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By pet-admin, December 7, 2007 3:47 pm

If a fish or coral in your saltwater aquarium contracts a disease, it is essential that you are able to identify this right away and quarantine any infected livestock, or you will quickly have an epidemic on your hands which will be distressing. Of course, not all diseases will be fatal to your livestock, and most are treatable. But, to prevent all of your livestock from perishing, you must act quickly. Here are some tips to help.

One of the more common conditions among fish when you first create your aquarium is called delayed mortality syndrome, or DMS. DMS occurs to a fish when new environmental conditions are thrust upon it like changes in temperature, oxygen level, or chemicals in different water then what they were transferred from, so all of your fish will be susceptible when first introduced into your tank. This condition is not the problem in and of itself, as it is not contagious and only serves to weaken the immune system of the fish.

It is important that when a fish seems to exhibit symptoms of a disease that your first step is to check all of your water factors such as ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, alkalinity, and anything else that, if at the wrong level, might harm the fish rather than provide a safe environment. If you have any doubt at all, change the water. If the problem was your levels instead of an actual disease, then you will see a change in your livestock�fs behavior shortly after the water change.
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By pet-admin, November 1, 2007 2:17 pm

Question about Dropsy:
I posted about a female Siamese fighting fish (Betta) that appeared to have dropsy a few weeks ago. I treated her twice with Maracyn. After the swelling didn’t start to go down, but she is still as swollen as she was then, but has not got to the point were her scales have started to protrude? Do you know what else that it could be. She seems buoyant and the swollen cavity appears to be filled by either air, of a clear liquid, when she swims in front of the lights?

Answer:
Have you tried Kanacyn? Maracyn (Erythromycin) is usually not effective for most causes of Dropsy. And dropsy is generally a symptom of something else, sometimes digestive, often kidney related. Because of this, Dropsy can often be very difficult to treat, especially if caught in an advanced case in the fish. What the aquarist often observes is a “pinecone” swelling generally caused by fluid building inside the body cavity, for this reason, reducing this swelling is an important step in effecting a cure. This said, besides treatment for a possible underlying infection, you want to take steps to remove the swelling.
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By pet-admin, October 31, 2007 1:22 pm

Trematodes and Nematodes in Fish (Flukes and Internal Round Worms); basics, Identification, and treatment in aquarium and pond fish.

TREMATODES:

The trematodes belong to the Animal Kingdom Phylum Platyhelminthes, the flatworms and are commonly referred to as flukes. Trematodes usually have flattened bodies, a primitive digestive system, suckers for attachment to their hosts, and are hermaphrodites (an organism that possesses both male and female sex organs). The Monogenea are the class ectoparasites that infect fish.

Internal Trematodes:

Internal Flukes generally use intermediate hosts such as snails or other mollusks. The eggs must get into water in order to hatch and be able to infect their first host, a freshwater snail. The fluke develops in the snail and then burrows out to seek the second host which is a freshwater fish. Many species of snail and fish may carry these internal flukes.

Gill Flukes:

Gill flukes (Dactylogyrus) will appear on the gill filaments as tiny dark spots 0.04-0.08in (1-2mm) long. Gill flukes can infect freshwater and saltwater fish and are found on fish from the wild as well as farmed fish. These parasites attach to the gills of the fish and feed on mucus, epithelial cells (cells that line the inside of gills and perform the tasks of secretion, absorption, protection, and transcellular transport), and blood from the host, much of this material being produced by the fish in response to the physical injury caused by the parasites. Damage is physical and inflammatory, with secondary bacterial infections such as septicemia. Small or weak fish may die from the stress of acute infestations.

Common carriers of gill flukes include: Plecostomus, Otocinclus, Corydoras, Koi, Discus, Characins, livebearers (Poeciliidae), some tetras (Characins) and Barbs (Cyprinidae), and Elephant Nose (Gnathonemus petersi).

NEMATODES:

Also known as Roundworms are a very common phyla of animals of which there are many parasitic forms. Nematodes are one of the simplest animal groups to have a complete digestive system, with a separate orifice for food intake and waste excretion unlike the Trematodes mentioned above. Reproduction is usually sexual and males are usually smaller than females. Parasitic Nematodes can have quite complicated life cycles, moving between several different hosts or even locations in the host’s body.
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By pet-admin, October 3, 2007 4:13 pm

Even if your rabbit has perfectly aligned incisors (front teeth), it is wise for you to allow your rabbit-experienced veterinarian to do regular dental checkups as part of your bunny’s wellness exam. Undetected dental problems in rabbits are a major cause of more serious illnesses which develop due to the pain and stress of sore teeth and jaw.

Rabbits are hypsodonts, meaning that their teeth grow continually, throughout life. In a normal rabbit, the teeth are aligned so that the wear against each other as the rabbit chews. This maintains even, relatively flat surfaces (with some sharp edges on top) on the molars and relatively short, chisel-shaped incisors. The incisors are used only for cutting the food into manageable pieces that can then be prehended by the lips and tongue. It is the molars that do the grinding of food into the fine bits that are then swallowed and sent on for further processing in the GI tract.

Continue reading 'Dental Problems in Rabbits: Common, Yet Rarely Diagnosed!'»

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By pet-admin, October 3, 2007 3:52 pm

A qestion about  Deaf bunny/Rabbit

Question
I’ve owned my dwarf rabbit for almost a year now. She was given to me by a previous owner who had her for about 2-3 years. She is a very timid, nervous rabbit, even with previous owner. She is frightened easily, and never comes when called. I am trying a few different tests, however, I am beginning to suspect she is deaf. What is the best way too tell and how do you care for a deaf rabbit? Thank you in advance for your help.
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By pet-admin, September 30, 2007 2:17 pm

Question :

My little neighbour found a hurt robin in her backyard one day ago and is trying to nurse him/her back to health. Her dog got the baby. The live one drinks water but has not eaten since yesterday. She sits quietly, not moving. My little friend is doing all she can. Any tips?

Continue reading 'Any ideas on how to help injured bird?'»

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By pet-admin, May 4, 2007 1:56 pm

Betta Fish are carnivorous. In the wild, they live off of insects and their larvae. Their mouth is designed to snatch prey on the surface of the water, and their digestive tract is too short to metabolize most plants. This means they are best suited for live food, but they can adapt to flakes and frozen or freeze dried foods.

If flake food is used, it should be supplemented by frozen, freeze dried or live food. Brine shrimp, Daphnia, plankton, tubifex, glassworms, and beef heart are all good choices to feed Bettas, and are commonly available frozen or freeze dried. Note that Bettas can take up to a week to recognize a new food type, so you should keep the staple food constant and supplement with treats and other types of food occasionally. Most appear to prefer a mix of brine shrimp and bloodworms for their Bettas.
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By pet-admin, March 29, 2007 3:21 pm

So, you are a proud koi pond owner with a dozen beautiful koi fish. Everything is fine until that moment when your koi fish getting sick for the first time. What you should do?

Prevention is the most important thing, because prevention is much more easier than cure your koi fish.

Continue reading 'Suggestions for a Koi First Aid Kit'»