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I've had an 80 gallon mbuna tank up and running for several years. Over the last six months or so, I've noticed a recurrent outbreak of a disease which I haven't been able to identify or treat properly, but which has steadily taken almost all of my stock. Today I've been reading up on fish tubeculosis, and I'm beginning to suspect that this may be what's in my tank. The symptoms of the affected fish are:

* rapid weight loss, beginning with a hollow belly but swiftly deteriorating into emaciation, not longer after which the fish dies
* loss of equilibrium and lethargy closer to death
* a relatively drawn-out death, sometimes taking days or even up to a week even when the fish looks extremely unwell (I have euthanised several fish when I can't bear to see them suffering like this)
* dark rims around the eyes, eyes slightly protruding as well (but could be due to the weight loss)
* some discolouration on the body

Some symptoms of TB haven't appeared, such as lesions or wounds, nodules, loss of appetite (the fish seem to eat well even when extremely thin) and, for the most part, curvature of the spine. However, I have noticed that the latest fish to be affected has been bending its body in an unnatural way, often while lying on the substrate, but he doesn't stay this way, nor has he died yet - in fact I just saw him swimming normally around the tank, though he looks very thin and ill.

A few months ago I decided, with the help of a thread in here, that it was likely due to internal parasites, although there was no trademark white stringy faeces in the tank. I treated twice with an antibiotic, which seemed to work for a while, but I soon saw the symptoms appearing again.

I'm very concerned that TB might be present, as it is notoriously difficult to treat. I have no hospital tank set up at present that I could remove the visibly affected fish to.

Currently the tank occupants are a johannii, a labidochromis hongi, a socolofi and four crabro. Ph is at about 8, ammonia and nitrite zilch, nitrate less than 5ppm.

The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. - Oscar Wilde

Hey JB,
I was talking to a petshop owner last week about fish tb. She had it go through a couple of her tanks and killed everything in there. For memory i think she said that she removed the tanks, cleaned them with bleach or something like that and left the tanks empty for a while. (no more outbreaks)I dont know how long ago, I got the feeling that it was in the last 12 months. She said that she did not know how to treat it and the only thing she could do was get rid of all infected fish and equipment. Hope you don't have it in your fish, sounds like a massive problem.
I will try to find out more when i next talk to her.
I just thrown on a couple of links that may help.
http://www.cichlidcity.com.au/-forum-/kb.php?mode=article&k=33
http://www.thekrib.com/Diseases/fish-tb.html

Too many Kid's, not enough Fish

The contagious form of TB is very harsh and meds won't help unfortunately.

It's recommended to euthanize the inhabitants, sterilyze the tank, and anything that has come into contact with the contaminated water. Right down to gravel siphons, filters, decor, nets. Pitch the gravel and the filter media, and possibly the airlines too.

Wear waterproof gloves so as to minimize exposure.
It's possible for TB to be transferred to humans.

I'm sorry to hear of this, to have to lose a few fish is sad enough, but the whole tank is very unfortunate. To find a positive in this, is that once you have dealt with this pathogen, you can start over with a clean slate.
Best of luck,
DaFish




The Amazon Nut...

Hi JB I just realized how late my post was. Me stupid.
Anyways, what did you end up doing ?

The Amazon Nut...