Friday, October 21, 2011

Avoiding Discus Disease

By Adam White


Everyone knows discus get sick, but do you know how to spot the warning signs or the right way to care for your treasured discus? it is not like you are able to just take them to a hospital and even a veterinarian, so it is good to keep yourself well-informed relating to the symptoms and treatment of discus diseases.

Much like with people, pathogens are the primary reason for discus becoming ill. But unlike humans discus fish dwell in water, if the water is not cared for effectively or fish tanks are not cleaned regularly it could turn into an ideal breeding ground for pathogenic agents. These pathogens may then end up getting within the scales of the discus fish causing them to get sick.

Exploring the various discus forums I uncovered that Discus diseases are a quite common and quite often debated subject. The issue appears to be that a lot of discus owners don't know what is causing their discus to be diseases or ways to stop this from occurring. By utilizing certain key things you can reduce the chance of your fish contracting discus diseases:

* Be sure they're well-fed with correct nutrients but be careful not to over feed them. Primarily insure they are getting enough protein.

* Regular cleaning of the tank is definitely important, at least once a week.

* Insure their aquarium isn't too small or congested

* Frequently check out the water quality, and make certain of the proper ph level (between 5.5 to 7.5 is good) and the temperature, needs to be between 82 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit (27-30C)

* Stop your discus fish from being too stressed - this may take place when other fish get aggressive for that reason be careful in selecting tanks mates. Humans are also a factor in stressing out fish if they act too aggressively, for example continually tapping on the tank glass.

You will need to have an understanding of discus diseases , their signs and treatments, however I want to warn you to be sure you are using the right medication in the appropriate dose. Likewise NEVER mix medications without being instructed as overdosing or mistakenly treating illnesses could do far more harm than good. For anyone who is in any doubt at all talk to an authority as soon as possible, tropical fish forums can also be a good place to get hints and tips. Definitely you should be sure the person giving you guidance is qualified to do so.

Also like with human beings remedies can take time, you should not expect a cure over night. When you are giving a course of antibiotics to your discus, make sure you give it the complete course. Cutting the treatment short runs the risk of developing an antibiotic tolerant version of the disease.

Prevention is always better than a cure, once you make sure the appropriate steps are taken in taking care of your discus fish a lot of the diseases are usually preventable.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment