Your general thoughts on fish tuberculosis?

R

ROLLIN

fanta fanta, do you want a fanta?
Dec 4, 2001
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New Brunswick, Canada
To me, I figure once it's in an aquarium, you're basically doomed until you tear it down and sterilize it. Or is this not the case?
 
I really scared it will happen to me. I Can't think of tearing down My aquarium right now, as much work I've put into it.
 
Can the Tb shots you get protect you against the fish TB?
 
new2tanks said:
Can the Tb shots you get protect you against the fish TB?
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I think it may be an entirely different organism, so may not help. Vaccines and antibodies can be very specific.

Yeah, fish TB scares me, too. But, if it's any consolation, it seems to be quite rare. But if you happen to be unlucky enough to get it in your tank, it is devastating to your fish and easily dangerous to you as well. The treatment for humans who have contracted fish TB is months of antibiotics, I believe.

ROLLIN, I noticed that you had another thread about Fish TB in July. It seems you haven't gotten your answer, huh? I think the risk is truly not enough that you should worry about it constantly, or consider getting out of the fish-keeping hobby, though. I hope that someone can tell you something to make you feel better :)
 
What causes this to happen to a tank? I'm going to guess and say poor water quality, but is that the lone suspect here?
 
sly (and other folks who are interested), check out this site
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/VM055

From that page, it appears that the strain of bacteria responsible for fish TB (Myobacterium) are sometimes immune to bleach. They recommend using alcohol to clean the tank.
 
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This was posted by someone on another forum, and confirms my worst aquarium nightmare.


someone on a different forum said:
Yup.

Of course, we never know the prevalence of small numbers of Mycobacterium marinum in the normal aquarium environment. But if fish have been infected, the bacterial load is very great and the mycobacteria are not like normal bacteria. They are tough-coated, can withstand heat and drying, and are slow growing so not very affected by antibacterials. For example, treatment for infected humans is a 9 month course of multiple antimycobacterials. Treating fish is ineffective.

Even scrubbing the tank is not very effective on it's own, you will need to spray liberally with isopropyl acohol and allow to dry (in a well-ventilated area and NO NAKED FLAMES AND NO SMOKING!!!) and repeat several times, making sure that all the nooks and crannies are soaked. I personally would dump the lot and start again if the entire aquarium collection is just one tank and a Q tank. Including nets, tubing, filters, anything that can't be throughly soaked overnight in 70% isopropyl alcohol or autoclaved. And I'd wait several months.

It's such a pity that it's got a grip in the rainbowfish hobby (allegedly). Some fish seem much more susceptible than others, but when an infected fish is in the system, 100% losses can be expected.

Fortunately, it's not happened to me yet.
But I knew someone who lost his entire stock for the second time in 10 years, then gave up the hobby. He told me he assumed he'd failed to eradicate it from his aquarium equipment and reinfected the next lot of fish, and couldn't face it all over for a thrid time.
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plah831 said:
ROLLIN, I noticed that you had another thread about Fish TB in July. It seems you haven't gotten your answer, huh? I think the risk is truly not enough that you should worry about it constantly, or consider getting out of the fish-keeping hobby, though. I hope that someone can tell you something to make you feel better :)
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A few years back I had a few white clouds with bent spines and I have been paranoid since. They were all from the same spawn, so it could have been birth defects. But I am a pessimest and always think of the worst case scenario. The most annoying thing about it is that there are many symptoms this disease shares with others. Clamped fins for example, you can see that in just about any fish ailment. I'm going to have to get a fish professionally tested at a vet before it drives me insane. If what I suspect is true, I may just take all of my aquariums one by one, toss them on the dump and watch them smash. What's the point of getting any fish if they are doomed from the beginning and don't stand a chance?
 
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awww, don't think like that! There are other things that can cause twisted spines, too. As you said, birth defects and parasites which infect the connective tissue can lead to the same symptom. Those are much more common, I'd think than fish TB.

I'm glad you have the presence of mind to get a bacterial culture tested by a professional before you decide to give it up, though. I don't think that your fish, or anyone else who is responsible, are doomed from the beginning. If you've already had a tank with a confirmed case of TB, THEN I guess you'd be doomed. I'd even watch the tanks smash with you :D

But aquaria are just too good for our well-being (stability in life, lowered blood pressure, sense of accomplishment) that I feel the benefits far outweigh the risks.
 
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