Swim Bladder Disease-update

[mellowserra]

One of my mollies has SBD, I am treating her with sulfa and erythromycin. It's so sad sad seeing her struggle to swim right, I wonder if this is worth trying and if she should be humanely put down.

None of my other fish have any probs, the mollies are in a tank of their own (with salt), and tank specs are normal (ammonia 0 nitrite 0 nitrate <5 pH~7)
Their diet consists of frozen daphnia, bloodworm, minced clam, and other assorted frozen stuff, live blackworm, and veggies (peas, spinach, squash, etc) Oh, and they graze like cows all day on thread algae!

If anyone has had luck in treating SBD, please let me know what has worked for you.

 

[WILDER]

There diet is good, but do you over feed them as thats as bad as a poor diet, swim bladder is hard to cure once it has progressed, but you will no when he fish is suffering, good luck.
Not the writer of this information below.

Swim Bladder Disorder



The Swim bladder is a gas-filled sac located inside the fish’s body cavity just above most of the other internal organs. This sac is what gives the fish buoyancy and controls equilibrium. The amount of gas in this sac changes as the fish rises and sinks in the water, enabling it to swim, hover and move in the water. Without the use of the Swim-bladder organ a fish is unable to control it's own movements.



Symptoms:

Fish with a swim bladder disorder appear to have an abnormal swimming pattern, usually with their tail end up. They also appear to have difficulty maintaining equilibrium. They may even float upside down or appear to be stuck at the surface of the water, being unable to swim down, or they may lie on the bottom, unable to rise. Fish with a swim bladder disorder will continue to try and feed, showing a normal appetite.



Cause:

The most common cause of swim bladder disorders is improper diet. An improper diet can lead to intestinal gas or intestinal blockages. Intestinal blockages can irritate the bowel, giving bacteria or other parasites an entry point where they can then cause damage to the swim bladder. Swim bladder disorders are most common in the larger, deep-bodied varieties of Goldfish. Fish also fed a lot of dried foods, especially pellets, are most susceptible. This condition is frequently observed in the later stages of Malawi Bloat, which is primarily due to an improper diet as well and intestinal irritation.



Treatment:

Because this disorder is due principally to an improper diet, a change in their feeding needs to be made. Dried foods with lots of protein should be kept to a minimum. Pellets and other dense foods should be soaked prior to feeding or completely eliminated from their diet. Foods with lots of fiber should be introduced, such as zucchini, squash, spinach, romaine lettuce, peas, and grated carrots. If you suspect that the fish is victim to a bacterial infection, treat the fish with a medicated food.

 

[mellowserra]

I don't think they are overfed, certain days it's only one time a day, other days it's twice, one day a week they get a fast.

I feel bad she won't let herself rest, although there is plenty of stuff for her to catch on. She's not showing any signs of clamped fins, keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[WILDER]

Just checking that's all,livebearers are very prone to swimbladder problems, if it's not dropsy it's swim bladder, good luck anyway.

If you feel like she is suffering, and that she not going to make it, i would let her go, rather than suffer.

 

[redbetta]

nvm

 

[daddyfish]

If it's Bacterial I've used Tetracycline with Success.

But as said before once Started SBD is hard to cure.
Their diet sounds Good, and your feed rate doesn't sound too bad to me.

All I can say is GOOD LUCK, and if you feel She's Suffering, I agree with the post above I'd let her go rather then watch her suffer.

But only YOU can make this choice, and it's a hard call to make, and anyone who says it ain't, DON'T love their fish like they Should.

Been there done that.

PLEASE Keep us POSTED...

 

[mellowserra]

So far, so good. When I am home, she goes into a critter keeper with about two inches of water so she can maintain her stability. It seems like when I put her back into the hospital tank (after being in the itty bitty one) she does really well.

I am afraid to let her stay in the critter keeper while I'm away all day even with an airstone, she still has an appetite and has shown no signs of distress. Thanks for the encouraging words.

 

[daddyfish]

So far, so good. When I am home, she goes into a critter keeper with about two inches of water so she can maintain her stability. It seems like when I put her back into the hospital tank (after being in the itty bitty one) she does really well.

I am afraid to let her stay in the critter keeper while I'm away all day even with an airstone, she still has an appetite and has shown no signs of distress. Thanks for the encouraging words.

I've always LOOKED at it this way.

As long as they are Eating and not in any obvious Distress, If they aren't "GIVING UP"!!!

Then Why Should WE

Thanks for Caring for the FISH that have been put in your Charge....

 

[rdd1952]

I know this thread is a day old but have you tried treating for constipation which has very similar symptoms to swim bladder. If it is constipation instead of swim bladder, the fact that she is still eating is making matters worse. Isolate her (I use a breeder box that attaches to the inside of the tank via suction cups) for 48 hours without food and then feed a small amount of shelled, cooked pea. If it is constipation, that will solve the problem.

 

[mellowserra]

The first thing I did was treat her for constipation with a bit of shelled pea, and she is pooing just fine, thank you very much

I am a little sad as I have been treating her with antibiotics for 4 days, and there has not been a bit of improvement. She doesn't seem the least bit stressed though, I am not quite sure what to do with her.

EDIT: With all of the reading I have been doing, I am starting to wonder if she may have fish TB. How long does this usually take to set in and kill?

When she is in shallow water in the critter keeper she is able to maintain her equilibrium, but I notice her spine is just a *little* curved. A few days ago I thought what I was seeing was the way she was twisting her body to even herself out, she is definitely a tiny bit bent.

Still quite active, and readily accepting food. If it is TB would she still be carrying on in this way? I am so worried that's what it may be, I've had my hands in the tank so much!

 

[WILDER]

Not the writer of this information below.


Piscine Tuberculosis



Symptoms:

Because of the symptoms associated with this disease, it is often referred to as Wasting Disease. An infected fish may show a loss of appetite, emaciation (sunken belly), fading of colors, eroding fins, erratic swimming, scale loss or protrusion, "pop-eye" or eye loss, skin inflammation, ulcerous skin wounds or open lesions, gill deformities, spinal curvature, and Dropsy.

Symptoms may occur singly or in various combinations. Symptoms may also vary from species to species and from one individual fish to another. Not all symptoms need be present. Healthy fish may carry the illness for some time without being affected, and then become ill when stress or poor water conditions lower their resistance. The disease may run a lingering course, killing the fish slowly over time, or strike in epidemic proportions quickly wiping out an entire aquarium population.

Diagnoses of Piscine Tuberculosis is difficult, as all of the diseases symptoms may appear in other illnesses. Piscine TB can only be verified upon autopsy.



Cause:

Mycobacterium bacteria. Piscine Tuberculosis is highly infectious and can be easily transferred. Gravel can harbor this bacteria causing the entire aquarium to become infected. The disease may strike in epidemic proporations, killing an entire population of fish in record time with little to no symptoms. However, it can also remain latent for some time, progressing slowly, silently causing internal organ damage to the fish.

This illness is not always fatal to the fish. The bacteria may become encapsulated to form small nodules and as long as good environmental conditions are maintained there is no danger. However, if the fish is weakened by unsuitable water conditions or other diseases the nodules can burst. The infection then becomes acute and can kill the infected fish as well as infect others.



Treatment:

Infected fish must be isolated quickly because the disease is highly contagious (see below). Treat with a combination of sulphafurazone (0.2mg/g fish), doxycycline (0.005 mg/g fish) and minocycline (0.005 mg/g fish) administered intramuscularly. It is also recommended to feed any sick fish isoniazid. It may take up to 2 months for fish to completely heal. Kanacyn also claims to be helpful in treating Piscine Tuberculosis.


Caution:

Piscine Tuberculosis is caused by a species of bacteria belonging to the genus Mycobacterium, which is also the causative agent of Tuberculosis in humans. While the bacteria that causes this disease in fish prefers cooler temperatures than most bacteria that infect humans it is still possible for the illness to be passed on to humans. Such an infection in humans usually shows in the form of an infected nodule in the skin, although there is a chance of a more serious internal infection. If you suspect your fish has this disease, observe the strictest of hygiene to prevent the spread of this serious disease to humans.