How To Care for a Sick Aquarium Fish

Listless swimming, loss of appetite and and raised scales are just some of the symptoms that indicate a sick fish. Just like a sick dog or cat, a sick fish may need special care before it fully recovers. By taking action early and decisively, you will have a much better chance of restoring your fish's health.

Things You'll Need

  • Test strips
  • Small tank
  • Fish tank filter
  • Air stone
  • Fish net
  • Digital camera
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Instructions

    • 1

      Examine all the fish in the aquarium. If one fish shows signs of illness, there is a chance that other fish will be as well. It is best to find all the fish that might be ill and treat them at the same time.

    • 2

      Set up a quarantine tank with a fish tank filter, a heater, an air stone and a new fish net. Avoid fish tank filters that have carbon in the filter floss because this will remove any medication that you put into the filter.

    • 3

      Take water from your main tank and fill the quarantine tank. This will help cushion the shock as you transport your sick fish from one tank to the other. You can replace the water in the main tank with distilled water that has been conditioned to match your tank conditions later.

    • 4

      Activate the tank by turning on the filter.

    • 5

      Scoop your ill fish up with the fish net and place it immediately into the quarantine tank.

    • 6

      Take several pictures of your fish with a digital camera.

    • 7

      Bring these pictures to your nearest aquarium store. While veterinarians that specialize in fish are hard to find, the aquarium store will have people who understand fish diseases.

    • 8

      Describe your fish's symptoms, how long it has been going on, and any other symptoms your fish might be evidencing. Irregular eating habits or issues with stool might be other things you notice. The store personnel will likely be able to recommend a medication that will help you take care of the problem.

    • 9

      Administer the medication to the sick fish. In most cases, it will be poured into the tank using a formula that matches the amount of medication to the amount of water in the tank, or it will be fed to your fish in the form of flakes.

    • 10

      Keep the fish isolated until it shows signs of improvement.

    • 11

      Return the fish to the main tank once it looks healthy again.