Fish Health: The Common Signs of Ill Health

Swollen Abdomen, Bulging Eyes, Flashing Behavior, Gasping or Pipping, Irregular Fuzzy Spots, Cotton web on skin and Frail Movements are the common exhibitions and features that characterize infections on fish. These signs must not be ignored; they indicate high chances of your fish being either infected or affected by a disease.

Disease free fish represents quality produce, high reproduction and can guarantee economic viability to recollect both the returns and the maximum yields in terms of size and quantities.  Therefore, it is essential to invest in prevention rather than mitigation, diseases tend to be acute and chronic by nature thus preventing the fish from growing at an economically viable rate. Thus, fish health is by principle an epitome of the Environment, the Pathogen and the Host itself.

Swollen Abdomen and Bulging Eyes

The fish with a swollen abdomen may indicate the presence of fluids caused by bacteria that has made its way to the kidneys. Kidney failure results in fluids meant to be disposed to accumulate in the tissues of the kidney and of the abdominal cavity. Kidney cells maintain the osmotic balance of the body by pumping out excess water, and help the body get rid of metabolic byproducts. The pathogens that become lodged in the kidney can kill these cells. The death of kidney cells leads to fluid retention and a build up of toxins in the fish. The kidney itself may become swollen, and fluid may accumulate in the abdominal cavity and behind the eyes. A systemic bacterial or viral infection can be indicated by a sick but fat fish full of fluids and Bulging eyes.

Flashing Behavior

Flashing is a behavior where fish will quickly turn sideways to rub along the bottom of the pond or the walls. This behavior causes the silvery side of the fish to reflect sunlight, and can indicate the presence of a skin parasite. The parasite causes the skin to itch and the flashing behavior is due to the fish trying to scratching itself.

Gasping or Pipping

Gasping or Piping at the surface in the morning is usually a sign of low dissolved oxygen from the night before, but piping later in the day can indicate an infection of the gills, preventing the absorption of oxygen. Oxygen transport across the gills can also be affected if there is too much manure in the pond. This will be indicated by chocolate brown gills. Gills are susceptible by the same pathogens that attack the skin or can be attacked by gill specific pathogens.

Irregular Fuzzy Spots

External bacteria can cause irregular unclear spots on the body of the fish. fish infected with bacteria may have have morrhagic spots or ulcers along the body skin walls, on the eyes and around the mouth. This can often cause erosion of the skin, lesions and in severe condition sulceration may occur.

Cotton web on skin

Fungi infections are opportunistic by nature. Usually fish that is healthy may not be infected by fungi, infections usually occur on stressed fish and may be indicated by a whitish cotton like formations on the fish which usually colonise on the injured parts of the fish. Therefore, allowing your environment unfavorable will cause your fish more prone to opportunistic infections.

Frail Movements

This type of movement indicates the presence of none infectious disease caused by unfavorable conditions in the environment or pathogenic attack on the host fish. none infectious diseases area result of nutritional deficiencies, fish lacking a balanced diet or simply deprived of oxygen, low PH, high turbidity in water or heavy contamination from the agents of pollution.  

“Prevention is better than cure”

The fish famer has to ensures that water conditions are suitable and healthy for fish to shrive.

The environment is the totality of the surrounding conditions, influences or forces, by which living forms are modified in their growth and development. Fish depends on what the environment provides. There exists compelled relationship between fish and food, oxygen, temperature, salt content, acidity, alkalinity and turbidity. A fish farmer is the artificial creator of this environment, he creates the fish ponds, tanks and aquariums.  However, in cage culture system the fish farmer enhances the conditions of the natural water system by providing intensified nutrition, care and security of fish stock.

The created or given environment is the primary center that aids growth of Fish, Viruses, Bacteria, Fungi and Parasites. It is almost impossible to get rid of all the named life forms in water. However, the set up conditions will make the fish susceptible or defensive against all forms of opportunistic diseases.

Poor nutrition and lack of essential elements in the environment will cause stress in fish. stressed fish normally succumbs easily to parasitic attack, injury and consequent introduction of pathogenic organisms. The pathogens will then build up lesions and ulcerations that will further slow metabolic activities meant for growth and energy generation, leading to death or wasted investment.

By Alex Choompo

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