Acid water fish disease

Acid water fish disease

1. General description

Cause of this disease is decrease water pH below 5. This may happen rapidly (direct jump a few values) or for a longer time (pH jump is gradual). In the first case, the fish start to behave strangely and they signal worrying signs at once. In the second case, symptoms of the disease may be visible after longer time or only when we insert new fish to the aquarium or when we keep there old fish with weakened immune system. Other fish was able to adapt to new conditions in a measure. The most frequent symptoms of the disease are breathing problems. The reason for this is gradual degradation of the gills and direct impact pH on the saturation of hemoglobin with oxygen. pH reduction reduces binding oxygen from the water and its carrying together with blood. Reduction of degree saturation hemoglobin with oxygen is cause increase pressure of the carbon dioxide in the blood at the same time. Then carbon dioxide poisoning is the direct cause of possible fish deaths.

2. Type of the disease

This disease is caused by environmental factors.

3. Cause of the disease

Cause this disease is reduction water pH.

4. Favorable circumstances for development of the disease

• decomposition of organic matter
• too much carbon dioxide in the water
• small buffer capacity of water
• wrong use of substances that produce tannins e.g.: peat, leaves of oak or beech, alder cones
• too much fish in the aquarium

5. Common symptoms of the disease

• sluggish movements
• shyness, hiding
• gills vibration
• excessive secretion of mucus
• apathy
• gills irritation – breathing problems, being under the water surface
• rapid and uncoordinated swimming, trials of jumping out from the aquarium, muscle contraction

6. Types of the treatment

We need find and eliminate main cause of water pH reduction. Next we need check all water parameters in the aquarium: water pH, hardness, ammonia, nitrites, nitrates. Next we do about 1/3 partial water change without removal the fish. We need check water pH and other water parameters after each partial water change. We need also increase oxygen saturation of the water. Water for partial change should have neutral pH (pH=7). We should use adequate vitamin preparations and water treatment conditioners in order to strengthen fish immune system (e.g. Tetra AquaSafe, Sera Aquatan, JBL Atvitol, etc.). We may also basify water in the aquarium by insertion there lime decorative elements but we need do this cautiously. We should immediately commit an act of euthanasia for fish with damaged gills.

7. Comments about this disease

• The disease is cause weakened immune system of fish and this may lead to secondary bacterial, viral and parasitic infections.

8. Prevention

• systematic control of the water parameters
• systematic partial water changes and cleaning the tank
• avoidance of direct sunlight
• increase temporary water hardness in order to increase the buffer capacity of water (if this is possible)
• new fish we gradually adapt to new conditions in aquarium – we should keep their in the same water for a few days as they was before , next we gradually change water pH (about 0.3 per day)