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I have a feeling there are more reports of columnaris and lethal bacteria than the usual. it might be me and my own grim experience, or it might be a real rise in inefctions.

have I become more attentive to such reports, or is it real?
if this is true, then is it a seasonal problem?

Bob,

I think the disease problems have always existed within the hobby. However, hobbyists have traditionally been isolated and or forced to research diseases on their own or through their lfs and local fish club. With the internet, we have a plethora of resources to diagnose the nasties that we arise. Additionally, we can benefit from the experiences of a wider circle of people...

__________
"To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research."
researched from Steven Wright

I think it's an issue of once you're aware of X you notice X much more.

If anything, they could be going the way of ich. I remember reading a few years back concern over ich becoming more and more resistant to medications due to people treating it improperly.
Similar thing is happening with humans who spray antibacterial or use anibacterial soap improperly.

If there's any lesson to be learned is to be sure of what your treating and how you're treating it. Additionally purchase from more reputable sources, if and when available.

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My sudden deaths was caused by a very strong bacteria which blooms in our water just as the weather starts to warm up. It killed all my good bacteria in my Eheim Pro11 system. By changing the water just brought more of the same bacteria into the tank.

I had to feed the system with lots of live bacteria as the tank basically had to do a complete recycle again.

Just think we drink this stuff

Have a look in [link=My Profile]http://
www.fishprofiles.com/interactive/forums/profile.asp?userid=6741" style="COLOR: #00FF00[/link] for my tank info

[link=Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tanks]http://photobucket.com/albums/b209/keithgh/Betta%20desktop%20tank/" style="COLOR: #00FF00[/link]

Keith

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I think its probably no coincidence that a lot of shops and breeders who use filter systems linked to nearly all their aquaria are partially to blame, but also the invent of the internet will mean that more cases come to light than before. Theres probably never been more fish species available to the average hobbyist, and that means a great many more strains of disease than weve ever seen before. Some meds have also been in circulation long enough for bacteria to start becoming resistant to them. There are factors that will certainly increase disease levels as the hobby becomes ever larger, just as it has with reptiles and birds.

In all fields folks will have to start becoming aware that the only way to stop this is not to have too many communities from different regions of the world mixed together, breeders and importers really need to start adequate quarantine procedures.

Water companies too will have to start using ever more volatile treatments to clean water to cope with the rise in the human population.I think in the next 20 years we could see RO units becoming a required part of the hobby,as will be a minimum level of vetinary knowledge for most keepers.I already know keepers of more valuable aquaria who store and treat water well in advance of using it for water changes, using RO filters UV filters and chemicals to make it safe,and I think this practice will really catch on.

Personally I think the situation will have to get worse before it gets better. Sadly thats often the way when money is involved.I think a lot of people will eventually give up aquaria related hobbies, quite simply because it is too tricky for uninitiates to keep things alive. Hobbies like fishkeeping, herpetology and bird keeping are nearly always more fun before they become really popular.Its the masses that always ruin it for the gifted few.The long -timers always benefit from the new technologies and cheaper prices that technology brings, but several decades into many animal related hobbies people get stupid with mixing species, selective breeding, and huge holding pens, tanks etc. It causes problems for everybody.

The idea of what truly makes a good community fish needs to be re-assessed.Its clear to me that some species are suitable for some communities. Mixing any species without due consideration will always lead to disease issues.It would be good if shops were to become a bit more helpful in that regard.

Humans always like to run before they can walk.



Last edited by longhairedgit at 30-Nov-2005 21:25