What causes Stressed Fish Condition: How to Treat the Symptoms of Anxiety

What Causes Stressed Fish condition?

Environmental changes brought on by poor tank preservation that can damage the quality of water and oxygen used by the fish.
Improper living conditions those are not appropriate for the type of fish. There are kinds of fishes that require special requirements in food and temperature.
Overcrowding inside the tank will make dominant fishes bully the other ones, thus, causing stress.
Parasites that find their way in the aquarium can cause much damage to the health of the fish.

Inactivity, refusal to eat, changes in color of scales and the tendency to remain in the upper corners of the tank are common signs if a fish is stressed.
For stressed fishes that are attacked by parasites, watch out for fungal growths, lesions or red spots.

The first course of action for a pet owner is to eliminate the cause of stress.
Test the conditions of the water to find out if the cause lies within the pH levels or harmful contents like nitrate, ammonia or nitrite.
Next step is to check the equipment being used in the tank. Make sure the filter or heater is in good working condition.
Another course of action is to stop the instances of bullying, by separating the dominant fishes from the rest to prevent more stressful conditions.

If parasites are the cause of stress, a necessary treatment for the water inside the tank will be made.
The infected fishes will have to be isolated in a recovery tank, away from the other healthy fishes.
Avoid overstocking the tank, take time to observe a newly acquired fish and wait for it to be more familiar with its new environment.

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o How big will the adults be?

o Do they breed easily?

o What do they eat?

o What are their natural predators?

o Are they susceptible to diseases?

o Do they need special handling procedures?.

Buy a large tank. A large tank will ensure that the water temperature and conditions are more stable. Make sure that the tank is large enough to handle all the fishes without overcrowding.
Invest in good aquarium equipment, including filters, aerators, and ornaments.

Fishes will be happy when they have a lot of hiding places in the tank. This way, they are less stressed and have somewhere to go if they are hiding from their enemies.
The more fish in the tank, the more playmates the fishes will have. However, the overcrowding can cause more stress. Thus, a balance of the fish species and populations should be considered. There should be just an inch of fish in a gallon of water.

A clean tank maximizes the chances of the fish staying as healthy as possible. Thus, the tank should be cleaned regularly. To avoid stress, the water may be changed incrementally.
Add charcoal filters or lava rocks in the tank.
It is also a good idea to invest in a good water test kit. This will ensure that the levels of oxygen, nitrogen, and other chemicals in the tank are kept in balance.
Never overfeed as it can create lot of problems for the fish and the tank.
Sick fishes should be isolated and treated immediately.

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