How to Treat Saprolegniasis (Fungus) in Blood Parrot Fish
📝 Summary
Saprolegniasis (also called cotton fungus) is a common skin disease in blood parrot fish, possible year-round. It starts from wounds or poor water quality that lets fungus take hold, and shows as white cotton-like growth. Isolate the sick fish, disinfect the tank, and treat with salt baths.
1 Blood Parrot Fish Fungus (Saprolegniasis)
Why Blood Parrot Fish Get Fungus
Saprolegniasis, also called dermal mycosis, usually begins when a fish is stressed in transport, attacked by parasites, or injured, or when uneaten food and waste build up because the owner doesn’t change the water, spoiling it and breeding mold. The fungus then invades the wound or skin and causes the disease.
Symptoms
Early fungus appears as white spots, much like white spot disease, but by mid-stage the spots become white patches with cotton-like fluff, and appetite drops. In late stage the fish loses its red-brown color, looks dull and cloudy, moves sluggishly, may stop eating, and can die.
Treatment
First, isolate the sick fish from healthy ones and replace the tank water, disinfecting the tank to stop the fungus spreading.
Then give the sick fish a 10% aquarium salt bath—about 10 minutes, four to five times a day, for a week. For severe cases, increase to seven or eight times a day. Use salt made for fish; if you use table salt instead, lower the concentration to 3%, since stronger table salt harms the fish more.
Note: during treatment, stop feeding and change the tank water daily to cure the fungus faster and more effectively.
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