Suspected Mycobacteria

[Duke3d]

Hi,

Via Facebook Rainbowfish group, many have signaled i most likely have a mycobacteria infection on a couple of my fish － see photos.

These are 2 of the original fish in my 5yo tank, with the most recent additions circa 1yr ago.

I have recently moved my whole collection over to a new bigger environment. 

My old tank I was planning on setting up with some big cichlids. 

The infected fish have been like this for a couple of months. Originally, I suspected damage caused by 2x large SAE － and removed them accordingly. But, with no improvement, I now have these fish in a hospital tank where I have just finished a course of Furan 2, and have some Indian leaves in water to try help healing.

Where do I go from here?

Anything else to try for these fish － or time to euthanise?

What about all my other fish?

What about my old tank? Do I actually need to strip it down and bleach it? Or?

What about my own health?

It seems so rarely discussed in nz so wondering if anyone can point me in some right directions. Should note, the fish are eating well and still have lots of energy despite their damage.

Thank you

 

[livingart]

Euthanasia is probably the best course moving forward, if it is mycobacterium it is transferable to humans so be careful of disposal methods.

https://cafishvet.com/2018/03/20/mycobacteria-in-fish/

https://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Mycobacteriosis_(Fish_Tuberculosis)

[Duke3d]

I appreciate your reply and links.

Have done a lot of extensive reading on the subject. Its actually fairly dismal if you focus on it too much as it's not preventable and present in most systems.

Sweden did a case study and found something like 84% of stock in petshops were infected. Most, of course, not showing any visual signs.

For knowledge,  the only thing to kill it, is acetic acid between 6 and 8% strength (apparently vinegar on shelf is about 5).

Incredible to me that chlorine, uv light, even drying out tanks/equipment isn't enough to kill it. 

[livingart]

It is a wonder it isn't reported more often

[Duke3d]

 

Agreed.

My assumption is its just far from our mind.

Every symptom has a more "common", or dare I say it socially acceptable possibility ie skin lesions/ulcers, bent backs etc.

Whereas in the states at least, its a common subject with many (certainly within the rainbow fish keepers).

 

[Duke3d]

Are you familiar with it, seen it etc or?

[alanmin4304]

I have seen it in goldfish that I imported many years ago. No ulcers but all the other signs were there and confirmed by bacterial cultures. The fish were destroyed.

[alanmin4304]

There have also been a number of cases in humans working in import facilities and it is the main reason why people are required to wear full length gloves.

[Duke3d]

Yes I can only imagine.

Have read about goldfish (and indeed in the Sweden study goldfish were found positive) but is strange in itself as the bacteria is not supposed to like the cold. But, it's a very resilient bacteria I guess.

Thanks for your comments.

[alanmin4304]

By all accounts it is not a pleasant disease to have or to treat.

[Duke3d]

No

Not at all

[Melissa]

HI, probably too late to help.... but though I'm just new here but been keeping freshwater fish for ~12 years. I had mycobacteria in Guppies - was horrific - and because I was so new I wanted to save them.  I eventually found kanamycin . https://www.nationalfishpharm.com/articles/mycobacteriosis.html#:~:text=Kanamycin %2B Vitamin B-6 for,of aquarium water is sufficient. antibiotic from the US and was able to treat them - wasn't really worth it just for Guppies but I couldn't bring myself to euthanise them all. 

Anyway, it did work.  The antiobiotic killed off the bacteria - those fish already displaying symptoms did not recover (though perhaps larger fish would be able to) but no further cases occurred. 

Best of luck - horrible disease, but it is curable. 

[Duke3d]

Thanks so much for reply.

I did actually order kanamycin.  Unfortunately with covid etc it arrived too late for the ones in hospital. From what I understand it can help depending on the stage the fish is at (internal organ damage etc). But I understand it does not cure, at best suppresses the bacteria. 

But I have it on hand now - so will be using it first next time -  and sadly, I'm sure there will be a next time!

 

[Melissa]

Good luck to you - I guess I was lucky that it just guppies - they have such a quick turn around compared to other fish (sounds cold, but it's true), I think they out-grew the bacteria.  Good to have the kanamycin on hand.

Oh, I read somewhere that UV light works too and I was using a UV filter as well, perhaps it was the combination of the two.