Do your pearl cichlids often get infected? Find out the types of pearl cichlid fish disease that mostly attack.
Pearl Cichlid fish are easy to care for. Yet, these fish are sensitive when the water in the aquarium has deteriorated. When it happens, the disease may attack the fish. What types of pearl cichlid fish disease that often attack? Find out the information in this article.
Ich or White Spot Disease
One of the common diseases that may infect pearl cichlid fish is ich. Ich, also known as white spot disease, often infects freshwater fish. It may happen because the water is stale and has poor-quality oxygenation.
The symptoms come with the presence of small white spots on the body and gills, abnormal hiding behavior, and loss of appetite. To avoid ich, you need to change the water weekly. Changing the water temperature from 20 degrees to 22,8 degrees Celsius can prevent this pearl cichlid fish disease.
Skin Flukes
Another pearl cichlid fish disease is skin flukes. When you find the clamped fins, a body covered with mucus, and infested gills, your cichlids may get infected from skin flukes. To prevent the disease from appearing, you must keep the water clean by changing the partial water at least weekly. Besides that, quarantine the fish, plants, or decorations before putting them in the aquarium.
Mycoses
Mycoses or fungal disease often infects pearl cichlid fish. This disease can happen because of poor-quality water, large amounts of decomposing organic material, and poor hygiene. Mycoses will infect the healthy fish and attack the external tissues.
When your pearl cichlids become lethargic and darker with abnormal swimming behavior, they may get infected by the fungal disease. Before this disease attacks, keep maintaining the quality of the water. Make sure to quarantine all additions before placing them in the aquarium.
Bacterial Infection
Pearl cichlid fish are reluctant to get a bacterial infection. One of the causes of this pearl cichlid fish disease is poor-quality water. The plants, rocks, and other decorations become a place for the bacteria to inhabit. The bacteria infect the skin and the gills of the fish.
Bacterial infection may cause stress to the fish and influence the immune system. To maintain a disease-free aquarium, you need to quarantine all the new additions. Besides that, keep on maintaining the quality of the water to avoid the fish from being infected.
Hole-in-the-Head Disease
Hole-in-the-head disease or head and lateral line erosion (HLLE) often infects pitied holes around the eye area. The holes will continue to form a line toward the tail. If this disease attacks your pearl cichlids, it can cause permanent scars on the fish.
One of the causes of hole-in-the-head disease happens because the water condition is poor and deteriorating. Nutritional deficiency from the diets may cause the disease, too. To avoid this disease, you need to add the filter and change the partial water weekly. Furthermore, vary the diets to complement the nutrients of the fish.
In conclusion, anything from the aquarium can bring about pearl cichlid fish disease. Fish, substrates, plants, and decorations can be the major causes of the disease. Therefore, make sure to clean the water properly and quarantine everything you add before placing it in the aquarium.
Sources
https://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/PearlCichlid.php
https://fishinaquarium.com/pearly-compressiceps-cichlid/