Your goldfish can live for many years and if you want to keep him in the best health you want to be aware of the various goldfish diseases out there so you can recognize them in your fish. Just like any other pet, your goldfish can become ill or even die if he gets one of these diseases and is not treated promptly.



Fin rot is a common disease in goldfish. As you might have guessed from the name, this is when the fins rot looking white and ragged on the edges. What actually happens here is that bacteria gets into a cut on the fin and it gets infected - just like you could get an infection at the site of a cut. Good water quality is the key to avoiding fin rot since it will insure a healthy immune system for your fish.

Believe it or not, goldfish can suffer from constipation. Goldfish have a delicate digestive system so it's not uncommon for this to happen. If you feed your goldfish pellets and you do not pre soak them, this can cause constipation. Just like in people, a remedy for constipation in goldfish is more fiber! Try feeding him greens or peas.

If you see your goldfish floating to the top either right side up or upside down, he could be constipated or he might have swim bladder disorder. The swim bladder is there for buoyancy and sometimes it becomes over inflated cause the fish to have a tendency to float up. Since this can be caused by poor water quality or constipation be sure you do proper aquarium maintenance and get some fiber into your goldfishes diet.

One of the goldfish diseases that any aquarium owner should be on the lookout for is Ich. Not really a disease, Ich is a parasite that looks like grains of salt on your fish. These parasites can multiply rapidly in the tank so if you see an outbreak treat it quickly. If you do regular water changes your chances for Ich are less likely as they only are a problem with fish that are stressed.

Another bacterial infection you want to look out for is Dropsy. Dropsy can be very difficult to detect as it starts inside the fish. It can cause the fishes scales to stick out. Once you notice your fish has dropsy you should treat him immediately, in many cases it is usually too late. One early indication is that the fishes eyes pop out so if you notice this seek treatment immediately.

Another parasite that can attach itself to your goldfish is anchor worm. If your fish has this, he'll be rubbing himself like crazy trying to get rid of it. The attachment area on your goldfish will have a red ring and the parasite itself is like a white stick.

Hole in the head disease can be a problem for aquarium fish. This starts as tiny holes in your fishes head. Your fish will become lethargic and you might find trials of slime coat hanging from him.

Watching your fish closely for any of these goldfish diseases is important for you fishes good health.