How to find sickness?

[amirnezhad]

Hi everybody,

There is so many posts about sickness and medical cares in this forum but I could not find any post about how to find out that my fishes are sick or not.
I mean if color of my fishes change to darker or they stand on their head or ... these are means that my fishes are sick and I have to start using drugs (like epsom salt or antibiotics or ...)?

I wanna find out what is the basic marks of sickness in discus?

and there are another questions too:
1) when I have to start using drugs?
2) when I have to change my sick fishes?
3) what I have to do with other fishes in tank that look fine?

Thanks :)

[Carol_Roberts]

Hi Ali:

If you start with healthy fish, change their water regularly, feed them a varied diet and don't add anything to the tank (without a 6 week quarantine) you may never see a sick fish.

Common signs of stress or illness include hanging out in the back of the tank, hiding in corners, dark in color, not eating, dull eyes, white stringy feces.

Constipation (bloated, swimming funny) is easily treated with epsom salt and it won't hurt the other fish.

Other illnesses are treated on a case by case basis.

Personally, I don't treat for anything but constipation, hex or worms. Either you get healthy real quick and continue to grow and thrive or it's off to the rose bushes.

[amirnezhad]

Thank carol,

I think you mean any time I see any kind of sickness marks I have to start medical cares for my sick fishes, but please tell me more about sick fishes, do I have to put them in a diffrent tank? and what I have to do for other fishes that look fine yet?

Thanks again :)

[Carol_Roberts]

You treat all the fish in the main tank for worms, flukes, external parasites and constipation.

You move sick fish to a hospital tank for hexamita (intestinal flagellates ) because you have to raise the temperature and it's easier in a smaller hospital tank - treat with metronidazole.

Fish with wounds or burns from the heater may need to be isolated in a hospital tank.