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

Adrian Tappin (atappin at ecn.net.au)
Thu, 31 Dec 1998 03:20:20 +1000

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