How do I know if an aquarium fish is healthy?
Tracking the health status of your aquariumfish - an obligatory part of the general care for fish, because if at least one fish gets sick, it can lead to infection of the entire aquarium. But how to distinguish: healthy fish or sick? let's consider external signs of the absence of disease in fish.
Of course, different types of aquarium fish can be very different from each other. However, there are some common external signs of a healthy state of fish of any kind.
Body shape aquarium fish should be within normal limitsfor its form, i.e. be undeformed. The body of the fish should not be swollen, too thin or too thick for its kind. On the body of a fish there should not be one-sided cones, outgrowths, bulges. Only at the female at the time of spawning the stomach can be swollen, because it is filled with caviar or fry.
Coloring fish should also be characteristic of its species. Uncharacteristic discoloration, especially in combination with unusual behavior, can signal a strong stress experienced by a fish, or a disease.
Eyes aquarium fish should be the same, not"Bulging" (within the norm for a fish species), not cloudy. In addition, the eyes of a healthy fish react to changes in lighting or other external stimuli.
Fins a healthy fish should be unbroken, not split, their edges should not be frayed. On the fins there should also be no unusual signs, unusual coloring.
Gills healthy aquarium fish bright red, visibleonly when the fish "breathe", and in the rest of the time are covered with gill covers. If the gills are swollen and prevent the lids from closing properly, then this indicates a disease of the fish.
Head healthy fish, as a rule, symmetrical on the sides. Mouth should also be symmetrical, if onlyasymmetrical mouth is not typical for the species of fish. The fish's mouth is usually slightly opened and closed in time with the movements of the gill covers. On the lips of the fish there should be no external signs of infection, and if the fish has antennae - then they too. In addition, the antennae of one pair should be the same.
Scales on the body of healthy aquarium fish should not crumple, but should lie flat. On the fish there should not be uncharacteristic for the species areas with missing scales. Scales should not be damaged.
On skin there should be no wounds, unusual spots, largespots of irregular shape or cones. Mucous coating should be uniform and, as a rule, invisible. On the skin, in no case should there be parasites. Visually, you can see only those parasites that are large enough, but even such a check can be very useful.
Dimensions of fish in the aquarium is usually slightly less than innatural conditions and this should not frighten the aquarist. However, if the individual is smaller than the rest of the fish of its species in the aquarium and the age of the individuals is the same, the small size of this fish can talk about the disease.
