CATDOLL : CATDOLL: Can I still feed a parrot fish if it is sick?

Can I still feed a sick parrot fish?

1. Parrot fish often get sick due to poor water quality. It is recommended to stop feeding for a short period of time for treatment. On the one hand, it is to improve the water quality, and on the other hand, it is to promote the metabolism of sick fish. Feeding will increase the metabolic burden of fish, especially enteritis diseases.

2. Common diseases and treatments of parrot fish:

(1) Characteristics of skin fungus disease:

Skin mold disease, also known as water mold disease and white hair disease, is one of the most common diseases of ornamental fish. The pathogens are species of the genera Saprolegnia, Corythuja, Heteromyces, Aphanomyces, and Pythium.

When catching and transporting ornamental fish, if one is not careful, the fish's skin may be injured, or parasites may invade and damage the skin. Fungal spores can invade the wound, absorb nutrients, and germinate rapidly. One end of the hyphae will penetrate deep into the muscle, while the other end will grow outward, forming cotton-like hyphae.

When the fungus first parasitizes, it is difficult to detect with the naked eye. By the time you can see it with the naked eye, the hyphae have already invaded the fish's wound and grown from the outside to the inside. The hyphae entangle and adhere to the cell tissue of the wound, causing tissue necrosis. As the cotton-like hyphae increase day by day, the fish body is overloaded, causing abnormal swimming, loss of appetite, and gradual weight loss, leading to death.

When ornamental fish are infected with mold, they are also affected by the length of light exposure. Long periods of continuous rain or insufficient indoor lighting, sunlight and other light sources can all promote the growth of mold.

The skin of fish infected by mold is usually covered with a layer of white film, which is most obvious in black and red fish, making the fish lose its original luster.

Afterwards, the fish becomes sluggish and often appears lethargic, floating on the water surface. If not treated promptly, the fungus will spread throughout the fish's body, causing the muscles in the affected area to rot and the fish to lose appetite, eventually leading to death.

(2) Treatment methods:

Skin mold disease can occur all year round, but is most common in early spring and late winter. In order to prevent the occurrence of water mold disease, care should be taken to avoid damaging the fish body and parasite bites during operation, and a small amount of salt can be added to the water to inhibit the occurrence of water mold disease.

When fish are found to be infected with Saprolegniasis, they can be soaked in 3% salt water once a day for 5 to 10 minutes each time, or soaked in 2 parts per million (2ppm) potassium permanganate solution plus 1% salt for 20 to 30 minutes, or soaked in 1 to 2 parts per million (1 to 2ppm) malachite green solution for 20 to 30 minutes, or soaked in 1 to 2 parts per million (1 to 2ppm) methylene blue solution for 20-30 minutes, or soaked in 5 parts per million (5ppm) furacillin solution, or directly poured into the aquarium with 0.02 parts per million (0.02ppm) malachite green solution or 0.3 parts per million (0.3ppm) formaldehyde solution to inhibit the growth of mold.

The water temperature can also be increased to inhibit the growth of water mold.

Installing a 15-watt ultraviolet lamp on the top of the aquarium and irradiating it for several hours a day can effectively inhibit or eliminate the growth of water mold.