Aquarium is a great addition to the interior and the opportunity to get unpretentious pets that do not require special skills and attention. However, quite often beginners in this matter are faced with the problem of the death of underwater inhabitants. Why do fish die in an aquarium? The answer to this question will give our article.
The most common mistake of beginners is the opinion that the aquarium and the fish living in it do not need additional care. This is far from the case, because these silent pets need not only periodic feeding, they need light and additional oxygen, and so on.
Why fish die in an aquarium: reasons
- Nitrogen poisoning.
- Incorrect check-in.
- The disease.
- Low / high temperature.
- Incorrect or lack of light in the aquarium.
- Inadequate water quality.
- Lack of oxygen.
- Aggression from neighbors.
- Old age.
Nitrogen poisoning
Nitrogen compounds appear in water as a result of the decay of the waste products of its inhabitants, with poor cleaning. Particularly toxic are nitrites and nitrates. An increase in their number is accompanied by the appearance of rot odors, the aquarium becomes cloudy. Bacteria that process waste products into the nitrogen compounds described above settle in filter media and soil. The solution to the problem lies in the correct purification of water, the constant use and washing of filters, reducing the amount of feed (its residues can also decompose and poison the aquarium).
Incorrect check-in
How many fish can I keep in the aquarium? The number of inhabitants depends not only on their length and physique, but also on their behavior. In small aquariums (20-30 liters) it is better to keep small thin fish, following the rule: one liter of liquid per centimeter of the length of the animal.
For flocking, aggressive and large pets, capacities of one hundred and more liters are suitable. Overpopulation threatens with a lack of oxygen and, as a result, the death of animals. An important factor for the full life of fish is the light in the aquarium.
Proper lighting
Why do fish die? In the aquarium, you can not neglect the backlight. Most fish species need lighting for 10-12 hours a day, and when there is a shortage of fish, they simply become ill and die.
Therefore, the aquarium (for beginners, these tips are especially important) must be equipped with special lighting devices.
Diseases
If the fish die in the aquarium, what happened, you need to find out as soon as possible. A fairly common reason for the mass pestilence of pets is their disease, which is divided into infectious and non-infectious.
The cause of the first group of ailments can be infections (fungi, viruses or bacteria) and infestations (various parasites). For the treatment of such diseases, urgent use of drug therapy will be required:
- White-skinned. Called by Pseudomonas Dermoalba. This microorganism enters the aquarium with new algae, inhabitants or soil. The disease manifests itself in the form of white plaque on the back and tail of the fish. Infected individuals swim on the surface. The bacterium causes damage to the nervous system and, as a consequence, impaired coordination. Treatment consists in the complete disinfection of the aquarium (including soil, plants and equipment) and the use of chloramphenicol baths for the inhabitants.
- Branchiomycosis The reason for its occurrence is Branchiomyces demigrans (fungus), which leads to the formation of numerous blood clots in the vessels. The disease is extremely contagious, and within two to three days all animals in the aquarium can die. It is very important to determine the diagnosis at the first signs of the onset of the disease and proceed with treatment, which can drag on for ten to twelve months. Symptoms: the appearance of brown-red lines on the gills, loss of appetite, pressing the fins to the body. With the development of the disease, pink, white, gray stripes appear, and the gills acquire a marble color. Sick fish hide in secluded places. Therapy of branchiomycosis is reduced to the transplantation of sick individuals into a separate container and the use of solutions of copper sulfate and "Rivanol". The aquarium and equipment are disinfected, and the water is completely changed.
- Hexamitosis. Caused by infusoria hexamite. The disease is very contagious and especially dangerous for cichlids. Treatment takes one and a half to two weeks. Symptoms: on the body of the fish, mucous erosive ulcers appear, the anus is inflamed, and the stool acquires a mucous white filiform character. Antibiotics are used to treat hexamitosis (Metronidazole, Griseofulvin, Erythromycin). Before use, the above products must be dissolved in water. In the resulting solution, the feed is also soaked.
- Gyrodactyles. The source of this disease is the fluke parasite Gyrodactylus, which affects the fins, gills and skin of fish. Affected individuals are on the surface of the water, press the fins to the body and rub against stones and other surfaces, lose their appetite. Brownish-gray spots appear in the gills and other parts of the body, which are signs of tissue destruction. For the treatment of gyrodactylysis, Bicillin and Azipirin are added to the water. Infected fish are transplanted into separate containers, adding salt, copper sulfate, formalin or malachite green to them. The temperature of the water must be increased.
- Glukeosis The cause of the disease is Microsporidia, which damages the eyes, internal organs, and gills. In this case, infected fish swim on their sides, and their body is covered with bloody spots. If the organs of vision are affected, there is eyebrows. This disease, unfortunately, is incurable. Infected individuals and plants are exterminated, and soil and equipment are disinfected.
- Fin rot. Called by the Pseudomonas wand. Most often affects fish with elongated veiled tails that have undergone hypothermia. At the edges, the fins become cloudy and turn a bluish tint. In the process of disease progression, the fins rot, up to the tail falling off in young individuals. Then the skin, muscles and blood vessels are affected, resulting in death. For treatment use baths with malachite greens, antipairs or "Bicillin."
- Dactylogyrosis. The cause of the disease is the fluke-parasite Dactylogyrus, which affects the gills of fish. Patients lose their appetite, and the gills change color (becoming variegated or whitish). Infected fish stay on the surface, rub against stones and breathe actively. The fins in the gills are glued, covered with mucus and sometimes eroded. Treatment of dactylogyrosis boils down to increasing the temperature of the water in the aquarium and adding formalin, sodium chloride or "Bicillin" solutions to it.
- Dermatomycosis. It is caused by mold, which affects the internal organs, skin and gills. Often appears a second time, as a complication of other diseases. In infected fish, thin white threads appear on the gills and skin, then internal organs are affected, and death occurs. Therapy begins with the cure of the primary ailment, and then the immune system is increased and baths with potassium permanganate, "Bicillin" and sodium chloride are used.
Water quality
The main parameters of the liquid in the aquarium are: hardness, content of harmful impurities (chlorine and others), purity and level of acidity.
Tap water can be used only after it settles for one to two days. Otherwise, chlorine poisoning may occur in pets.
Too soft water provokes the occurrence of alkalosis, and a decrease in acidity - acidosis.
Temperature mode
Why do fish die in an aquarium? Perhaps the reason lies in the improperly selected temperature regime. The most suitable is water 22-26 degrees. However, some inhabitants, for example, labyrinth fish and discus, are 28-30 degrees, and gold - 18-23 degrees.
Too cold water can cause colds of animals, and too warm can cause oxygen starvation (since the higher the temperature, the lower the oxygen content in the water).
Life span
If the fish die in the aquarium, what happened, you need to find out very quickly. Perhaps the cause of their death is old age. After all, fish, like other living creatures, are given a certain period of time:
- Carp-shaped. This group includes guppies, swordsmen, pecilia and molynezia. Representatives of this species live for only three and a half years.
- Labyrinths: cockerels, lyapius, gourami - four to five years.
- Characins: tetras, neons, piranhas, minors - about seven years.
- Carp: barbs, telescopes, zebrafish, cardinal - from four to fifteen years.
- Cyclic: parrots, discus, severum, apistogram, cichloma - from four to fourteen years. Angelfish in the aquarium, which also belong to this group, live on average ten years.
- Catfish : cockroaches, glass and speckled catfish - from eight to ten years.
Determining an aging individual is quite simple: it swims poorly, becomes lethargic, fins thinning. Dead fish are immediately removed.
Lack of oxygen
The content of this necessary component in water depends on temperature, number of inhabitants, aeration and the presence of pathological films on the surface.
A lack of oxygen can lead to asphyxiation (suffocation) of fish. In this case, their gills open wide, and respiratory movements become more frequent and intense. The animal floats on the surface, eagerly swallowing air. After some time, the fish dies with its mouth open and its gills wide open. If such symptoms are found, it will be necessary to find out and eliminate the cause of asphyxia: to seat the inhabitants, lower the temperature of the water, remove the film, clean the aquarium and change the water, purchase special equipment to enrich the water with oxygen.
With an excess of oxygen, a gas embolism may occur.
conclusions
If fish die in an aquarium, what should I do?
- Remove the dead individual.
- Observe the rest of the pets (for changes in behavior, color, and so on).
- Check the equipment (the aquarium for beginners should have: oxygen supply, filter, thermometer and so on).
- Check the condition of the water (determine temperature, acidity, hardness).
- In the presence of contamination - change the water, clean the soil and equipment if necessary.
- Adjust the light in the aquarium.
- Plant sick or transplant fish during overpopulation.