say you observe symptoms in a fish...what do you do first? FYI

[Sk8r]

Say a fish is breathing hard...acting odd...
Run for the meds? Get him to qt?
GOOD IDEA...but...

FIRST just take 10 minutes to test the water he's in. Particularly check salinity, ph, temperature and alkalinity. Some odd behavior can be prompted by really uncomfortable water.
If your water tests way 'off' first correct his water and see if the behavior continues. Watch him very closely.

It isn't too often, unfortunately, that it's this simple---but certainly if you have a fish reacting to bad water conditions and you qt him in the same water, you're going to have trouble telling whether he's just irritated or if he's got a parasitic outbreak.

NOW you can move him to qt in the improved water and start meds, or hypo, if indicated.