Neon Tetra Disease

[twistedlink]

I recently made a thread whereby many of my guppies became ill and thought it may be fish TB, someone suggested it may be internal parasites.

However im now pretty certain after 2 more of my cichlids have died that its NTD.

All the fish that are dying are the main ones that are not immune to NTD and are killed easily by it.

Apparently there is no known cure other than euthenasia.

The fish die worringly fast, once the swim bladder fails its a matter of minutes.

My main concern is this:Is NTD contractable by humans, in other words, can i be infected with this protozoan where there is no known cure??!!

 

[WILDER]

No don't think ntd harms humans only fish tb.
Tb have to be exposed to it along time, and gains entry through cuts and wounds. People who are more prone to fish tb is if you have a weak immune system.

Signs of ntd are.
Bleached out red stripe area, or milky appearance in red stripe area.
blue area will look a golden yellow colour like velvet.
Black linning around the red area.
Lumps that go to a point on belly region.
Fish leaves the shoal, acts restless.
Bent spines,
Swims oddly.
Later stages dropsy, popeye.

 

[twistedlink]

Oh also apparently NTD is rare, but this tetra in question has black growths, and has a white spot on its top fin.

Many of my fish are dying off FAST and nothing is working, im cleaning the tank many times, in fact the fish appear to look worse with each water change i do.

 

[WILDER]

Pleistophora (a.k.a. Neon Tetra Disease)



Symptoms:

Pleistophora is also called Neon Tetra Disease because of its high prevalence among Neon Tetras, although it has also been reported to infect most Characins, Cichlids, Cyprinids (i.e., danios), and all the carp-like fishes. It is characterized by a loss of coloration and pale, white patches of skin, particularly the strip of skin beneath the dorsal fin. Other symptoms may include spinal curvature, emaciation, fin deterioration and erratic swimming behavior.



Cause:

The microsporidian parasite Pleistophora hyphessobryconis. Pleistophora live in the muscle tissue of infected fish and cause degeneration and wasting of the muscle. The parasites travel through the fish’s blood, quickly spreading to all areas of the body. Pleistophora not only affect the fish’s muscles but all its internal organs.



Treatment:

There is no effective cure for this illness, partly due to the fact that by the time diagnosis is confirmed the fish is too weak to be saved. If more than one fish in your aquarium succumbs to this parasite, the entire aquarium should be emptied and dissinfected. Some aquarists suggest the use of a diatom filter to trap the spores of the parasite and thus clear them from the tank.

 

[twistedlink]

No don't think ntd harms humans only fish tb.
Tb have to be exposed to it along time, and gains entry through cuts and wounds. People who are more prone to fish tb is if you have a weak immune system.

Signs of ntd are.
Bleached out red stripe area, or milky appearance in red stripe area.
blue area will look a golden yellow colour like velvet.
Black linning around the red area.
Lumps that go to a point on belly region.
Fish leaves the shoal, acts restless.
Bent spines,
Swims oddly.
Later stages dropsy, popeye.

It has ALL of the above symptoms.

 

[WILDER]

Black on neons can be ntd where are the black growths on the fish.
First symtom is usually the red stripe looks bleached out.
Ntd not that rare.
How big is the whitespot.
Any redness to the spot.

 

[twistedlink]

Whats a diatom filter?

 

[WILDER]

Ok.
Once all my fish died of ntd I just stripped the tank down and steralised everything and started again.
Its heart breaking.

Whats a diatom filter?
Not sure if i'm honest. Do a search and see what it fetches up.

 

[twistedlink]

Il leave all the fish to there deaths i suppose, wilder you say you have had ntd?

did you have cuts etc when dealing with it?

did you use any sterilisation techniques on yourself?

I want to make 100% sure humans cant get this

 

[WILDER]

Never heard anybody catch neon tetra desease.
Wash hands after putting them in the tanks.
If you have cuts and wounds wear gloves.

No I never used any steralisation on my hands when my fish had ntd and I was fine and still am.

 

[twistedlink]

Okay cool, its just i do biology at university and hear and read about all these freaky bacteria and parasites from tropical regions (funnily enough where tropical fish come from)

and 21 is just too young to die because of a fish keeping hobby lol.

I will wear gloves, always have done, thankyou for your help!!!

 

[WILDER]

Never heard of anyone dying of ntd.
But you can catch other things.
Get you a link but there no need to worry.

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=222136

Off to be now. If any more questions just ask.