosis (“holey disease”) and spironucleosis, especially effective in cichlid fish. The unique combination of active substances of the ZMF Hexa-ex drug allows you to successfully combat the pathogens of hexamitosis and spironucleosis, as well as reliably disinfect aquarium water. When used correctly, ZMF Hexa-ex does not harm the aquarium population. No side effects were identified. Symptoms: - fish become lethargic and huddle in the corner of the aquarium; - the color fades, - the appetite worsens, - a whitish, jelly-like discharge is observed, - in young individuals, the dorsal and rear fins atrophy - in the later stages, a white substance is secreted from tiny holes in the head, after a few days the discharge stops, but later appears in a more severe form. Dosage: 1 tablet per 50 liters of water. Directions for use: Replace 1/3 of the water, remove activated carbon from the aquarium, add tablets. Repeat after 14 days (for fish that stopped feeding before treatment, give a double dose). After 1 or 2 treatments, replace 1/3 or 1/2 of the volume of water. The course lasts 5 days. Store in a cool place. Do not use with drugs from other companies. Contraindications: Do not combine Hexa-ex with other medications.

Tetra ZMF Limnacid Active snail control agent for freshwater aquariums: acts quickly and reliably against snails, planaria, leeches and other unwanted animals; does not harm fish or plants. In general, snails are beneficial in the aquarium as they absorb all leftover food and help clean the aquarium. However, when the snails multiply heavily, they become a nuisance and it is advisable to destroy them in order to restore biological balance. ZMF Limnacid is a highly active drug that works reliably against hydra, planaria, leeches and other soft-bodied animals. Dosage: Against snails - 1 drop per 1 liter of water (one full screw cap holds 3 ml of the drug, sufficient for 60 liters of water). Against hydras, planaria and leeches - 2 drops per 1 liter of water (3 ml per 30 liters of water). Directions for use: Before using the drug, it is necessary to replace 1/3 of the volume of water with fresh water. It is good to ventilate the aquarium and the room while using the drug. During the period of use of the drug, do not filter water through activated carbon and other adsorbing substances (ion exchange resins), do not use products for treating fish or enriching water. Remove dead snails from the aquarium immediately. When using ZMF Limnacid simultaneously with water enrichment products produced by other companies, their compatibility cannot be guaranteed. Useful tips: After destroying the snails, it is necessary to use the drug ZMF Biocoryn H3 to purify the water and additionally supply the water with all the necessary vital substances.

Methylene Blue Methylene blue is a synthetic blue dye. Its medicinal solutions are used to treat fungal diseases of aquarium fish, as well as to prevent stress that occurs during transportation or transplantation of fish. Since the drug is safe for eggs and fry, it can be used to prevent mycoses of eggs; in addition, it is recommended as a substitute for malachite green in the treatment of particularly sensitive fish. Methylene blue is an effective remedy against blood diseases associated with cyanide and nitrate poisoning of fish. 1 bottle (50 ml of solution) contains 0.3 g of methylene blue. This amount is designed for treating fish in a general aquarium with a water volume of 100 liters, that is, 5 ml of this solution for every 10 liters of aquarium water. As a measuring container, you can use the cap of the bottle, which holds approximately 5 ml of solution. Treatment in a general aquarium: A certain amount of the initial solution of the drug, strictly calculated for the entire volume of water in the aquarium, is diluted with fresh, settled water in a bottle (glass, flask) with a capacity of 200–250 ml. Then the solution from the bottle is gradually poured into the aquarium in equal portions in three doses at intervals of 20–30 minutes, while carefully stirring the water. To mix the solution faster and more evenly after adding it to the aquarium, you can temporarily (for 20–30 minutes) turn on the aeration unit. It is unacceptable to pour the entire treatment solution into the aquarium at once. To remove the bright blue color from the water at the end of the course of treatment, filters with activated carbon are used. Duration of treatment is up to one month. Treatment in a separate vessel: To obtain a treatment solution, 25 ml of the original solution is added to 10 liters of fresh, settled water. Sick fish are briefly bathed in the resulting solution for 30 minutes. If necessary, this procedure can be repeated after 2-3 days. This treatment is effective against ectoparasites. Not recommended for sensitive fish.

Acrimet The drug "Acrimet" is intended for the treatment of fungal and protozoal diseases of freshwater aquarium fish, primarily such as: dermatomycosis - a whitish-gray fluffy, cotton-like coating; branchiomycosis (gill rot) - dark red stripes on the gills, necrosis of individual areas of the gill filaments; ichthyophthyriasis - white tubercles similar to semolina; oodiniumosis (velveteen or velvet disease) - small nodules resembling powdery dust of golden or gray color. The drug "Acrimet" is a successful combination of three antiseptic agents: malachite green, methylene blue and trypaflavin. Due to the fact that the mechanism of suppression of the vital activity of pathogenic organisms is different for these substances, the effectiveness and spectrum of action of such a combination is much higher than that of each of them separately. Recommendations for use: It is recommended to treat fish in a separate aquarium (quarantine aquarium). Prepare a medicinal solution in a glass vessel by adding a certain amount of Acrimet to the settled water, based on the calculation: 5 ml of the drug per 20 liters of water. As a measuring container, you can use the cap of the bottle, which holds approximately 5 ml of solution. Bring the temperature of the treatment solution to the temperature of the water in the aquarium in which the diseased fish were located. Then transfer the fish into a vessel with a medicinal solution, gradually increase the temperature of the solution to 26–28°C and constantly maintain this temperature. Provide intensive aeration. The exposure time of fish in the medicinal solution is 30–45 minutes. Carry out the treatment every 12 hours for 4–5 days, each time preparing a fresh medicinal solution. In between treatments, place the fish in another vessel with settled water at a temperature of 26–28°C. If necessary, treatment can be repeated after three days. To treat dermatomycosis, you can also use short-term lotions with cotton swabs moistened with diluted Acrimet (5 ml per 10 liters of water). During the treatment period, it is necessary to disinfect the common aquarium and fish farming equipment using any method described in the literature, or use the drug "Acrimet". To do this, it is necessary to remove all fish from the aquarium, and the activated carbon and biofilter from the filter, ensure effective water circulation and aeration, and partially replace the aquarium water (1/4–1/3 of the volume). After this, pour a certain amount of Acrimet into the aquarium at the rate of 5 ml of the original solution per 40 liters of aquarium water. On the third day and every day thereafter until the end of the course of treatment, perform a partial water change (1/4–1/3 volume). To free water from coloring at the end of the course of treatment, filters with activated carbon are used. Please note that fungal diseases are usually secondary, while the main disease is more often caused by a bacterial infection, mechanical damage to skin areas or poor conditions for keeping fish. Therefore, during the treatment process it is also necessary to eliminate the causes of the underlying disease.

Rock salt Table salt is the simplest and most effective remedy for the treatment of many types of parasitic diseases of aquarium fish (gyrodactylosis, dactylogyrosis, diplozoonosis, discocotylosis, ichthyophthyridiasis, costiosis, sanguinicolosis, trichodinosis, chylodonellosis, white skin, branchiomycosis, columnariosis, lepidorthosis, plastophorasis, aprolegniosis) . It is used both for short-term baths and for long-term treatment in a general aquarium. The mechanism of action of salt is based on creating a difference in osmotic pressure outside and inside the body of the parasite. In addition, table salt is used as a prophylactic agent when keeping many species of livebearers, especially mollies. Lightly adding salt to the water helps reduce split tails in purebred male guppies. Attention! The salinity of water negatively affects the vast majority of aquarium plants! Contraindications! You cannot use table salt when treating catfish from the Callichthyidae group! For most members of the genera Corydoras, Thoracatum, Dianema, Brochis and Aspidoras, the maximum concentration is 1–2 grams per liter. Ancistrus and other Loricarids take salt treatment calmly. For baths it is also possible to use pure (without aromatic additives) sea salt. Do not use iodized salt! Coarsely ground edible rock salt is best suited for medicinal purposes. Short-term baths: Prepared at the rate of 100–150 g per 10 liters of water (about a tablespoon per liter of water), exposure 15–20 minutes. Treatment of fish is repeated every 12 hours for several days. Use in a general aquarium: A solution of table salt is most often prepared at the rate of 1 full tablespoon of salt per 10 liters of water. The temperature of the water in the aquarium can be raised to 30-32 degrees, it must be kept this way for two to three days, and aerated all this time. Treatment lasts 10–30 days. At the end of the process, the water in the aquarium is replaced with fresh water in two to three steps.

Hydrogen peroxide Pharmacy 3% peroxide is used for: 1. Reviving suffocated fish. Add up to 40 ml per 100 l. When bubbles begin to appear on the glasses, filters and, possibly, fish, the water must be changed and the blowing intensified. If there is no effect within 15 minutes of exposure, then it’s no longer fate... To resuscitate fish affected by high doses of carbon dioxide, 25 ml per 100 liters is usually sufficient. 2. Fight against unwanted aquarium animals (planaria, hydra). Concentration up to 40 ml per 100 l. You need to contribute several days in a row until complete victory over the enemy. In this case, plants can be killed, but if lower concentrations are used, then you may not be able to defeat them, although the plants will be alive. However, as a rule, everything works out; the process takes a week or more. Hard-leaved plants such as Anubias are relatively resistant to peroxide. 3. Fight against blue-green algae. If there are favorite plants in the aquarium, then the dosage should not exceed 25 ml per 100 l once a day. Fish usually tolerate a dose of 30 or even 40 ml per 100 liters without harm. The effect of daily application is noticeable on the third day. Everything goes away in a week. The dose that can still fight algae is 20 ml per 100 l. Long-stemmed plants with feathery leaves do not tolerate peroxide well, so this dosage should not be exceeded. Hard-leaved plants can be bathed several times in a separately prepared peroxide solution of 50–40 ml per 100 liters. Keep it for half an hour, an hour. I don't know the exact time. They say that this is how you can reduce the fouling of flip flops. It is possible that peroxide will help in the fight against Vietnamese in an aquarium (20–25 ml per 100 l). But in this case, it is still necessary to reduce nitrate and phosphate pollution of water. 4. Treatment of bacterial infections on the body and fins of fish. 25 ml per 100 l daily or 2 times a day repeatedly (7–14 days). You can prepare a medicinal peroxide solution from the industrial product perhydrol - approximately 30% preoxide. That is, it must be diluted 10 times to obtain an analogue of pharmaceutical peroxide. This substance is caustic and explosive! Can only be diluted with water in a plastic container. Should not come into contact with metal, alkalis, or organic solvents. PS We should not forget that hydrogen peroxide is a very strong oxidizing agent, and in order to avoid burns on the body of fish and plants, before adding it to the aquarium, it should be diluted with 10–20 parts of water and only then added to the aquarium and directly in front of the filter outlet. When using peroxide, be sure to abundantly aerate the water. It is not recommended to exceed the dosage more than 4 ml. 3% hydrogen peroxide per 10 liters. water.

Potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate) An effective remedy for combating ectoparasites of fish, as well as for disinfection (for example, freshly purchased plants). It is used only in the form of short-term baths or medicinal lotions. It is most effective in the treatment of sick fish affected by protozoa (costia, chilodonella, ichthyophthirius, oodinium, trichodina), multigenetic flukes (hydrodactylus and dactylogyrus), crustaceans (argulus and lernia), as well as leeches (piscicolas). In addition, it is used in the fight against ringworm. It is not effective for the treatment of infectious fish diseases. In the form of lotions, a concentrated solution is used to cauterize the edges of cut fins or remove deeply ingrained parasites on the body of large fish. Short-term baths: Potassium permanganate (KMnO4) is diluted at the rate of 0.5 g per 10 liters of water, exposure 10–20 minutes. In medicinal baths, fish are bathed in the morning and evening with an interval of 12 hours. The formation of air bubbles on the body of the fish while they are in the bath is not dangerous.

Metronidazole Hexamitosis, octomitosis, spironucleosis, hole disease. To avoid disruption of the biobalance and the effect of the drug on other healthy fish in a common aquarium, it is advisable to treat with metronidazole in a separate treatment aquarium. Naturally, this aquarium must be properly equipped. The volume for fish 20 cm long is at least 40 liters. Aeration, heating. Pour water partly from a common aquarium, partly with fresh, settled water. Metronidazole is poorly soluble in water. The tablet should be ground into powder and diluted in a beaker in a small amount of warm water (I do not recommend using alcohol for this purpose, as is sometimes recommended, to avoid spoilage of the water). Then pour the contents of the beaker into the aquarium. In the literature and on forums, you will likely come across several options for the course of treatment with metronidazole. There are really a lot of recipes, but they all boil down to approximately the same thing: treat in several doses, the maximum single dosage is 10 mg/l, the maximum total dosage is 60 mg/l; effective exposure - about 8 hours; water changes; if the disease is not cured in one course, then repeat the treatment after a week or if a relapse is detected. This technique was developed in 2002 and since then has been successfully used repeatedly for the treatment of intestinal invasions in cichlases. When treating discus and dwarf cichlids, the dosage should probably be reduced to 250 mg/50 l. Water temperature - 26–30°C (1–2 degrees higher than normal); First day: evening - metronidazole 250 mg/40 l of water; Second day: morning, change 25% of fresh, settled water, metronidazole 250 mg/40 l, evening - again metronidazole 250 mg/40 l; Third day: morning change of 25% fresh settled water, MelaFix 5 ml/40 l, evening - metronidazole 250 mg/40 l; Fourth day: morning change of 25% fresh settled water, MelaFix 5 ml/40 l, evening - metronidazole 250 mg/40 l; Fifth day: morning change of 25% fresh settled water, MelaFix 5 ml/40 l, evening - metronidazole 250 mg/40 l; That is, only 6 doses of metronidazole over 5 days; if the fish starts to take food, then at the same time feed with granules for cichlids soaked with the drug HexaEx (concentration at the rate of 1/2 tablet per 1 tablespoon of food). Sixth day: in the morning, change 2/3 of the water (including 1/3 from the general aquarium, 1/3 of fresh water), in the evening - chloramphenicol 500 mg/30–20 l (if the fish twitches strongly, reduce the dosage by replacing 1/3 fresh, settled water), or in the morning MelaFix 5 ml/40 l. Seventh day: in the evening, return to the general aquarium, anti-stress - and vitamin preparations, MelaFix 5 ml/40 l - for two days. If the disease has not progressed too far: the course of treatment can be shortened and reduced to 4 doses of metronidazole. In case of a serious illness: in a community aquarium, to consolidate the results of treatment, feed the fish with medicated food for another week; after 3–4 weeks, repeat a weekly course of feeding with medicated food. If the course of treatment has not achieved its goal (the symptoms of the disease have not disappeared): return the fish to the general aquarium for several days, allowing it to rest, and then carry out a second course of treatment.

Streptocide Streptocide white - used for fish diseases such as fin rot, ichthyophthyriasis, costiosis, lepidorthosis, odoniosis and peptic ulcer disease. Treatment is carried out in an aquarium at the optimal water temperature for sick fish. The filter may not be turned on. Add medicine to the water at the rate of 10–20 g per 100 liters of water. The initial dose is added every week. Treatment lasts 10–30 days. There is no need to change the water after treatment.

Iodine Iodine - 5% solution is used to prevent saprolegniosis in spawning grounds.

Biomycin A widely known antibiotic among aquarists. Biomycin is sometimes called chlortetracycline. Currently used exclusively in veterinary medicine. It is a yellow powder, bitter taste, highly soluble in water. Biomycin is low-toxic, so the water does not need to be replaced with fresh water after treatment. Its concentration in water, in addition to the actual treatment of infectious diseases, also helps in healing wounds on the outer skin of fish. This medicine is especially relevant for owners of cocky fish. (Fin rot, ichthyophthyriosis, costiosis, lepidorthosis, oodiniosis and peptic ulcer disease are also treated.) During treatment, the water temperature in the aquarium is left at the same level as before using the antibiotic. Water filters do not retain the drug, so there is no need to turn them off, as when using trypaflavin. The solution is prepared at the rate of 1.3–1.5 g per 100 liters. water. Every 7 days, another dose of medicine is added to the general aquarium. The entire treatment cycle lasts 14–30 days.

Bicillin-5 Low-toxic penicillin antibiotic. Does not have cumulative properties (does not accumulate in the body of animals). It is a white powder, poorly soluble in water. When added to water, it forms a suspension - small particles of the drug “float” suspended in the liquid. It decomposes quickly in bright light, so bicillin-5 should be used immediately after dilution and at night (or cover the aquarium with a cloth). It has a therapeutic effect especially effectively in the first 2–3 hours after dissolution. When preparing fish for treatment, prepare an aqueous mixture at the rate of 500,000 units of the drug per 100 liters. The amount of powder required for your aquarium is dissolved in a clean glass of water, which is heated to +28°C. The solution is immediately added to sick fish, preferably at night. If the treatment is carried out during the day, then the walls of the aquarium are shaded for the duration of the drug’s effect (2 hours). The water temperature should be in the range of 24–26°C. This temperature, comfortable for fish parasites, forces them to “get out” of the animals, where the drug can deal with them. You can treat fish with bicillin from 2 months of age. The course lasts 6 days, antibiotic is added daily. During treatment, the fish are fed only with live food, which is added later than 2 hours after adding bicillin. Effective against oodiniumosis, ichthyophthyrosis, costiosis, fin rot, saprolegniosis, peptic ulcer disease, trichodinosis, chylodonellosis, costiosis, gyrodactylosis, dactylogyrosis.

Levomycetin Levomycetin is a white, bitter-tasting tablet that is poorly soluble in water. The tablets are dissolved in water at the rate of 200 mg/l. When treating in a separate vessel, the fish are placed in the solution on the 5th day. When treating in a community aquarium, after 5 days you can begin a partial water change. They are used for lerneosis, aeromonosis, white skin, columnaria.

Magnesium sulfate Epsom salt is found to be an effective remedy against constipation in fish. Treatment is carried out by a long bath (lasting 1–3 days) in a hospital aquarium using the following dosage: 1 teaspoon (2.5 g) salt per 18 liters of water. The salt should be dissolved in a small volume of aquarium water and then added to the aquarium. A slight increase in temperature (within acceptable limits for fish) will help increase the metabolic rate. If this treatment is effective, the fish should produce excrement within 1-3 days.

Tripaflavin-Ultra Tripaflavin is a synthetic orange-red dye with antiseptic properties. Unlike trypaflavin, which is the most recommended remedy against the causative agents of trichodinosis and costiosis, the Tripaflavin-Ultra conditioner, containing not only trypaflavin, but also nitrofuran, has a wider spectrum of action, since it is destructive to all ectoparasites, parasitic fungi and bacteria - triple effect! Thus, using Tripaflavin-Ultra, you can not only cope with the causative agents of the main fish disease, but also prevent the development of frequently occurring secondary infections. Conditioner "Tripaflavin-Ultra" is intended for use in general and quarantine aquariums. The bottle contains an amount of the drug (50 ml) designed for use in a general aquarium with a water volume of 200 liters. For use in a quarantine aquarium, prepare a solution by diluting 5 ml of the drug in 10 liters of settled water. As a measuring container, you can use the cap of the bottle, which holds approximately 5 ml of solution. Using a conditioner in a general aquarium: Before using the drug and during the entire treatment process (it can last up to 2-3 weeks), it is recommended to increase the water temperature to 30-32 ° C, increase aeration and turn off the activated carbon filters. A certain amount of the drug, strictly calculated for the entire volume of water in the aquarium, is diluted with settled water in a glass vessel with a capacity of 200–300 ml. Then this solution is gradually poured into the aquarium in equal portions in three doses at intervals of 20–30 minutes, carefully stirring the water. It is unacceptable to pour the entire solution into the aquarium at once. If the fish show signs of asphyxia (oxygen starvation), it is necessary to increase the aeration of the water and lower its temperature to 28–30°C. After finishing the treatment, it is recommended to gradually replace the water in the aquarium (in 3-4 steps). Using conditioner in a quarantine aquarium: In a quarantine aquarium with a prepared conditioner solution (5 ml of the drug per 10 liters of water), the fish are briefly bathed for 15–20 minutes. This treatment should be carried out every 12 hours for 5-7 days, each time preparing a fresh conditioner solution. Conditioner solutions and water where fish are kept during and between baths are aerated. Their temperature should match the temperature of the water in the aquarium. Purpose: For the prevention and elimination of infections in home aquariums caused by protozoa: trichodinosis, costiosis, etc. Prevents the development of secondary bacterial infections.

Ichthyophor Ichthyophor conditioner is a combination of two effective components: malachite green and formalin, which are antiseptics and are often recommended for combating ectoparasitic infections in home aquariums. The Ichthyofor conditioner successfully combines the advantages of each of these substances. The mechanism of their destructive effect on parasites is different, and therefore the effectiveness of this complex drug is significantly increased. Conditioner "Ichthyophor" is designed to combat pathogens of such infections in the aquarium as ichthyophthyriosis (white spots), costiosis, oodiniumosis (corduroy or velvet disease), as well as marine ichthyosis. In addition, “Ichthyofor” will reliably protect your fish from bacterial infections that often accompany these diseases. The conditioner should be used with caution in aquariums containing scaleless and small fish. In such cases, it is necessary to choose another drug or reduce the dose by at least 2 times. Conditioner is recommended for use in a quarantine aquarium. Prepare a working solution in a quarantine aquarium at the rate of 5 ml of the drug per 20 liters of settled water. As a measuring container, you can use the cap of the bottle, which holds approximately 5 ml of solution. Bring the temperature of the solution to the temperature of the water in the general aquarium in which the fish were kept. Then transfer the fish to the quarantine aquarium. Gradually increase the temperature of the solution to 30–32°C and constantly maintain it at this level. Provide intensive aeration. Exposure time is 45–60 minutes. Treatment should be carried out every 12 hours for 3–4 days, each time preparing a fresh solution. In between processing, place the fish in another vessel with settled water at a temperature of 28–30°C. During the days while procedures are carried out in the quarantine aquarium, the general aquarium should be disinfected. To do this, it is necessary to transplant all the fish from the aquarium, increase the water temperature in the aquarium to 30–32°C and gradually replace 1/3 of its volume. In the case of oodiniumosis (corduroy disease), the treatment does not differ from that described above. However, taking into account the peculiarities of the biology of the causative agents of this disease, it is recommended to change the temperature regime: in the vessels where fish are processed and in the vessels where they are kept between treatments, as well as in the aquarium itself where the fish were originally located, the temperature should be maintained at 24 –26°C and provide bright lighting. Processing time is 7-8 days.

Formamed Conditioner "Formamed" is a universal remedy for the prevention and control of worms (Dactylogyrus, Gyrodactylus), protozoa and polyps in freshwater and marine aquariums, causing invasive diseases of aquarium fish, including such as: ichthyophthyriosis, oodiniumosis (velveteen or velvet disease) , costiosis, chylodonellosis, trichodinosis. Do not use in aquariums containing fish with open wounds and cuts. Toxic to aquarium invertebrates and plants. Conditioner "Formamed" is an effective combination of agents widely used in aquarium farming: formaldehyde, copper sulfate and nickel sulfate. Recommended for use in a general aquarium. Before starting treatment, perform a partial water change (1/4 volume). The bottle contains an amount of the drug (50 ml) designed for use in a general aquarium with a water volume of 200 liters, that is, 5 ml of the drug per 20 liters of water. To treat marine aquariums, the dose should be doubled, and if there are small fish in the aquarium, on the contrary, it should be halved. As a measuring container, you can use the cap of the bottle, which holds approximately 5 ml of solution. A certain amount of the drug, strictly calculated for the entire volume of water in the aquarium, is diluted with fresh, settled water in a glass vessel with a capacity of 200–250 ml. Then this solution is gradually poured into the aquarium in equal portions in three doses at intervals of 20–30 minutes, while carefully stirring the water. It is unacceptable to pour the entire solution into the aquarium at once. This procedure is repeated every other day for 5 days (three times in total). During this period, intensive aeration of the water should be ensured. If necessary, treatment can be repeated after three days. If you feed your fish with live food, we recommend using the drug “Formamed” as a prophylactic against possible infection and carry out a single treatment weekly. The same treatment is advisable when introducing new fish into the aquarium.

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How to treat pet aquarium fish with salt?

Treatment of fin rot is also possible using folk remedies. Many aquarists begin to treat their fish with salt, using the standard dosage - 7 g per 6 liters of water. Infected individuals are placed in this solution for 30 minutes (2 times a day).

It should be borne in mind that not all varieties of aquarium inhabitants tolerate salt water well, so for some individuals this method is unacceptable.

How to treat fin rot in a betta?

To cure an aquarium fish, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of a particular species. The scheme of further treatment depends on this. For example, consider a cockerel.

When the first symptoms appear in this fish, there is no need to immediately use medications. To begin with, you can disinfect plants, soil and decor. It is necessary to replace a third of all water, raise the temperature to the maximum permissible values (for this individual). Such conditions must be maintained for several days.

If this does not help, then you can use specialized tools. As a rule, they can be treated in a community aquarium, diluting the product in the dosage indicated on the package.

Antibiotics

Antibiotics are a type of bactericidal agent, although they are usually classified as a separate group. Some antibiotics intended for use in humans are also used in veterinary medicine, including for the treatment of bacterial diseases in fish. In most cases, antibiotics used to treat fish are effective against gram-negative bacteria. It is to this group that most of the bacteria that infect fish belong.

In some countries, antibiotics intended for use in aquariums can only be purchased through veterinarians. In other countries, a full range of such drugs can be freely purchased in pet stores. Even if antibiotics are commercially available, it would be prudent to seek advice from your veterinarian regarding their selection and use. The injudicious and excessive use of these drugs has led to the emergence of more and more strains of bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics. Among them there are bacteria that are pathogenic for fish. In addition, fish that are regularly exposed to antibiotics have a weakened immune response to pathogenic bacteria. The excessive susceptibility of some commercially farmed fish to bacterial infections has been attributed to the prophylactic use of antibiotics in some commercial fish farms. Many bacterial infections affecting aquarium fish can be successfully treated with other medications, and antibiotics can be kept in reserve for those situations when they are truly needed.

Fish of different species tolerate certain antibiotics differently. Therefore, avoid excessive doses of these medications and monitor your fish during treatment for signs of a negative reaction.

Listed below are some antibiotics used to treat fish.

Prevention methods

There are a number of ways to prevent the occurrence of fin rot. The main one is keeping the aquarium clean. It is necessary to change the water periodically - once a month (for large ones), or once every 3 days (for small ones). It is necessary to wash the soil and all the decor inside the tank.

Another important point is overpopulation of the aquarium. It is important to prevent this from happening and also to ensure that there are no conflicts in the aquarium. For example, catfish and angelfish are quite aggressive towards more friendly inhabitants.