FISH TB? I'm freaking out...

[Debisbooked]

Help. I have a zebra danio in a 10g community tank (4 danios, 5 tetras) that has a curved spine. (No open sores but this seems to be controversial whether sores are always evident or not). It has looked like this for about 3-4 weeks now, I am thinking. The fish eats and swims, but does hide out behind the filter during the day because another danio harries it. (The other danio is crazy, I think. It hates all other fish). I have had this fish for about 1 1/2 years.

Someone mentioned fish TB to me and I have been reading about this. Now I am freaking out because I do put bare hands into the tank many times (no more after this!) plus I saw a few pics online of TB in/on human fingers and arms. Not nice.

My question: can I treat this fish with something? (What Brand? Where to buy it?). Do I treat the whole tank because they have all been exposed? Do I just kill this fish and hope the others are okay? (This fish does not look in any pain right now). I read something about kyamycin (spelling?) as it may help but it has to be used every day for a month. I am assuming isolation for this one fish is mandatory, at least.

I do a 30% water change (with gravel vacuum) once a week and rinse out the filter pads every two weeks. I test the water high quality test kit and nitrate, nitrite, and ammonia are all WNL. I feed all fish a high quality fish flake and (occasionally) dried brine shrimp once a day.

I am setting up a 75g and these fish were supposed to go in it. Someone else said on another forum that I must not transfer anything or any fish from this tank to the next. Is this correct? Can I wait some time (weeks? months?) to see if the other fish are infected?

Please, anyone who has experience with this please advise me.

 

[Roan Art]

If that fish had TB it would be dead by now, and most likely your other fish as well. TB is slow, but it's not *that* slow

I'd suspect Neon Tetra Disease in this case more than I would TB, but if he's been like that for 3-4 weeks with no other symptoms, then I think it's probably just some genetic defect doesn't show up until the fish gets older.

He's probably hiding because he's not "normal" and the other fish know that. He has a handicap and in the wild fish that are impaired are usually killed. Or end up someone's lunch.

Does he act sick? Clamped fins or anything like that? If he doesn't act sick and isn't stressed, then I would leave well enough alone. Treating him for something he may or may not have could make it worse.

If it makes you feel better, QT him for a while and see what happens. Don't treat him with meds or anything unless he does start to look peavish.

Roan

 

[Debisbooked]

If that fish had TB it would be dead by now, and most likely your other fish as well. TB is slow, but it's not *that* slow

I'd suspect Neon Tetra Disease in this case more than I would TB, but if he's been like that for 3-4 weeks with no other symptoms, then I think it's probably just some genetic defect doesn't show up until the fish gets older.]

Thanks Roan for that lucid explanation. There are no other signs of sickness. Fins are fine, he eats well, "skin" looks normal, and he swims around beyond the filter (when the other danio is not looking that is). Most of the web pages that talk about TB say it is a disease of neglectful care but these fish have been pampered from day one so I don't accept that reason.

I've just been sitting here most the evening planning his funeral. Unless he gets worse or looks unhappy I will do nothing.

 

[partsrep]

I had a swordtail with exactly the same symptoms. I QT'd it and that didn't help. He seemed healthy, but bent and kept to himself. Eventually he died after about a month. I never did figure out the cause and I too thoght of TB and freaked out. But I'm still here and so are all the other fish. Interestingly enough I did lose all my neons soon after that to neon tetra disease.
Since then the tank has been as healthy as I can expect. All my new fish that go in there smile at me with that "wow, this is nice" look. LOL

 

[tinytnt]

I had a zebra once that did the same thing... I know it wasn't like that when I brought it home, had it a few weeks or so, then the curved spine thing. Actually, I think that's when I came across this site.

I read somewhere through the course of my searching (don't even know if it was on here or not) that sometimes they can curve that way due to malnutrition. I was, at the time, feeding only once per day, so I began feeding twice a day, and within a few days, the zebra was back to normal shape.

Hope this helps! Good luck.

 

[Roan Art]

Thanks Roan for that lucid explanation. There are no other signs of sickness. Fins are fine, he eats well, "skin" looks normal, and he swims around beyond the filter (when the other danio is not looking that is). Most of the web pages that talk about TB say it is a disease of neglectful care but these fish have been pampered from day one so I don't accept that reason.

TB isn't a disease of neglect. It's something that a lot of fish carry without showing symptoms and it can manifest when the fish is overly stressed. Territory issues, introducing new fish, fighting, injuries -- anything that really stresses or injures a fish can cause TB to begin to present.

Of course, bad water quality doesn't help either, and most people usually see it when they have ammonia or nitrite spikes.

I've just been sitting here most the evening planning his funeral. Unless he gets worse or looks unhappy I will do nothing.

As someone pointed out, it could be a diet issue as well -- lack of vitamin C. I usually don't mention that aspect because most fish foods contain a fair amount of veggie matter, but some people don't feed a balanced diet. Not saying you don't

Try putting in some blanched zucchini or other squash (which is really a fruit) in the tank. Weigh it down with a fork so it doesn't float away or clip it to the sides with a veggie clip. Even if it doesn't help that particular fish, most will eat and enjoy it.

Makes for a nice snack.

Roan

 

[tinytnt]

As someone pointed out, it could be a diet issue as well -- lack of vitamin C. I usually don't mention that aspect because most fish foods contain a fair amount of veggie matter, but some people don't feed a balanced diet. Not saying you don't Roan

In my particular case, it wasn't WHAT I was feeding, but how often. Appearantly my zebra wasn't getting enough food. I didn't change the food at all, just increased feedings from once to twice per day.

Don't have any idea about veggies in a tank. Will soon find out, but I'm still new enough, and Roan's experienced enough, that if it comes down to it, I'd go with her experience.

 

[Roan Art]

In my particular case, it wasn't WHAT I was feeding, but how often. Appearantly my zebra wasn't getting enough food. I didn't change the food at all, just increased feedings from once to twice per day.

If you think about it though, it could still mean not enough vitamin C. If there is only X amount in the food you are feeding and you feed it twice, then they are getting 2 * X, right?

Don't have any idea about veggies in a tank. Will soon find out, but I'm still new enough, and Roan's experienced enough, that if it comes down to it, I'd go with her experience.

The vitamin C stuff is just something I read about here and there. Feeding veggies, and assuming your fish eat them, certainly can't hurt. In reality, why not some fresh roughage in the ol' diet?

My rainbows won't pick at veggies, but they hover over the fish that are eating them. At first I thought they were nipping those guys, but when I watched more closely I saw that they were grabbing pieces that flew out of the clowns' and cories' mouths and munching them down. Was rather neat because they kept the free-floating pieces from settling elsewhere in the tank and rotting.

Roan

 

[tinytnt]

If you think about it though, it could still mean not enough vitamin C. If there is only X amount in the food you are feeding and you feed it twice, then they are getting 2 * X, right? Roan

lol Well, I guess if you REALLY want to get technical, it could mean a LOT of things... could even mean that they needed the salt from my fingertip twice a day instead of just once.

 

[Roan Art]

lol Well, I guess if you REALLY want to get technical, it could mean a LOT of things... could even mean that they needed the salt from my fingertip twice a day instead of just once.

Aw, awa' wid ya!

Roan