Some people buy their kids Goldfish because they think they will be the easiest of pets to take care of. Nothing could be further from the truth. Goldfish are fairly self supporting fish but there are a lot of common illnesses that they are stricken with. It is not at all rare to come home and find a Goldfish floating belly up in the fish tank only to have to break the sad news to the kids that Sam the fish is dead. However, if you know ahead of time some of the most common causes of problems in Goldfish then you may be able to look out for signs and symptoms of sickness. The following disorders are the most common among Goldfish.
Step One
White Spot Disease (Ich) – Very common in aquariums, white spot disease usually affects new goldfish that are stressed out after a long car ride (or shipment) home.
Step Two
Floating Problems (Swim Bladder Disease) – Fancy goldfish are commonly observed with buoyancy problems, and sometimes these floating problems will be incorrectly termed as swim bladder disease. Often, floating issues aren’t caused by a swim bladder problem at all and instead a result of other common goldfish diseases.
Step Three
Fin Rot (Tail Rot) – Goldfish under a lot of stress might develop fin rot, a bacterial infection also known as tail rot. Fin rot is usually a secondary infection that may infect your fish if they’re already stressed from another goldfish disease or injury.
Step Four
Fungal Infection – Your goldfish may develop fungal infections if water quality is poor. Fungal diseases can also affect goldfish that are already sick from other common goldfish diseases.
Step Five
Gold Dust Disease (Velvet) – Very similar to white spot disease, gold dust disease or velvet resembles small grains of dust and starts on the backs of goldfish. These small parasites are smaller than ich and can be difficult to detect.
Step Six
Anchor Worm (Lernaea) – Despite its name, anchor worm is not caused by a worm at all. One of the most common goldfish diseases in freshwater ponds, anchor worm is caused by Lernaea copepod crustaceans.
Step Seven
Fish Lice (Argulus) – Fish lice, also known as fish louse, are from the Argulus species of parasite crustaceans. They’re very common in goldfish ponds. They’re uncommon in freshwater aquariums though, unless new fish are brought in from an outside source.
Step Eight
Hole-in-the-head Disease – Small holes appear in the fish’s body, usually in the head region. These may gradually develop into tubular eruptions with cream-colored or yellow strings of mucus trailing from them. Fish are lethargic, stop eating and may develop a hollow-bellied appearance. Faeces may become pale and stringy. Lesions may also develop at base of fins and along lateral line, and fins and skin may also erode, body may become milky in appearance and slime coat begins to come off in strands.