Keeping Tropical Fish Healthy
Sure, you may know the maintenance required to keep your tropical fish healthy and happy. You may be changing your filters regularly, cleaning all pumps and replacing water throughout the month. However, there are a few signs which can tell you if you’re doing a good job at keeping tropical fish healthy or not.
1. The fish’s eyes: One way to tell if your fish is healthy is by looking at its eyes. Healthy fish have bright and clear eyes, unless they characteristically have strange or odd-shaped eyes.
2. The movement patterns: A healthy fish should be able to swim around easily in the tank, among the other fish. A fish that is swimming upside down or sideways is likely dying. In addition, a fish who is swimming at the top of the tank all of the time or at the bottom (and is not a bottom feeder) may be sick.
3. The dorsal fin: The dorsal fin can tell you a lot about the health of a fish. It should never be folded down, because a folded down dorsal fin is a sign of a very ill fish. If the fin is split, has white spots or has fungus on it, the fish is likely ill as well.
4. The fish’s scales: Scales on a healthy fish are shiny and without white spots or mucus.
5. The tank: A tank full of healthy fish should be clean and clear. Dirty water usually means the fish aren’t being cared for properly, thus they are likely to be unhealthy.
If your fish becomes unhealthy or ill, it’s vital you remove them from the tank immediately. You can create a small tank for them to “get well” in. If you leave them in the tank with other fish, your other fish can become ill as well.
