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White fungus, of which more anon, yields to
treatment and may soon be cured. Dropsy
gives the fish a bloated, swollen look, not
to be confused, however, with congestion ;
the latest treatment for this complaint is to
keep the fish in a tank containing as much
anacharis as it will hold. The water will
go very green and it is assumed that this
heavier water may prove beneficial. Otherwise dropsy, a disease peculiar to the abnormal
fancy fishes, is fatal.
There are a number of other complaints,
obscure and rare, to which the fish is liable,
but their diagnosis is so difficult and their
cure so problematical that I will confine my
remarks to the common complaints, especially
those that may yield to treatment.
White Fungus (Saprolegnia) is often brought
on by a fish bruising itself. The spores are
nearly always present in pond water and only
await a favourable opportunity to manifest
themselves. Even without exterior injury, an
unhealthy fish is open to infection.
The disease shows itself as small white tufts,
like pieces of cotton wool, adhering to the
fins and body. The gills are attacked in the
final stages and this is fatal. The fish should
be removed from the pond and placed in a
salt water bath. As this is the best all-round
treatment for sick fish, I will describe it in
detail.
Into a shallow dish of fresh water put salt
in the proportion of two heaped teaspoonfuls
to the gallon of water ; keep the fish in this
solution for three days, changing the water
daily and increasing the salt content by one
teaspoonful each day. If the fish turns giddy
the salt should be decreased. After three days
remove the fish to a damp cloth and, with a
soft brush loaded with weak iodine, brush
off the fungus spots. The fish may be transferred to the pond, but if it shows signs of
sickness still, the treatment can be repeated
a week later. In the meantime it is advisable
to disinfect the pond with permanganate of
potash, the other fishes, of course, and the
snails being first removed. The permanganate
will not injure the plants.
If the other fish are placed in a bath to which
has been added a small quantity of salt any
spores lurking on their skin will be killed.
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