Improper water changes and poorly adjusted filters can create excess gas and cause serious health problems.
Gas bubble disease is a disorder that occurs when the aquarium water accumulates excess amount of dissolved gasesThese gases are released within the fish's tissues, forming bubbles and affecting feathers, gills, skin, eyes, even blood vessels and internal organsThe disorder is rare, but serious, because the bubbles physically impede blood circulation, breathing, and normal tissue function.
Most often appears after sudden water changes, from improper pump/filter operation or because of unstable parameters in the aquarium, emphasizes The Spruce Pets.
Causes of gas bubble disease
Gas overload it happens more often when cold water, rich in dissolved gases, added directly to a warmer aquarium. Temperature difference It promotes the immediate release of gases, which then enter the fish's body.
Another common cause is filter adjusted incorrectly: if the flow is too strong or badly directed, the pump may breathe air through microcracks, creating very small bubbles that enter the gills. A similar problem also occurs in aquariums with CO₂ system, especially in those with plants, where excessive gas injection leads to pH fluctuations and an increase in the amount of gas dissolved in the water.
If CO₂ is injected night, when the lights are off and plants don't produce oxygen, the risk is even greater. Under these conditions, microscopic bubbles can be seen on plants, decor or on the walls of the aquarium, a early visual sign that the gases are being released very quickly and the conditions are not favorable, the Telegraph reports.
Signs of the disease and treatment
The first signs usually appear in feather, because they are made of thin layers of tissue where bubbles easily get stuck, he emphasizes PetMD. Feathers take shape translucent, cracked, or swollenIn more advanced forms, blisters appear under the skin, in the body, in the gills and especially in sy, where they cause swelling and blurred vision.
The fish starts to swim disoriented, has difficulty maintaining balance, breathing accelerates and often stays near the bottom or surface in search of a more stable layer of water. Bubbles in the blood vessels further worsen the condition, because obstruct the oxygen supply, leading to rapid fatigue and increased mortality. Often fish refuse food, as impaired circulation also affects the functioning of the digestive system.
How is it treated and how is it prevented?
Treatment is based on rapid removal of the cause:
- The water added should be long-lasting for the gases to evaporate on their own, or at least the water should have a temperature close to that of the aquarium.
- Check the pump and filter. to see if they are breathing air; the flow should be stable, but not very strong.
- If used CO₂ system, he must precisely regulated, especially if pH fluctuations are observed between day and night.
- Increase surface ventilation until the parameters return to normal, because this way the gases are removed from the water faster than on a calm surface.
Once the source of the problem is eliminated, the bubbles gradually withdraw from the tissuesRecovery may take time. from a few days to a few weeks, depending on the degree of gas supersaturation and the resistance of the fish species. /Telegraph/
