Article From SubmitYOURArticle.com: 4 Common Cichlid Diseases and Causes

When fish get sick, it is not always a lot of fun
for his owner to nurse him back to health. All
fish can contract diseases, including cichlids.
The following paragraphs will provide some
information regarding common cichlid diseases,
along with some possible treatments.

Swim Bladder Disease

This cichlid disease affects the fish's swim
bladder, which is an abdominal sac that ensures
the fish's happiness and ability to swim in the
water. When a cichlid is affected by this
disease, he will display difficulties swimming,
and has difficulties staying below the surface of
the water. If you see your cichlid floating
alive on the surface, it is likely he is
suffering with swim bladder disease.

This disease is often caused by a poor diet. To
prevent or treat this common cichlid disease, you
need to add high fiber foods to your fish's diet.

Malawi Bloat

Malawi bloat is another one of the many cichlid
diseases that commonly affect these fish,
especially African cichlids. Symptoms can
include bloated belly, white feces, and loss of
appetite. When left untreated, this disease can
cause damage to many different organs. Once
their internal organs are damaged, the fish will
probably perish within days.

Malawi bloat can be treated by taking a few
simple steps. You must replace your filters, as
well as change at least 50 percent of the water.
You will also need to add clout and Metronidazole
to your tank.

Hole-in-the-Head Disease

This disease can be seen in many freshwater fish
species, including cichlids. As the name
suggests, the main symptom of this disease is the
appearance of an indent in the head of the fish.
Other symptoms include a loss of appetite which
leads to major weight loss. Studies indicate that
this disease could be caused by a lack of certain
vitamins and minerals, including calcium,
phosphorous, Vitamin D and Vitamin C.

There are many other cichlid diseases that can
commonly affect your fish and most of them are
caused by deficiencies in water quality or diet.
These are just three of them. If your fish is
exhibiting abnormal behavior, he may be affected
by one of the many common cichlid diseases. You
need to identify what the disease is right away
so that you can save your fish with the proper
treatment. Identifying the disease will also
tell you if it is contagious. If it is you will
want to move the fish into a quarantine tank.

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If you want to learn about other common cichlid
diseases then head over to my site and learn.
While there I recommend that you also read about
cichlid breeding.
http://www.cichlidfishcentral.com/cichlid-fish-art
icles/5-common-cichlid-diseases/

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