Please try to get the affected fish pathologically assessed so you know
whether your concerns are warranted. The trouble with this disease is that
we don't have a simple, cheap and reliable test for this rotten bug.
You have accurately assessed the potential for "unconcious" spread of this
problem and because it is the great pretender/imitator any sick fish may
represent the problem. Unfortunately unless there is a definitive diagnosis
your concerns may or may not be warranted.
Regards,
Bruce.
Bruce Hansen, A.N.G.F.A., Advancing Australian Aquatics.
Bruce Hansen, ANGFA, caring for our aquatic ecosystems.
Please visit us at http://www.ozemail.com.au/~fisher/angfa.htm
-----Original Message-----
From: Carvi Shamsid-Deen <csha at usa.net>
To: rainbowfish at pcug.org.au <rainbowfish at pcug.org.au>
Date: Friday, 8 January 1999 10:04
Subject: Re: [RML] Dark half or quarter on rainbowfish
>Since it appears that myco doesn't require a host for at least an extended
>period of time and can be found on plants and in fish not exhibiting signs
>it appears to me there's no way to get rid of it in aquariums. Pass a fish
>around that you've no idea has it because it's not been stressed?
>Exchange/purchase plants that carry it and add it to a perfectly fine tank?
>
>I suspect that I have this in one of my bow tanks, but there's no way for
>me to know that it hasn't spread anywhere else, if in fact it is myco. The
>fish that is exhibiting discoloration at the mouth with what looks like a
>scrape that didn't heal has been this way for several months now. He
>actually has been looking better this week. I've just left him in there
>with the others. He has been growing at what appears to be a normal pace
>and the discoloration grew with him. They are all fry from my original
>group of boesemanis. So, when did they get it? Where did they get it? Was
>it passed from parents that have yet to exhibit any signs over the past
>couple years? Was this on plants I got from someone else's tank who had
>fish showing no signs? Or maybe some other species of fish I have...none of
>which had exhibited any sign of illness? Have I since given it to someone
>else by providing fish I hadn't a clue about nor any reason to suspect may
>have been carriers?
>
>Not seeing any sign of illness I moved four of the largest fry into the
>tank with the parents (prior to this fish exhibiting - don't know if he was
>even in this fry tank at the time as I was continually moving fry in). As I
>recall, one died in the parent tank within several days with no outward
>signs of illness. Saw it hiding one night w/heavy breathing and thought it
>was possibly being harassed. Turned off lights. Decided to watch tank
>closely. Next day it was dead before I could determine cause. Waited for
>days/maybe 2-3 weeks and saw no more problems. Added three more fry to
>parent tank. They have been doing well for months and appear to be happily
>growing and spawning right along with the parents (although snacking on
>fry). So, are these carriers but not exhibiting? Are the parents carriers
>and passed it vertically? Or are none in the parent tank infected? Or are
>they all now infected from the fry added back?
>
>I've had three other fish (not bows) die within the past 4-6 weeks...don't
>know cause but all exhibited signs of emaciation over a period of two-three
>weeks...again, signs of tb but other illnesses as well. But I have 18 tanks
>of fish. This is a low mortality rate I'd say but for me it's high because
>I simply haven't lost this many fish in such a short time period. Heck,
>I've normally maybe lost one fish in a year, if that. This is, however, the
>most tanks I've ever had and am now having a difficult time considering
>destroying many and tearing them down. I do question my role in all of
>this...more tanks, more do not get maintenance as regular as with less
>tanks. And truthfully after hearing more and more about this disease have
>thought of getting rid of everything and going tankless. I am also
>concerned about transfer to humans as my immune system is compromised.
>Forget just putting hands/arms in tanks. How many start syphons by sucking
>on hose? Water get in mouth? How about in between bucket changes? I've
>since set up separate buckets/hoses for the tanks, no more transferring
>anything including plants (cuttings used to stock other tanks) and play the
>wait and see game. I guess the next thing is to purchase gloves. I don't
>know what else to do. Am trying to locate someone to look at the one
>exhibiting fish.
>
>Carvi
>
>
>