Editorial Policy

Last updated: November 2026

FishSymptoms exists to give freshwater keepers fast, honest answers about fish behavior and tank problems. This page states plainly who writes here, where the guidance comes from, and what we will and will not claim.

Who writes this site

Everything on FishSymptoms is written by long-time aquarium hobbyists — not veterinarians. Our authors have kept and bred species like bettas, goldfish, tetras, and corydoras for years, often dealing with the exact symptom pages they write. We are experienced keepers sharing what reliably works, and we say so directly: none of us holds a veterinary degree, and nothing on this site is a diagnosis.

Where the information comes from

Our guidance reflects widely-established aquarium husbandry practice: the water-cycle, water-change, temperature, salinity, and quarantine approaches that repeat consistently across decades of published hobby literature, established aquaculture references, and extension-service and fishkeeping educational material. Where keepers and sources disagree (for example, salt treatments or medication choices), we present the common ground first and note the disagreement rather than picking a side for attention.

When to consult a veterinarian

For severe cases — rapid die-offs, suspected internal illness, injury, or any situation where your fish is suffering and basic husbandry fixes aren't turning things around within a few days — consult a veterinarian experienced with aquatic animals where one is available. Exotic-animal and aquatic-practicing vets exist in most regions; your regular vet's office or an aquarium society can point you to one. Our pages are educational background for that conversation, never a replacement for it.

Affiliate disclosure

This site may earn a commission from some gear purchases. In short: gear pages carry Amazon Associate disclosures right on the pages themselves, stating that we earn from qualifying purchases. Commissions never change what we recommend — product picks are based on husbandry usefulness, and a page with no affiliate links earns us nothing from it.

Corrections

Husbandry knowledge improves, and hobbyists catch things authors miss. If you believe a page is wrong, outdated, or misleading, email corrections@fishsymptoms.com. We check every report against established practice, fix the page when it's warranted, and update the "Last updated" date. General questions go to hello@fishsymptoms.com.