Lake Malawi Cichlids 8, Causes of Illnesses and Disease

The majority of the fish diseases prevalent in aquarium tanks to behold as a result of errors on the part of the Aquarist, and most can be avoided through correct aquarium care and rigorous hygiene. The Lake Malawi cichlids need clean, clear, low nitrate water, and the best way of keeping the aquarium water that way is via regular partial water changes. Diseases will also be quicker to take hold in overpopulated tanks than in ones with a few occupants. Water purity, then is the most important factor in successfully caring for your cichlids. You should change a good half of the aquarium water at least once a week and also regularly cleaning their aquarium floor, since any leftover food particles will soon rot and released toxins into the water.

Filter hygiene

Cleaning the filters is another regular chore for a Lake Malawi cichlids aquarium, which can only be fitted with fast flowing filters. However, you should avoided totally cleaning the filters, since this can lead to the water becoming too pure or which can be to the detriment of the fish. Therefore you should avoid cleaning filters at the same time as you change water, and should only replace part of the filtration system at any one time. With ideal water maintenance many fish diseases will simply never get a chance to take hold. Problems such as skin, fuel and thing injuries are generally caused during transportation.

Cichlids are energetic fish which defend themselves vigorously against capture and while in transit. They are extremely difficult to catch and the coarse nets often used lead to injury during capture. The stress of transportation also tends to make the fish more susceptible to disease. You need not be unduly concerned if fish suffer superficial injuries during transportation since, provided the water conditions in the aquarium are ideal, these injuries will normally heal very quickly. Wait a couple of days before adding any medicaments to the water. There should be visible improvement to any superficial wound by day two at the latest. If, however a whitish mould like layer forms over the wound, you should add an antifungal agent to the water. A number of suitable antifungal preparations are available commercially.

After transportation it is also important to avoid exposing the fish to any sudden change in water pH. The fish is water may change its pH markedly during long periods in transit. If the pH has fallen below seven, the fish must not suddenly be placed directly in water with pH above seven, as this can lead to ammonia poisoning. First you should prepare a small container full of fresh water of identical pH to alter the fish were transported in place the fish in this container. Now you should slowly mix in aquarium water over a period of about 30 min so that the pH will slowly rise to about seven.

Once the fish have then become accustomed to this pH after a further 30 min, they can be transferred to the aquarium. You should certainly not leave the fish in their transportation water longer than absolutely necessary since this will generally by now be very low in oxygen, severely polluted and probably verging on toxic to the fish. Therefore you must ensure that your new arrivals were transferred to good quality freshwater as soon as you possibly can.

Specialist books on fish diseases will help you to diagnose any problems that may crop up regarding any specific diseases.

The Previous Parts of the Keeping Malawi Cichlids Guides

Part 1 - Introduction http://tylersteele.hubpages.com/hub/Lake-Malawi-Cichlids-An-Introduction-to-Keeping-African-Cichlids-of-Lake-Malawi

Part 2 - The Aquarium http://tylersteele.hubpages.com/hub/Lake-Malawi-Cichlids-2-the-Aquarium-for-Mbuna-Cichlids

Part 3 - Aquarium Technology http://tylersteele.hubpages.com/hub/Lake-Malawi-Cichlids-3-Aquarium-Technology-Lights-Heating-and-FiltersFiltration

Part 4 - Aquarium Decoration http://tylersteele.hubpages.com/hub/Lake-Malawi-Cichlids-4-Aquarium-Decoration

Part 5 - Choong the Right Fish http://tylersteele.hubpages.com/hub/Lake-Malawi-Cichlids-5-Choosing-the-Right-Fish

Part 6 - Cichlids and Nutrition http://tylersteele.hubpages.com/hub/Lake-Malawi-Cichlids-6-The-Right-Nutrition-For-African-Cichlids

Part 7 - Breeding Cichlids http://tylersteele.hubpages.com/hub/Lake-Malawi-Cichlids-7-Breeding-Fish