fish TB

[fishmadpete]

I suspect that I have suffered an outbreak of fish TB. The first I've ever had in 20 years.
I still have fish in the affected tank which seem to be ok after adding some tonic salt to the tank. water quality is nitrate between 12.5 and 25, nitrite 0, PH 6.5 - 7.0. Havent tested for ammonia.
Would it be better to leave the tank alone now and let it recover naturally, or should I strip it and discard all equipment, eg gravel filter material etc?
the tank is 150 gallons uk and at present houses eleven fish. it is filtered by three external filters of different sizes. I currently carry out a 10-20% water change every two weeks.

 

[mrV]

Many fishes carry along fish tuberculosis and I think it's almost impossible to avoid it: because no one care about it! Not wholesales, neither lfs. Niether hobbiests themselves. If fish dies, hobbiest doesn't examine the reason why the fish died.

Best way to protect your fishes is, of course, using quarantine tank for every new fishes - but it doesn't mean that you still can avoid tb. Second best way to protect your fishes is to keep water excellent; When fishes have no extra stress they don't become ill from tb, because they actually can capsuled bacteria, even destroy it. But once it becomes active, you lose your game. Those bacteria are everywhere in your tank and they live e.g. in bottom.

Now you need to keep good care of your fishes. Give them enough nutrient (good quality food and vitamins), change water enough and maybe you should think about having UV-C sterilizer to lower bacteria in water and help your fishes to battle against tb.

When you put your hand to your tank, be sure, that you don't have any cuts and after you have done your work, wash your hands well. Even use some disinfectant to clean your hands.

You'll find some antibiotics to tb, but they don't work. People has used them so widely that tb has come very resistant to those antibiotics. If you live in Europe, you can't buy any antibiotics.

Remember, that don't give anything away from that tank. Not to lfs, not to any hobbiests either. Fishes can live long although you have tb.

 

[Phantom Thief]

mrV has given you good, sound advice

P.T.

 

[Cavafish]

Wow.

Didn't know fish could get it.

 

[canarsie11]

He really informed me!

 

[Phantom Thief]

Fish TB can infect humans, so be careful. And, no, i AM NOT joking.

P.T.

 

[luxum]

Take care to NEVER get any of that water in your mouth via siphon or whatever, promptly wash your hands after they have been in the tank, don't touch your eyes, etc. Fish TB can indeed pass to humans.

Keep that tank in indefinite quarantine and allow the fish to live out their spans but realize the disease will remain present in that tank, don't restock it. You may elect to euthanize the remaining fish instead if you can stand to do it. Once the tank has no inhabitants left you'll need to do a full breakdown disinfecting clean (bleach solution to clean the actual tank), replace filtration media, gravel, decorations, plants, everything. At that point it should be safe to set it up, cycle it, and add fish again. TB lurks in the tank even if the fish have all died, sad to say.

Edit: BTW, fish TB and human TB are not the same. Human TB can not pass to fish, but fish TB can pass to humans. They are caused by different organisms.

 

[fishmadpete]

Thankyou for the information, just a point however:
it is my belief and it has been repeated else where that the TB bacteria live in most fish tanks awaiting a suitable time to attack! Thus it should be pointed out that swallowing of any aquarmium water should be avoided, and open wounds on hands should not come into contact with the water. I wonder how many of us take precautions with our hands?

 

[Fawke]

Hmmm,

I remember swallowing some tank water when priming my filter ( i have a primer now )
I was really ill for a week, cronic stomach cramps, diahorrea, and sick.... + god knows what else.....
My own stupid fault for sticking my mouth around a filter inlet and sucking, but i was desperate not to let my canister dry out b4 the bacteria colony was wiped out......

I hope i have no long term effects

 

[mrV]

it is my belief and it has been repeated else where that the TB bacteria live in most fish tanks awaiting a suitable time to attack!

Yep, suitable time is e.g. when fish becomes sick or being in stressful environment (-> lowers immunity)... Several different way for tb to become active. When fishes are heatlhy, they are fed good quality food and they get every vitamines/nutrients they need and water is excellent, fishes don't become sick so easy and they can battle agains tb - e.g. their immune system can capsule tb bacteria (visible "cysts" in organs). In some cases their immune system can even destroy those bacteria.

Many fishes carry tb along (cysts) and when they become stressed/sick, tb breaks out.

I wonder how many of us take precautions with our hands?

If my hands are ok, I just wash them well and use disinfectant. If I have cuts, I wait until skin is ok or if I really must put my hands into tanks when having cuts, I wear gloves.

BTW, fish TB and human TB are not the same.

Yeah, it's not a same disease. But fish tb can cause e.g. very difficult skin problems.