A clean tank kept at the right temperature, and a balanced diet will go a long way toward keeping your fish healthy. But fish do get sick just like we do. Following are some tips to help recognize problems.

» Bringing Your Fish Home
» Water Temperature and Quality
» Is Your Fish Sick?
» External Warning Signs of Possible Illness

Before you purchase your selection of fish, you will need an aquarium, food, water filter, aerator, (water heater if you have tropical fish), fish net, thermometer and "aged" water.

Tropical aquariums should range between 73° F and 80° F, depending on fish species. Community aquariums should be kept between 75° F and 78° F.

Goldfish aquarium temperatures should range between 50° F and 70° F in the winter and 65° F and 72° F in the summer.

You should check water quality daily. Water temperature, available oxygen, suspended solids, organic load, dissolved gasses, filtration flow and number of fish in the tank affect water quality.

Consider changing 1/3 of the water in your tank weekly. Be sure the refill water is the same temperature as the aquarium water.

Get to know your fish so you know what is "normal" for them. Watching your fish will teach you how they communicate by positioning their bodies up, down, or sideways, and raising or lowering their fins in threat or submission. This can also help you identify differences in appearance, behavior, activity or eating habits. You owe it to your fish to read all you can about their behavior, health and disease problems.

It is best to isolate and treat sick fish in a separate isolation aquarium, but medication, maintenance, treatment length and recovery from disfiguration are expensive and time consuming. You should take these factors into consideration before treating your diseased fish.

Abnormal behavior (rapid respiration, clamped fins, lethargy, poor equilibrium, reduced appetite or refusal to eat, prolonged hiding, immobility, whirling and shimming, erratic swimming or feeble swimming)

Skin abnormalities (excessive mucus, grayish patches, white spots, tumors, cotton-like growths, lesions and loss of scales)

Bloated abdomen and protruding scales

Darkening or washed out appearance, cloudy eyes

Upper half of body sunken in, retracted belly, sunken eyes