Whirling disease in cardinal tetra(???)

[seangee]

I wasn't aware this was even possible for characins but last weekend one of my cardinals was displaying the symptoms. He looked perfect in every other way but was quite weak and let me catch him by hand for his final bath in clove oil.

This evening I thought I saw another cardinal spinning out of the corner of my eye. When I got to the tank he was upside down on the substrate completely oblivious to the fact that the cories had already started pushing him about with dinner in mind. Everything about him looked like he was in perfect health (apart from being upside down and not moving).

Ammonia, nitrite and nitrates are 0, 0, <5. I actually ran the full set of tests this morning so that I can compare with the new tank I am setting up. The last time I added fish to the tank was 8 or 9 months ago - cardinal tetras and sterbai cories. The cardinals are all the same size now so i have no idea if these were old or the newer ones. Its several months since I last added plants, although I did move some crypts in from another tank a few weeks ago. Water is very soft and acidic and I don't feed live food. Water changes of 75% every week. A few months ago I had a glowlight that showed similar symptoms but much milder - she recovered from this.

Is there anything I can or should do? I have practically 0 experience of sick fish, but my searches suggest whirling disease is incurable and untreatable and can remain dormant in a tank or in fish for months or even years.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

@Colin_T, work your magic.

 

[Colin_T]

When fish start spinning/ spiralling through the water they have an infection in the brain. It is normally a protozoan infection but can be bacterial or viral.

Wipe the inside of the glass down with a clean fish sponge.

Do a big water change and gravel clean the substrate.

Clean the filter.

Add 2 heaped tablespoons of salt for every 20 litres of tank water. Keep salt in there for 2 weeks. Hope for the best.

 

[seangee]

@Colin_T is that level ok for cories and otos?

 

[Colin_T]

yes

 

[Retired Viking]

Good luck, I hope @Colin_T suggestion works and your fish will be alright.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Good luck, I hope @Colin_T suggestion works and your fish will be alright.

Most definitely. Hope your fish recover.

 

[Aussie_Bristle]

I got cories, pleco’s and snails. When I have had to do as colin has stated above it has not affected the little guys at all. Hope that gives you a bit of piece of mind

 

[seangee]

Hope your fish recover.

That's the most annoying thing. All the fish appear to be the perfect picture of good health, so there isn't visibly anything to recover from. I even have cory eggs all over the glass.

But losing 2 fish with the same symptoms a week apart isn't something I should just hope will go away with regular water changes - especially as these happen anyway. Salt goes in tomorrow as soon as it arrives. Hopefully I'll never even know if there was a problem that needed to be addressed or if the treatment worked. I'll just be happy if I don't lose anymore fish.

@Colin_T - should I just treat all the tanks as I cannot guarantee there has been no cross contamination between them? And is there any benefit in raising the temp?

 

[Colin_T]

You can treat all the tanks at the same time if you like. Otherwise just do a 75% water change and gravel clean every day for a week, on the other tanks. That should dilute any disease organisms that might be in the water.