Vetnuus | February 2025 23 Clients should be strongly encouraged to regularly test their water to make note of any changes before they become problematic. Especially in the beginning, daily NH3 and NO2 levels should be tested and livestock only added when the NH3 and NO2 levels have returned to zero. Purpose-made dipsticks and colorimetric tests are available. Quarantine of new livestock is recommended, as is routine parasite treatment. Fenbendazole, Praziquantel and Metronidazole are commonly used and are safe for fish, but not for invertebrates. Next one needs to compare the recommended water parameters (temperature, pH, hardness, salinity etc) of every species that is to be kept because they vary considerably from the acidic, warm, very soft and tannin-infused “black water” needed for Amazonian fish, to the alkaline, very hard water needed for Lake Malawi cichlids and the cold water needed for goldfish. Inexperienced keepers will often keep entirely inappropriate collections of fish from all over the world in 1 setup and then wonder why certain species struggle or die. There is a wealth of information online to which clients can refer. Infectious diseases regularly occur in aquarium fish. Protozoal, fungal and bacterial infections are most common. Depressed behaviour, clamped fins, poor appetite, ulcers or spots, swellings, slimy areas on the skin or an inability to swim normally are all indicators of illness. A gentle skin scrape with a cover slip (cranial to caudal, lightly) will collect the skin’s protective mucus layer and can be examined for protozoa. Cultures of wounds may be useful as may necropsies. There are numerous purpose-made antifungal and antiprotozoal in-water medications available. Some antibacterials can be purchased over the counter, but in-food Enrofloxacin or in-water Minocycline are fairly filter-safe and quite effective for the Gram negative bacterial infections commonly seen. In summary, always look first at the water whenever aquatic animals develop problems. v We compound veterinary medicines www.v-tech.co.za / Tel: +27 87 150 5925 (SA)
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