gl - Theory - People in the US - with relatively good feeding habits and
cleaning habits have noticed a few things, maybe we're onto something maybe not.
1) B. Benson, you from Oz may have remembered him, he came down to one of the
ANGFA events used to tell me he almost never had to worry about ulcers. As they
changed his redwood city (San Francisco) water to a different source he had an
increase in problems AND he had a harder time producing eggs and fry from his
favourite fishes - the bows from NG. He told me that he was sure his water was
200 ppm +, that he had measured it himself. In the year that he was having
troubles I took some water (and fish) home when I visited and it was 110 ppm
(17.9 ppm = 1 degree GH) - very good for plants but IMHO (theory) not so good
for new guinea bows. He still was doing the same amounts of water changes and
the temps were about the same. Sherry (at that time Bressett) Taylor, our
treasurer used to tell me that every once in a while she would get an isolated
ulcer on her fish but by doing a few water changes they would spontaneously
clear up. Her water was 250 ppm + as measured by my test kit. Sherry was not
as fastidious as I am (or as I try to be) about water changes but the theory is
that those of us in harder water (~200 ppm) usually don't have a problem.
I have water at 140-160 ppm with a KH of 1 degree. If I don't keep after my
water changes (50% every 2 weeks) I tend to get ulcers on some of the new guinea
fish (also goyder R trifasciatas). Scott Buckel, when he lived in Terre Haute
(Indiania) had water in the 450 ppm + range and thought I was crazy bringing up
the problems of ulcers. I think I remember him saying that he didn't change
water as much as I did. BTW other fishes that we have kept really don't get
this disease it is only the bows, especially the NG variety. We have also
found that larger water changes, cooler waters, harder water (shell grit or
coral) can help reduce the ulcers. IMO reduced feeding doesn't help. Anyway
that is our current "theory". We're very interested in how you see this
problem. Please list your water hardness for any responses if you see something
contrary to this
gl - Mycobacterium is the generia of bacteria that causes tuberculosis and also
leprosy (M. leprae). In the case of our fishes it is Myco. marinarium (sp).
Staining mycobacterium is not a straightforward procedure & I guess the
diagnosis in our fish may not be that easy either. As an undergrad it was not
an easy stain to perform. I think I remember a back issue of ANGFA or the info
bulletin suggesting that a Vibro organism? was the culprit in one case.
Common consensus in the US and at least a few Oz folks is that ulcers are
caused largely by poor water quality. What "poor" water quality means
is anyones guess. Is it high bacterial load (my vote), or high
nitrate/nitrite, or something else water quality related. I have seen a
case where an undergravel filter was tampered with and a bunch of
smelling gunk came out. Next day, some of the bows had begun to show
ulcers which did develop and kill the fish. I was surprised by how
quickly they appeared. Anyone have any other thoughts to what causes
ulcers with their evidence for it? I doubt it is protein related. Gavin
Rich in Adelaide feeds his bows a lot of fat free beef heart and heavily
water changes his fish. He has never seen an ulcer and he has kept a
variety of species for many years.
I've heard at least two different "diagnoses" as to what an ulcer is.
Mycobacterium and tuberculosis. Anyone got any more?
Tootles
Peter