AILMENTS AND DISEASES 



Swimming Bladder. Trouble. The confinement incident to ex- 

 istence in the aquarium, together with water impurities and insufficient 

 aeration cause affections of the swimming bladder of the goldfish ; but it 

 is more likely that such diseases are congenital and due to malformations 

 of the bladder, as they occur most frequently in highly bred, very short- 

 bodied fishes. The disease is not always noticeable in its incipiency 

 but develops more and more, becoming evident in the second and third 

 months by irregular action and later by partial or entire lack of control 

 over the movements. For example, the fishes may not be able to rise 

 from the bottom of the aquarium, or may swim only on the surface of the 

 water, often in reversed position ; or they may only be able to swim with 

 the tail uppermost, or altogether on their sides. 



A fish may have this affliction, be strong, eat well and grow; but it 

 is unsatisfactory in appearance and undesirable to breed from, as many 

 of the progeny may be similarly afflicted. This ailment is most general 

 with the Chinese varieties, and the transparently-scaled white fishes with 

 blue eyes are most usually so affected. Diseases of the liver and spleen 

 produce similar symptoms. Sometimes it is due only to too cold water. 



Treatment. No cure or method of alleviation is known,though keep- 

 ing the fish in water at a temperature of 60° F. and over, has been found 

 to be beneficial ; because fishes so afflicted become worse or entirely help- 

 less in cold water. Unless the fish is valuable it is best to destroy it, in 

 order to put it out of its apparent misery. Castor oil and other remedies 

 for Constipation, however, should first be tried. 



Dropsy. This is not a disease in itself but is a symptom secondary 

 to an affection of the liver or the spleen. It produces a distended appear- 

 ance of the fish by the presence of serum in its tissues, together with loss 

 of the control of its movements. In advanced cases, there is a ruffled 

 appearance of the scales, and sometimes a protrusion of the eyes and oper- 

 culse and finally complete helplessness and death. 



Treatment. No cure, either in fishes or other animals, is known 

 for this affection of the liver, and its resultant dropsy. If the fish is other- 

 wise strong, has a good appetite and assimilates its food, palliative measures 

 by surgical operation, similar to that used with mankind, (tapping), will 

 often prolong life for years and keep the fish in apparently good condition, 

 although the operation may have to be frequently repeated. When the 

 abdomen is greatly distended, a small trocar, (a hypodermatic needle is 

 excellent for this purpose), inserted on each side from below upward and 

 outward, just under the skin, will open canals through the connective 

 tissue, which will enable the serum to exude, thus reducing the diameter 

 and relieving the condition. It is, of course, imperative that no organ of 

 the body is injured. This operation has been performed five times in 



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