What Are the Treatments for Fish Fungus?

Fish fungus usually occurs in a tank when fish have become injured or stressed because of poor environmental conditions, according to FishChannel.com. Fish fungus usually looks like white, fluffy threads that resemble cotton and often appear on a fish’s mouth. Fungus will not harm healthy fish, as the mucous layer on their skin will prevent the organism from growing on them. If a fish is unhealthy, however, the fungus will quickly develop. Fortunately, there are a few ways to get rid of fungus on your fish.

  1. Tea Tree Oil

    • According to the FishChannel.com, tea tree oil can be used to treat moderate fungal infections. It is beneficial to use this treatment as it is less toxic than most chemicals used to treat fungus, but it does not work well for severe infections. This product also prevents the fungus from forming. Tea tree oil can be bought at aquarium stores. Follow the directions on the bottle for instructions on how to use the oil in your tank.

    Phenoxethol

    • AnimalWorld.com suggests using a solution of phenoxethol at 1 percent in distilled water to treat fish fungus. Add 10 mL of the product per one liter of aquarium water. You can repeat this treatment if needed after a few days, but only once more as three treatments can be dangerous for the fish.

    Organic Dyes

    • Organic dyes, such as malachite green, often are effective in removing fungus from the fish, but they should not be used in tanks that contain shrimp, snails, mormyrids, stingrays and other sensitive species. If you want to use malachite green but have delicate species in the tank that cannot tolerate this type of treatment, move the fungus-affected fish into another tank to treat them. Organic dyes are available for purchase at most aquarium stores. Follow the instructions on the bottle for use.

    Salt

    • Salt can remove fish fungus, but is more effective at preventing its presence. Putting salt in your tank will raise the salinity of the water, which will help to keep fungal infections at bay. Buy the salt at an aquarium store and follow the directions on its packaging for use. Each species of fish has its own requirements for environmental salinity, so know how much salt your fish can tolerate before applying it to the tank.