Does this look like fish tuberculosis?

[Ellie11]

Does this look like fish tuberculosis? It’s a Rainbow fish.

 

[GaryE]

In my experience, yes. But fish tb has a 'wonderful' ability to look like injuries, and other maladies.

 

[Ellie11]

In my experience, yes. But fish tb has a 'wonderful' ability to look like injuries, and other maladies.

Thank you. I’m asking for a friend who is being advised to put his fish down. The fish is active and eating. He does not want to kill it.

 

[Fishies4Ever]

What is he swimming like? I personally would not put the fish down until you are sure what it is. I have never put down a fish and will never I just can’t it’s to hard and you never know how much pain they are actually in.

 

[Ellie11]

The fish is swimming, eating and acting normally. I told the guy exactly what you said. I feel the same as you. He definitely does not want to put the fish down, so I told him he needed other opinions and I would ask around. He has been told ”to cull” his fish and is very upset

 

[Fishies4Ever]

Yeah it’s defiantly very rough to put a fish down. See what other advice you get and if he improves. I got advice from someone to put one of my fish down because they believed he had dropsy he is still doing ok and it might be swim bladder so I would hold off for a little while. There are a bit more humane ways to put a fish down if it must come to it. I am not sure exactly how to do it but you can use clove oil.

 

[Ellie11]

There are online instructions all over the place about clove oil. I actually have a bottle hidden away out of sight, in case the need arises. But I have never been even close to using it.

 

[Colin_T]

It looks like an ulcer and these are commonly seen on rainbowfishes that have Fish TB and that don't get enough plant matter in their diet. The ulcers aren't always associated with Fish TB but regularly are. Sometimes they just occur in tanks that aren't quite as clean as they should be, and when the fish's immune system is weaker from lack of plants in their diet.

At least half the diet of rainbowfish should be plant based. Duckweed is a small floating plant that lots of people hate, but most rainbowfish love it.

If the fish has TB, then the disease is in the tank and they don't need to euthanise the fish until the ulcer gets worse, or the fish stops eating, or develops major symptoms. Euthanising the fish now won't stop the other fishes getting it because they probably already have it.

Your friend can get the fish necropsied by a fish vet to confirm TB or something else.

They should not put their hands or arms in the tank if they have any open sores/ wounds because the Fish TB bacteria can get into open wounds and cause a localised infection called a granuloma. They should also wash their hands and arms with warm soapy water after working in the tank.

If you or your friend gets a small sore on an open wound that doesn't heal normally after 2 weeks, go to a doctor and tell them your fish might have Fish TB and get the doctor to take a swab of the wound and send it off for culturing. The doctor will probably try to put you on antibiotics in the mean time. Do not take antibiotics until you know what is in the wound. Then use the correct medication. A lot of TB strains are immune to most antibiotics and need specific medications.

 

[Ellie11]

Thank you so much. You are an incredible asset to this forum. You are the most knowledgeable person I have ever had the privilege to encounter and you share so generously. Thousands of fish keepers are in your debt and you have saved the lives of oceans of kept fish.