Although fungal infections in fish can be very worrisome, they can be treated with an antifungal medication called fluconazole. To learn about fungus infections and how much fluconazole you should give fish, read this guide.

How Fluconazole Treats Fungal Infections

Fungi’s lives depend on their cell membranes’ ability to produce a substance called ergosterol. Fish fluconazole interferes with ergosterol production, which causes the cell membranes to die. Because Fluconazole kills cell membranes, it also kills the infected fungi. Thus, it stops the spread of fungal infections.

Aquarium Treatment Dosage

Every five gallons of aquarium water call for a 100-milligram tablet of fluconazole. Administer this treatment for five days in a row. For a five-gallon tank, you should administer a total of 500 milligrams of fluconazole. Make sure to do partial water changes between every fluconazole treatment.

Causes of Fungus Infections

The most common cause for fungus infections is contaminated aquarium water. However, fungus infections can also be caused by crowded tanks and aquariums, as well as internal fish damage from bullies.

Fungus Treated by Fluconazole

Two types of fungus infections treated with fluconazole include Saprolegnia and Ichthyophonus hoferi fungus. Saprolegnia is often caused by unclean water contaminated by dead fish. The infection damages the internal organs and deep tissues of other fish. One of the biggest symptoms of this particular infection is a light gray growth on the fish’s body.

Unlike Saprolegnia, Ichthyophonus hoferi is a rare infection that typically occurs in older fish. The infection is caused by infected raw fish food. The first symptom you will notice is a black growth on the fish. Some other physical symptoms include circular swimming motions, loss of color, and bulging eyes. The fish will also form ulcers and cysts in and around their organs.

Now that you know about the causes and symptoms of fungal infections and how much fluconazole treatment you should give fish, you can keep your fish’s environment free of infected fungi. If your fish has any other infections, you can check out our wide variety of fish antibiotics. If you have any questions about fluconazole for your fish tank, check out our site and give us a call today.