The red pest disease is one of the common illnesses that affect goldfish.
Goldfish red pest disease treatment is needed because bloody streaks can appear on their fins, tail, and body of fish.
In this article I will show you how to identify red pest disease in your goldfish and what you should do to treat it.
Goldfish Red Pest Disease Treatment
Below is a list of things you will need for Goldfish red pest disease treatment
- Water Testing Kit
- Aquarium Salt
- Methylene Blue
Move the infected goldfish into a separate tank then add aquarium salt to the water as well as a bacterial medications such as Methylene Blue.
Treatment Of Red Spot Disease In Goldfish
Red spot disease will be caused by a bacterial infection and the best way to cure this is to add aquarium salt and Methylene Blue to the aquariums water.
You should:
- improve the quality of the water
- the overall cleanliness of the tank
- carry out some water testing
- improve the water parameters.
- isolate the affected fish
- Add antibiotics to the food of goldfish in the ideal quantity
The water condition of the tank is also a significant factor that can determine how the disease will thrive in the tank. Bacterial infections are not common in clean aquarium tanks.
You can prevent this disease by ensuring that your aquarium tank is kept clean at all times.
What Is Red Pest Disease?
Red pest disease is a disease that significantly affects the general welfare of fish. The condition causes red spots on fins and tails of fish, thus allowing it to appear like the fish is bleeding, but the disease is not contagious.
The bloody streak does not have to appear in all the parts before you know it is red pest disease. It sometimes affects only either the body or fins.
The causative bacteria agent of this disease is an opportunistic bacterium and often gets a hold on weakened fish.
These streaks could proceed to become ulceration, and it can consequently lead to fin and tail rot. In severe cases, the decay can cause tails and fins to fall off entirely.

What Are The Red Spots On My Goldfish?
The red spots on a goldfish are a sign that there are external parasites on your fish. The red spots are rashes that have developed from the irritation.
If the red spots are large enough to see with the eye then the condition is quite serious.
If your goldfish is turning black take a look at this article to find out why.
How Do You Treat Red Spots In Goldfish
To treat red spots in goldfish you will need to do the following
- Test the aquariums water using a Water Testing Kit
- Replace 50% of the water in your aquarium
- Add aquarium salt to the water
- Add Methylene Blue to the water
What Causes Red Pest Disease In Goldfish
Red spot disease in goldfish is mostly as a result of bacterial infection and poor water quality. In most cases, these two factors can complement each other to make goldfish susceptible.
Ordinarily, these causative bacteria cannot get hold of healthy fishes, and poor water quality can affect the health of the fish.
Red pest disease can be a result of infection from a bacterium known as Bacterium cyprinid, which is an opportunistic organism that cannot affect healthy fishes.
Bacterium cyprinid is a pathogenic bacterium common in aquariums, ponds, and other aquatic environments.’
Is Red Spot Disease a Fungus?
Yes. It can be caused by a fungus known as Aphanomyces invadans. It is typical for showing red lesions or bleeding streaks; it can result in deep ulcers.
Aside from the fact that this fungus can cause red spot disease on its own, it can also make room for secondary bacterial infection.
Also, non-living factors can be responsible for the red spot disease in fish such as:
- poor water conditions
- poor feeding
- high level of ammonia
- high nitrate level
Is Red Pest Disease Contagious In Goldfish?
Red pest disease itself will not spread from one goldfish to another, The disease is spread through poor water conditions, so if one of your fish has the disease, your other goldfish will most likely also get the disease.
Red pest disease will attack and infect goldfish that have weak immune systems. If your fish are in poor water conditions it is only a matter of time before they will get poorly.
The red pest disease will come from some bad bacteria in your tank, check for the source such as
- Dead Fish
- Rotten Food
- Blocked / Dirty Filter
- High or Low Levels of pH and Ammonia
Recommended Antibiotics For Treatment
There are a variety of antibiotics that can be active as internal medication for red spot disease.
- Tetracycline
- Chloromycetin [chloramphenicol]
These are the two most common antibiotics that are effective in the treatment of red spot disease. The concentration of these antibiotics is also crucial in determining how effective it will work.
If for some reason, the fish fails to ingest the food, you can add the antibiotics directly into the tank. You can add 10mg of antibiotics per 1 liter of water. This method is, however, not as effective as mixing antibiotics with fish food.
You can also clean the tank with fish disinfectants like:
- acriflavine [trypaflavine]
- monacolin [mono aminoacridine]
You should, however, discontinue the use of antibiotics if the fish are not comfortable with it.
Conclusion
Red spot disease in goldfish can be a significant cause of concern to aquarium owners. It is life-threatening and can result in the overall deterioration of fish life.
Nevertheless, this disease can remain under check by ensuring that your fish live under perfect conditions. You can also get rid of this disease with the simple use of antibiotics.
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