How Can White Spot Disease Be Avoided?
The battle against the White Spot Disease can be won through prevention.
The causes of the appearance of the disease can be due to:
- Abrupt changes in environmental conditions
- Add to the aquarium fish that were incubating the disease
- Sharing utensils of an infected aquarium
- Add plants that could have cysts of the parasite
The hygiene and the isolation (quarantine period) are the weapons used to stop a possible infection. For quarantine periods, it will be necessary an additional tank.
The first measure of prevention is to put inside the aquarium ornamental objects free of risk, especially if these objects come from another tank.
Wash very well the objects, if possible with a strong disinfectant. Boil stems and roots by at least 20 minutes.
Wash the plants and leave them one day in a recipient with water, and if the plant tolerates it, add salt.
Additionally, they can be left in quarantine in a tank for at least two weeks at 30 degrees, so that the life cycle of any parasite that might be present, is overcome.
The precautions when changing the water are necessary to prevent any disease. Under normal conditions the change of the water is from 20% to 30% every week.
This change must be tempered, that is to say, the temperature of the replacement water should not be very different from the temperature of the the aquarium water (from two to three degrees of difference is acceptable).
If the aquarium water temperature drops abruptly, a thermal decompensation takes place, that can weaken the defenses of the fish, predisposing them to be vulnerable to any illness.
Precautions should also be taken when adding new fish to the aquarium. Before adding a new fish, it is advisable to leave it in quarantine for at least two weeks in a water temperature of 30 degrees.
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This way, if the new fish is infected with ich, during the quarantine period it will be possible to observe if the disease evolves.
It is also important not to buy fish or plants that are in the same aquarium with sick or dead fish.
Take precautions before adding ornamental objects or new fish to the aquarium, is good not only to prevent white spot disease, but any other type of problems.
Prevention begins at the pet store when the purchase of fish or plants for the aquarium is decided.
A fish that gasps or swim erratically is an indication that can have some illness, and it should not be chosen even if is the one we're looking for and is the only one available.