Protect Your Pet From Cichlid Diseases

Do you have cichlids at home? Do you love and care for them the way you do with your other pets? If yes, their health must be your top priority.

Cichlid diseases are numerous and some are considered fatal which is why you should know them and discover ways to prevent them from killing your beloved fishes. Here are the most common ailments affecting cichlids:

Malawi bloat - Malawi bloat is a very common disease that fishes may get. Cichlids that have an herbivorous diet are particularly prone to this kind of disease. As the name suggests, bloating is an obvious sign of this disease. If your cichlid has a bloated abdomen and is not looking well, it is probably sick with Malawi bloat.

Apart from bloating, other symptoms of this disease include uneasy breathing and a change in color. Generally, different types and species of fishes are prone to developing this disease. It is primarily the African cichlid that is most commonly affected by this disease. Malawi bloat affects the kidney and the liver of fishes.

Hole in the head disease - This disease is life threatening. Freshwater fishes and cichlids are known to be victims of this disease. It is not yet determined what the cause but evidence shows that lack of vitamins and nutrients in the food consumed by the fish leads to this disease. From this, it can be established that poor diet is the major cause of this ailment.

Fish tuberculosis - Fish tuberculosis is a disease that fishes and fish owners should be wary about. This type of disease is infectious and deadly as well. It was said that fish tuberculosis spreads throughout the body, affecting major organs.

Fish owners and breeders are advised to ensure the health of their fishes to keep them away from this disease. In case you suspect one of your cichlids to have tuberculosis, it is better to quarantine it and clean your aquarium. Tuberculosis is caused by a virus that easily spreads in water.

Swim bladder infection - The swim bladder infection is another disease that plagues cichlids. Although, the disease is also known to affect other parts of the body of the fish, it is the swim bladder which is greatly affected. According to experts, poor diet is the main cause of this disease.

These are common diseases which you must protect your cichlids from. A healthy environment is the key to keeping them healthy and protected from harmful ailments. In addition, it's also important to provide them a healthy diet.

Larry Pearson is an expert author and cichlid fish enthusiast and has been keeping pet fishes for over 20 years.
To know more about cichlid diseases and how to keep healthy and beautiful cichlids go to www.cichlidfishguide.com and sign up for his FREE Email Mini-Course.