0morrokh

The one thing you think will never happen to you...I've got fish TB in my 10 gallon. Just lost a Guppy and another looks like she's going. I know to be very careful and not put my hand in the tank if I have a cut. I am looking into a medication which may help. If anyone has any help for me I would really appreciate it. I just hope I don't lose all my fishies.

lhenkin

I am sorry about your fish. I don't have anything to offer to help, just a question...how do you know it is fish TB? What are the symptoms?

Good luck,
Leora

0morrokh

It's kind of hard to diagnose as it mimicks other diseases. Some signs are bloating, fins rotting I think, and seemingly healthy fish suddenly dying for no reason. There can be other symptoms too I think. Chickadee thinks it is fish TB too so maybe you could ask her. I don't really know much about the disease.

Marc

Keep the water as crisp as you can, and follow this guide:

http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/aquariums/1770

If you can't find any of those vitamins/medications, I'd suggest feedings of spirulina flakes and other well-balanced (think OmegaOne) foods, soaked in garlic, if possible.

A quarantine tank would be preferred. Heck, it might even be a viable excuse to get another tank

Isabella

I am sorry to hear this Omorrokh I know you think it's TB, and maybe it is, but I hope it's not. And if it is, I really wish for your fish to get well. Is it curable at all?

chickadee

Thank you, Marc for the information. I was looking for something like that to post, but couldn't finkd it in print. I have it in my books, but we cannot put the articles on the internet due to copyright infringement problems possibly so there are times I am at a loss for material.

Omorrokh had mentioned the first platy had just wasted away and the presenting symptom of the problem she has had has been the sunken looking body of the fish and the appearance of a type of finrot looking situation. She also mentioned the fish had just layed at the bottom of the tank for days and not been eating. The fish in question has died, but now there is another involved with the same symptoms. Is that correct?

I am hoping that the rest of the tank will be okay and I am sorry to hear that you lost your guppy. It is a horrible thing to lose the little ones. My sympathies. Keep us informed of how things are going or if there is anything we can do. You know that we care about you and we will have you in our thoughts.

Rose

Marc

Was the Guppy holding it's mouth open and never closing it? Any other odd behavior?

0morrokh

Wow...my Guppy who died was showing six of those eight possible symptoms...
loss of appetite
fish remains in seclusion and out of site
rapid breathing (respiration)
eyes appear to be cloudy or "popping out" -- didn't see that one
fish lies on its side near bottom of aquarium
stomach of fish appears to be sunken
whittish blotches on exterior -- nope
degraded and frayed fins

No, she wasn't holding her mouth open as far as I know...why? I noticed that before developing these symptoms she got really bloated and was that was for a long time. Then out of nowhere she started dying and was gone within probably a week. Now every fish is getting bloated.

Yes, Rose, my Guppy Sunspot looks the same as Corona did right before she died--all thin and sunken in, and fraying fins. Just she isn't laying on the bottom like Corona did--she's more floating at the top. Actually I have noticed several fish doing that--floating at the top, with their back all bent or arched. I think I read somewhere else that that can happen if they are not getting enough vitamins and you should feed veggie flakes to prevent it, but I am feeding those. Oh, this is so confusing!

I am feeding Omega One--veggie and regular tropical flakes, Marc. Would the veggie flakes be pretty much the same as spirulina flakes?...oh wait I'm pretty sure they contain spirulina. How do you soak flakes in garlic?

I think one of my problems is my high nitrates. The tank is unplanted and overstocked. I accidently overstocked it, really long story, but I was planning to move the Otos to my new 20g tank, and then I was thinking of getting a bigger tank for the livebearers, but now i've got TB so no way I'm moving any of the fish to other tanks. I don't know what I'm going to do. (the q tank is only 5 gallons so no point in moving them all there...) At least school is out thursday...after that maybe I could double water changes or something.

Wow this post is turning into a novel so I better stop here. Thanks all for the support.

Oh, one more thing, Rose--what was that Sulfa you were talking about? Any idea where to get it?

Isabella

Butterfly

Thanks Marc that is a really good link. The only thing my book on fish diseases adds thats different is "Don't accidentally drink the aquarium water". I'm guessing here it means when starting the siphon
0morrokh - I'm so sorry your fish are sick.
Carol

chickadee

The sulfa is not going to help your fish in this case I am afraid, but it is called Triple Sulfa and it can be found at almost any of the online pet houses. I think I got mine through http://www.drsfostersmith.com. I have in desperation at times when I was needing professional assistance, called and asked their people what to order for a condition and they are helpful.

Rose

0morrokh

Oh ok, Triple Sulfa. The one little problem here is I am completely broke. There is no way I can afford any medications at this moment.

Haha DRINK the AQUARIUM WATER??!! Sorry for shouting but that just struck me as really funny. Oh yeah, but as long as the fish don't have TB it's ok to drink. : Don't worry, I wouldn't think of starting the siphon by sucking on it.

Well, I'll just see what I can do for now. Maybe I'll double water changes or something. I feel completely helpless right now.

Butterfly

More frequent water changes can't hurt
yes I thought "Don' drink the aquarium water" was odd also but you never know I guess.
Carol

fish_r_friend

0morrokh, When you get some money next time save some for medications or other emergency's

0morrokh

I try, I try..........

fish_r_friend

just forget you have it until your fish are sick i was just making sure that my brother didn't take amy of my $ and found 16.00 that i forgot i had

0morrokh

A little update. Sunspot still looks awful but is still holding on. I can only wonder how long before she can't hold on any longer. The good news is that none of the other fish are showing any of the symptoms with the exception of rotting fins. I am not sure if the finrot is the first sign of yet another fish with TB, or if it is just a separate disease (I've been having problems with finrot in that tank). The only thing is that they still all appear a little bloated. I don't know why, any ideas? I am still trying to get some Triple Sulfa....

0morrokh

Are there any other mads that might help? I was just at Petco and they had Pennicillin, Ampicillin, and Tetracycline. They were supposed to cure internal stuff, including dropsy. I couldn't find any meds that actually listed TB, but do you think any of those could help? Or any other meds?

chickadee

I did find out about a medication called Kanamycin Sulfate that is supposed to treat Fish Tuberculosis or Wasting Disease but like I have said, these are major meds and I would not be at all surprised that they have to be distributed under the permission of a veterinarian.

Rose