Re: [RML] Strange "bleached-out" spots on Rainbowfish

Randy Rader (trumpet at home.com)
Wed, 30 Dec 1998 23:35:43 -0600

I just finished reading your article at your web site. I found it most
interesting! I thought Mycobacteriosis sounded familiar, as, I was
treated a few years ago for the TB germ present in my body. I had to
take pills for 9 months to get irradicate it from my body. It is gone,
although I still will have a positive result from testing.
I'm going to have to take very cautious measures when I work in my tanks
so as not to contract anything from them. I should have thought of this
a long time ago as I have a very compromised immune system, myself!
Thank you and thanks to all of the others for your information and
insight into this for me.

Regards,
Randy

Adrian Tappin wrote:
>
> At 05:46 29/12/98 -0600, you wrote:
> >Thanks, again for the information. I've just done a water change and
> >have lowered the temps in all my tanks to 26 degrees Celsius. I'll see
> >how they do.
> >Is there anything chemically you use to combat this? I have medications
> >for bacterial infections and secondary infections that go along with
> >them. Will these help?
>
> Unfortunately, Mycobacteriosis is non-treatable. There is no known treatment
> to stop it in aquarium fish (human anti-tuberculosis drugs are ineffective)
> and it will progress despite your best efforts. The recommended treatment
> for infected fish is euthanasia. If several fish become infected in the same
> aquarium, it is usually assumed that the survivors are carriers and that
> they be treated accordingly. It is generally believed that infected fishes
> are the main source and reservoir of mycobacteria in aquaria. Dead fish,
> which have died from mycobacteria infection, and live carrier fish, can
> spread these bacteria.
>
> I have just uploaded an article on this disease on my web site this morning
> and it gives some general information and details my own personal
> experience with this problem. It also give you a couple of other sites to visit.
>
> Adrian.
>
> Adrian R. Tappin
> "Home of the Rainbowfish"
> http://www.ecn.net.au/~atappin/home.htm