One cannot underestimate the importance of the habitats one provides within the confines of the fish tank. It is a fundamental aspect that contributes to the success of the fishes you keep. Maintaining acceptable living conditions helps to ascertain that common fish diseases are kept at a low rate, with greater chances of survival rates for the fishes.

One common fish disease is ICH. It is a fish disease where the infected fish gets white spots all over its body. When a fish is sick it is important to check for those white spots of the size and shape of the grains of salt over its skin. This disease is caused by Ichthyophthirius in freshwater tanks and in saltwater tanks it is caused by Cryptocaryon irritants. ICH may affect the eyes and the insides of the mouth and gills of the fish besides the body of the fish.

Should there be strange behaviors and signs such as a difficulty in breathing and a gasping for oxygen, or even a constant need for the fish to scrape its body along other objects, a likely cause would be ICH. Loss of appetite is another symptom associated with the above mentioned ones. The fishes seldom can fight ICH by themselves. Copper sulfur medication needs to be administered in order that they can be cured. Antibiotic medication should be provided after the parasites are gone, in order to prevent them from recurring.

Another common parasite is Velvet which shows symptoms similar to ICH but with tinier and dusty spots on the fish's body. Sometimes the spots may be gray or gold in color. And since the spots are smaller they are tougher to be recognized and should be observed quite carefully. Fishes that have contracted Velvet display similar symptoms to ICH, and will abrade itself against objects or show difficulty in breathing by trying to gulp in air near the surface of the water especially if the gills are infected. Copper medication treatment is recommended for Velvet as with ICH by most of the veterinarians.

A fungal infection may also develop quite commonly in fishes which appear in gray or white color over the body of the fish. This will be sighted in the fins or the mouths of the fish. An injury to the fish induced by another fish may also be the cause of this disease. Open wounds are highly prone to fungal infections. Suitable cures for fungal diseases are readily available from your local pet shop and can also be procured from pet suppliers registered online with ease.

Fishes are prone to bacterial infection as well. If you notice orange or red spot on the scales of the fishes, they are most probably bacterial infection. Dropsy is one of the most common bacterial infections. If the fish looks distended or has scales that bulge out, it is a sign that the infection is attacking the insides of the fish and it is. The fish would show signs of tiredness and a lack of interest in food. Medications such as penicillin, naladixic acid and tetracycline are most commonly used to cure bacterial infections.

Prevention is better than cure, and it will save you and your fishes a whole lot of trouble from treating them. The best way to provide a healthy environment for the fishes is to keep the aquarium clean. You should check for aggressive fishes that attack weak fishes and try to keep them separate. The quality of the water, the size and space for the fishes and the species of the fishes should be monitored regularly.

Despite all your preventive efforts, your fish might still be infected with diseases at some point of time. It is important to try to cure the disease as soon as possible to reduce the chances of it spreading and contaminating other fishes.