White fuzz in tank

[weswest]

So here is the scoop:

One of my mollies recently had fry in my 29 gallon and I decided to simply leave them in there. I added some java moss to the tank (which already has some anubias and java fern) and have been feeding the tank with the same food as before (flakes, freeze dried bloodworms, and spirula) plus I have been sprinkling in some liquidfry#3 powder food.

Since then my tank has been accumulating white fuzzy clumps on the plants and gravel. The powdered fry food stays suspended in the water for quite a while so I thought that this may have been caused by decaying food, however my water parameters have remained unchanged (0 nitirite, 0 ammonia, 5-15 ppm nitrates). I had a flexibacter problem earlier, however this time there is no fuzz on the fish, and this stuff is everywhere - it has almost completely coated the tank!

Now a couple of my black mollies have faded coloring on their back half, their back half has considerably shrunk and now appears to be paralyzed. They only swim with their front fins. All the other fish in the tank seem to be currently healthy.

I have no idea what is going on, whether this is all bacterial, or an algea growth, or several problems combined.

Please help

 

[WILDER]

Sounds like the tank wan'ts cleaning, do a gravel vac cllean plants and ornaments, do a few daily water changes, if the fish is paralyzed there is nothing that can be done, and it might be best to end it's suffering.

 

[weswest]

Hi Wilder,

I have been doing 10% water changes daily, however I have not been touching the gravel because the rocks are relatively large and the fry like to hide in the cracks, I have not wanted to crush them by stirring things up.

Molly #1 has put himself out of his misery, and now there are 4 other fish (mollies and platies) that look like they might be following him. I phoned my LFS and they said that the paralization could be a fluke parasite and if so I am pretty well SOL. Does anyone have any ideas or should I be euthanisizing my tank and starting over

 

[weswest]

3 more casualties this morning... I am using livebearer parasite medicine, but it does not seem to be helping so far. Ideas anyone???

 

[WILDER]

Is it just the mollies affected, can't see it being a parasite if so more like tb.

 

[WILDER]

Mycobacterium species (Tuberculosis)



A. Gram positive, acid fast rods (M. marinum, M. chelonei and M. fortuitum are the most common Mycobacterium species involved.)



B. All species of fish are affected. This disease affects both saltwater and freshwater aquariums.



C. Clinical signs of tuberculosis are quite variable. The most common signs are anorexia, emaciation, vertebral deformities, exophthalmus, and loss of normal coloration. Numerous variably sized granulomas are often observed in various organs throughout the body. Often numerous acid-fast bacteria are observed in the granulomas.



D. The aquatic environment is believed to be the source of initial infection with fish becoming infected by ingestion of bacterial contaminated feed or debris. Once an aquarium is infected with this disease, it is difficult to remove except by depopulation of the aquarium and disinfecting the tank. Remember this is a zoonotic disease (atypical mycobacteriosis).



E. Atypical mycobacteriosis may manifest itself as a single cutaneous nodule on the hand or finger or may produce a regional granulomatous lymphadenitis of the lymphatics near the original nodule. Occasional local osteomyelitis and arthritis may also occur.

 

[weswest]

Does anyone know how long the time period is between showing symptoms and death with Turberculosis. It seems to fit, but it is moving through my tank really quickly (new deaths every of couple of days)

 

[WILDER]

Sorry no, but if they do have that, you will have to strip the tank down and start again, sorry.