Tropical Fish Problem Solver Chart

Problem	Appearance	Cause	Action	Notes
Acid Water	Acidic water can irritate gills and skin. Fish may dart and gasp	Acid from fish wastes or decayed food	Check pH with test kit.  Increase pH.	To reduce buildup, change 10% of water once a week.
Ammonia Poisoning	Red or bleeding gills. Fish may appear darker in color, and may gasp for air at surface/	Common in new aquariums; also occurs when tank is over-stocked	Check ammonia with test kit.  Increase biological filtration. For immediate removal of ammonia, purchase an ammonia detoxifier such as Amquel	To reduce ammonia levels down to 0, a wet/dry filter or bio-wheel is recommended for biological filtration.
Anchor Worm	Threadlike worm hanging from fish.  Base of worm may be red.	A parasitic crustacean	Parasite medication	Use heavy aeration, as dead parasites may cause water to become cloudy.
Argulus	Quarter inch bubble like lumps slowly moving on skin and fins.	A parasitic crustacean.	Parasite medication	Use heavy aeration, as dead parasites may cause water to become cloudy.
Betta Pinch Fin	Fish floats with fins closed	Gill parasites	Parasite medication	Use heavy aeration, as dead parasites may cause water to become cloudy.
Black Spot	Small black specks on skin	Small fish worms	Parasite medication	Use heavy aeration, as dead parasites may cause water to become cloudy.
Bloody Fins	Red streaks on fins, especially goldfish	Gyrodactylus parasites	Parasite medication	Use heavy aeration, as dead parasites may cause water to become cloudy.
Chloramine in Water	Fish dying within 24 hours due to blood poisoning.  Gills become brown.	Water company adding chloramine as a substitute for chlorine	Chlorine/ Chloramine eliminator
Chlorine in Water	Fish dart about.  Gills pump furiously.	Chlorine added to water supply to kill bacteria	Chlorine/ Chloramine eliminator
Clamped Fins	Fins held close to body especially in livebearing fish	Gill or body parasites	Parasite medication	Use heavy aeration, as dead parasites may cause water to become cloudy.
Cloudy Water	Water not crystal clear in established tank	Wastes, small animal and plant life.  Possibly overfeeding		Good filtration improves clarity.  Check for overfeeding or overlighting.
Columnaris (Mouth Fungus)	White cotton sprouting from fins or body, that eventually turn to open sores after time. Rapid breathing occurs, as well as gill swelling.	A bacteria	Fungus medication	Can enter other aquariums by splashing water or using nets from infected tank
Costasis	Grey film on all or part of body	External protozoan parasite	Fungus medication	Can enter other aquariums by splashing water or using nets from infected tank
Dactylogyrus	Gills hang partly open at all times	Small gill parasites	Bacterial medication (i.e. penicillin, tetracycline)	Can enter other aquariums by splashing water or using nets from infected tank
Discus Head Worms	Fish darts about wildly and may smash into glass	Parasitic protozoa in sinus canals of head	Hole-n-Head type medication	If dipping, watch fish closely during dip and remove when distressed.
Dropsy	Fish bloated with scales standing out.  Resembles a pine cone.	Dropsy is a sign of an internal bacterial infection	Fungus medication	Kidney damage is usually the result of disease or too strong drug use.
Fin Fungus	Fins ragged with jelly at edge of ragged part.	Water change.  This is not a disease.
Fin Rot	Fins eaten away with redness at base of bad area	Saprolegnia fungus with Pseudomonas or Aeromonas bacteria	Fungus medication	Can enter other aquariums by splashing water or using nets from infected tank
Flavo Bacteria	Fish swim aimlessly.  May have spasms	Internal bacteria	Internal parasite medication	Can enter other aquariums by splashing water or using nets from infected tank
Flesh worms	Small lumps under skin or on fins	Parasitic worms	Fungus medication	Does not spread
Fungus (white)	A white cottony growth or patch on any part of the fish	A bacteria, Flexobacter (Chondrococcus) Columnarius	Fungus medication	Can enter other aquariums by splashing water or using nets from infected tank
Fungus (grey)	A light grey cottony growth or patch on any part of the fish	A parasitic fungus, Saprolegnia	Fungus medication	Can enter other aquariums by splashing water or using nets from infected tank
Furunculosis	Open sores on Gouramis or other anabantids	Aeromonas salmonicida bacteria	Fungus medication	Seldom spreads to other anabantids and then only on direct contact
Gill Flukes	Gills hang partly open and may pump fast.  Gills may appear red.	Small gill parasites, monogenetic trematodes	Parasite medication	Use heavy aeration, as dead parasites may cause water to become cloudy
Gourami Disease	Fish rocks back and forth while staying in place	Dactylogyrus parasites	Parasite medication	Use heavy aeration, as dead parasites may cause water to become cloudy
Grey Skin	Skin looks grey in patches	Costia necatrix parasites	Parasite medication	Can enter other aquariums by splashing water or using nets from infected tank
Gyrodactylus	Fish scrape on objects in tank	Gyrodactylus parasites	Parasite medication	Use heavy aeration, as dead parasites may cause water to become cloudy
Hemorrhagic Septicemia	Red streaks on fins usually near body with no sign of skin damage	A bacteria.  Aeromonas	Fungus medication	Common on goldfish and livebearing fish.  Scales may sometimes protrude
Hydra	Tiny tree-like animals attached to objects in tank	Carnivorous microanimal		Harmless to all fish except newly hatched fry which may be eaten
Ick/Ich	White sugar-like crystals on fins or body of fish	Icthyophthirius multifilis, a parasitic protozoan	Ich medication (half strength on scaleless fish).  Can also use salt and raise tank temperature	Can be spread to other tanks by splashing water or using nets from infected tank
Internal Parasites	Fish are thin and act listless	Tiny internal parasites	Internal parasite medication	Seldom spreads
Itching/Flashing	Fish scratches on objects in tank	Skin irritation caused by tiny skin parasites	Parasite, fungus or Ich medication	Can be spread to other tanks by splashing water or using nets from infected tank
Livebearer or Molly Disease	Fish stay in one place but wiggle, wag or shimmy	Water lacks electrolytes needed for normal metabolism		Not a disease but a reaction to water lacking electrolytes
Mouth Fungus	White cotton sprouting from mouth sides	A bacteria, Flexobacter	Fungus medication	Can be spread to other tanks by splashing water or using nets from infected tank
Mouth Rot	Flesh eaten away around mouth	Saprolegnia fungus with Pseudomonas or Aeromonas bacteria	Fungus medication	Can be spread to other tanks by splashing water or using nets from infected tank
Neon and Cardinal Disease	Color fades from red line.  Line may turn yellow.	A parasitic protozoan, Pilstophora hyphessobryconis	Internal parasite medication	Can be spread to other tanks by splashing water or using nets from infected tank
Odor from water	Water may be cloudy	Decaying food or plants		Reduce amount fed per feeding.  Partial water change should be done as soon as convenient.  Ammonia may be present
Oodinium (Velvet/Rust)	Body skin of fish appears dusty in yellowish or grey patches	A parasitic algae	A fungus medication (i.e. Maracide)	Spreads easily.  Keep aquarium as dark as possible as Oodinium needs light to spread.
Pop Eye	Eyes stand out from socket	Infection from fighting	Fungus medication, reduce light
Saprolegnia	Frayed looking fins and moldy looking slime on body	A parasitic fungus	Fungus medication	Spreads easily.  Keep tank as dark as possible during treatment as Saprolegnia needs light.
Swim Bladder Disease	Fish swimming with head down (not level)	Bladder infection	Fungus medication	Does not spread to other fish

Temperature Conversions C = Celsius/F = Fahrenheit C F    C F    C F    C F    C F 0 = 32 15 = 59 21 = 70 27 = 81 50 = 122 10 = 50 16 = 61 22 = 72 28 = 82 60 = 140 11 = 52 17 = 63 23 = 73 29 = 84 70 = 158 12 = 54 18 = 64 24 = 75 30 = 86 80 = 176 13 = 55 19 = 66 25 = 77 35 = 95 90 = 194 14 = 57 20 = 68 26 = 79 40 = 104 100 = 212 Example: 24c is equal to 75f Volume Conversions L = Liters/Gal = Gallons L   Gal L   Gal L   Gal L   Gal L   Gal 1 = 0.26 15 = 3.96 70 = 18.5 250 = 66 550 = 122 2 = 0.53    20 = 5.28    80 = 21.1 300 = 79 600 = 140 3 = 0.79 30 = 7.93 90 = 23.8    350 = 92    700 = 158 4 = 1.06 40 = 10.57 100 = 26.4 400 = 106 800 = 176 5 = 1.32 50 = 13.21 150 = 39.6 450 = 119 900 = 194 10 = 2.64 60 = 15.85 200 = 79.3 500 = 132 1000 = 212 Example: 100L is equal to 26.4G Length Conversions MM = Milo meter/In = Inch/CM = Centimeter/FT = Foot/M = Meter mm   in cm   in cm   in m   ft 0.5 = 0.02 1 = 0.4 30 = 12 1 = 3.28 1 = 0.04    2 = 0.8    35 = 14 2 = 6.56 2 = 0.08 3 = 1.1 40 = 16    3 = 9.84    3 = 0.12 4 = 1.6 45 = 18 4 = 13.1 4 = 0.16 5 = 2.0 50 = 20 5 = 16.4 5 = 0.20 6 = 2.4 60 = 24 10 = 32.8 6 = 0.24 7 = 2.8 70 = 28 15 = 49.2 7 = 0.28 8 = 3.1 80 = 31 20 = 65.6 8 = 0.32 9 = 3.5 90 = 35 25 = 82.0 9 = 0.35 10 = 3.9 100 = 39 30 = 98.4 15 = 5.9 125 = 49 40 = 131 20 = 7.9 150 = 59 50 = 164 25 = 9.8 175 = 69 60 = 197 Example: 30cm is equal to 12in   Aquarium Volume Calculator Aquarium shape: Rectangular Circular Hexagonal Aquarium type: Coldwater Tropical Marine Unit type: Inches Centimeters UK gallons US gallons Litres Length: Width: Radius: Depth: Distance of light source from gravel: Tank Size, Empty and Full Weight Calculations* *These calculations are full weight with water only, not including any substrate or decor. Tank Size Dimensions (inches) (L x W x H)  Empty Weight Glass Tank(lbs) Full Weight   (lbs) 5 1/2 Gallon 16 x 8 x 10 7 54.6 10 Gallon 20 x 10 x 12 11 100.3 10 Hexagon 14 x 12 x 18 12 124.6 20 High 24 x 12 x 16 25 196.5 20 Hexagon 18 x 16 x 20 23 237.4 30 Gallon 36 x 12 x 16 43 300.3 45 Gallon 36 x 12 x 23 66 435.9 50 Gallon 36 x 19 x 19 100 583.8 60 Hexagon 27 x 24 x 29 110 809.6 65 Gallon 36 x 19 x 24 126 737 75 Gallon 48 x 18 x 21 140 815.5 90 Gallon 48 x 18 x 25 160 964 120 Gallon 48 x 24 x 25 215 1287.2 150 Gallon 72 x 18 x 28 338 1688.9 180 Gallon 72 x 24 x 25 338 1946.3 Member ACA 2001-2003 All original content and images property of Northern Lights Aquatics © 1998-2003 Unauthorized use is prohibited. Questions about this site ? Contact the WebMistress ! Kate's Web Sites