Illnesses
The worst nightmare of any aquarist is sickness!
In general, a good "prevention" is the most effective medicine against most of the diseases of our fish.
An aquarium with a clean filter and bottom will minimise the risk of bacterial or parasitic infections.
A perfect balance between fish, water volume and amount of plants is another point against diseases.
Purchase only fishes already "checked" by your local store.
These are the first recommendations, but here are some technical tips:
1) Avoid water changes exceeding 30% of your net volume.
Overtaking this percentage causes a lowering of the temperature above three degrees Celsius in too short time, activating parasites such as Ictioftiriasi, enemy number one of ornamental fish.
2) Put the new fish/fishes in the aquarium very slowly, do like this:
Put the bag containing the new fish still closed as you have purchased it inside the aquarium, the air contained in the bag will keep the bag afloat. It is a kind of "Maria bath" that will bring the water temperature of the bag back to optimal values, since in the transport from the shop to home will certainly come down. Leave it for about twenty minutes.
After twenty minutes open the bag and hold it with a clothespin on the edge of the aquarium. Then, with a coffee cup or a small plastic cup. start to pour into the bag water taken from the aquarium (in the dose of small cup) until the bag is almost completely filled, then pour all the contents of the bag into the aquarium, finally leaving the fishes free.
As soon as the fishes are free, I advise you to switch off the lights of the aquarium for about twenty minutes, to avoid frightening or unhealthy stress on the fishes.
If you carefully follow these little instructions, you will have already left behind the first problems of diseases.
3) Remember that a PH different from what the fish requires is harmful.
If the PH is wrong, you will immediately notice Mycosis and bacterial infections, therefore, try to buy fishes that do not require a PH very different from that of your aquarium. PH changes of 0.5 ° can already be a cause of disease. This is true for those who have a community aquarium, for example breeding different types of fish. For those who breed a single species, the PH must be keep at the value required by that species.
4) In a community aquarium avoid the inclusion of incompatible species in character and territory. The abuse of a more aggressive fish against one more "good-natured" will almost certainly lead to a stress factor, consequence, parasites.
