When fish suffer from respiratory disease, they will often be sitting at the surface, gasping for air. Their activity will be reduced and appetite will decline. What causes this?
This paper describes all the reasons for it.
Disorders of the Respiratory System in Pet and
Ornamental Fish
Roberts HE & SA Smith (2011). In: SE Orosz & CA
Johnson (eds), Veterinary Clinics of North America:
Exotic Animal Practice, 14(2): 179-206.
Abstract
The respiratory organ of fish is the gill. In addition to
respiration, the gills also perform functions of acid-base
regulation, osmoregulation, and excretion of nitrogenous
compounds. Because of their intimate association
with the environment, the gills are often the primary
target organ of pollutants, poor water quality, infectious
disease agents, and noninfectious problems, making
examination of the gills essential to the complete examination
of sick individual fish and fish populations.
The degree of response of the gill tissue depends on
type, severity, and degree of injury and functional
changes will precede morphologic changes. Antemortem
tests and water quality testing can, and should, be
performed on clinically affected fish whenever possible.
