RipSlider
Fish Crazy
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2006
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OK,
The cichlids in my tank are all at various stages of having the same disease. However, I've not been able to find any information about it, the LFS can't help and neither can their fish advisor.
So far I've lost 2x firemouths to it, and now my festival and geo's are all at different stages of it:
What ever it is, it's following the same path with each fish.
Symptons:
The disease is slow, it take 3-6 months from first signs to death in each fish.
Initially mouth looks "odd", and slightly out of shape. Over time, mouth becomes "ragged" and swollen, and the jaw proceedes to lock open. fish still seem to eat by sucking food in.
At the same time, a white spot, maybe 2mmx2mm appears right at the from of their top fin. This has happened in all the fish so far. No signs of ich or other common illnesses.
From this point, the fish become "lumpy" and lopsided. They look generally ragged and beaten up. the become asymetrical, with their body slowly bending out of shape into an almost "S"-shape.
at this point, they struggle to feed and swim, and I have euthinased them.
The fish are in a community tank, no other species barring cichlids are affected.
water stats are:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite:0
Nitrate: never higher than 10-15ppm
pH: 7-7.2
If it wasn't for the fact that it's only affecting the cichlids, and that "lockjaw" seems to occur, I would be thinking Fish TB, as all the other symptons point to this.
Has anyone ever come accross this or seen a reference to it? There are some references on the net, but they suggest that it's simply a dislocated jaw. This would not explain the TB-like symptons and the fact that the jaw fuses itself open. I.e there are bony growths coming out of the jaw.
As all cichlids in the tank are now affected, if there is no apparent cure, am I wise to euthinase them all? Even the ones with only early symptons?
Also, how do I go about finding a vet in the UK who can make a Fish TB test?
Thanks
Steve
The cichlids in my tank are all at various stages of having the same disease. However, I've not been able to find any information about it, the LFS can't help and neither can their fish advisor.
So far I've lost 2x firemouths to it, and now my festival and geo's are all at different stages of it:
What ever it is, it's following the same path with each fish.
Symptons:
The disease is slow, it take 3-6 months from first signs to death in each fish.
Initially mouth looks "odd", and slightly out of shape. Over time, mouth becomes "ragged" and swollen, and the jaw proceedes to lock open. fish still seem to eat by sucking food in.
At the same time, a white spot, maybe 2mmx2mm appears right at the from of their top fin. This has happened in all the fish so far. No signs of ich or other common illnesses.
From this point, the fish become "lumpy" and lopsided. They look generally ragged and beaten up. the become asymetrical, with their body slowly bending out of shape into an almost "S"-shape.
at this point, they struggle to feed and swim, and I have euthinased them.
The fish are in a community tank, no other species barring cichlids are affected.
water stats are:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite:0
Nitrate: never higher than 10-15ppm
pH: 7-7.2
If it wasn't for the fact that it's only affecting the cichlids, and that "lockjaw" seems to occur, I would be thinking Fish TB, as all the other symptons point to this.
Has anyone ever come accross this or seen a reference to it? There are some references on the net, but they suggest that it's simply a dislocated jaw. This would not explain the TB-like symptons and the fact that the jaw fuses itself open. I.e there are bony growths coming out of the jaw.
As all cichlids in the tank are now affected, if there is no apparent cure, am I wise to euthinase them all? Even the ones with only early symptons?
Also, how do I go about finding a vet in the UK who can make a Fish TB test?
Thanks
Steve
/www.fishyfarmacy.com/articles/mycobacteriosis.html
