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Related FAQs: Freshwater Disease,
Freshwater Disease 2, Freshwater Infectious
Disease,
Infectious FW Diseases 2,
Infectious FW Disease 3,
Infectious FW Disease 4,
Infectious FW Disease 5, &
Finrot, Dropsy/Dropsical
Conditions,
Freshwater Fish Parasites,
FW Fish Parasitic Disease 2, & FAQs on:
Diagnosis/Identification of Parasites, Internal
Parasites,
FW Parasite Treatments,
Freshwater Protozoan Parasite Diseases,
Diagnosing/Identifying FW Protozoan Diseases, (Ich/White
Spot Disease, Freshwater Velvet,
Sporozoan Parasites, Whirling Disease,
Hexamita/Octomita in Freshwater Systems,) &
Freshwater Disease, Freshwater
Medications, Nutritional Disease,
African Cichlid Disease 1,
Cichlid Disease, Betta
Disease 1,
Related Articles:
Understanding Bacterial Disease in Aquarium Fish; With a gallery of bacterial infections, a discussion of “Fish TB”, and a listing of major antimicrobial medications with examples available to fishkeepers
By Myron Roth, Ph.D.,
Ich, White Spot Disease, Freshwater Maintenance, FW
Disease Troubleshooting,
Choose Your Weapon: Freshwater Fish Disease Treatment
Options by Neale Monks,
/The Conscientious Aquarist Series: Health/Disease:
Freshwater Fish Infectious and Parasitic
Diseases
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By Bob Fenner |
Yes, there are true fungal diseases of
fishes |
With careful selection, quarantine and acclimation procedures most instances
of fish parasite problems can be outright avoided. However, all aquarists should
be aware of the most common types of disease, including parasitic.
There are several species of protozoans and larger
(bacteria, fungi complaints are called infectious) animals, mainly worms and
crustaceans, that infest freshwater fishes. Some of these have direct (no
intermediate host) while others have complex (having one or more intermediary
hosts) relations. Wild-caught livestock is especially prone to such troubles,
and without adequate precautions (mainly isolation, quarantine) their problems
can run rampant in our aquariums.
Below is a list of what the most commonly encountered
species of freshwater fish parasites are, what they look like grossly (w/o the
use of a microscope) on fishes, and the most established means of their
eradication.
Parasites/Description, Name/Symptoms, Cures:
Virus:
| Lymphocystis (virus); Glugea, Henneguya (sporozoans) |
Lymph. White clumpy or nodular growths, generally at base of
fins. |
Improved water quality, possibly removal by hand |
Funguses:
| Saprolegnia, Achyla. Funguses. |
Body Fungus; appear as white or gray fluff or patches on
body, fins. |
Improved water quality, malachite, formalin, sulfa drugs |
| Ichthyosporidium (Ichthyophonus). Fungus |
Black or yellow nodules, ulcers on or under skin. |
Improved water quality, nutrition |
| Columnaris, Fungus |
Mouth Fungus; appears as white or gray fluff on the mouth |
Improved water quality, malachite, formalin, sulfa drugs |
Bacteria:
| Aeromonas. Bacteria |
Dropsy; distended abdomen, scales protrude at right angles,
redness |
Furan compounds |
| Bacterial Hemorrhagia, Bacteria |
Red Pest, Secondary Bacterial infection, red streaks on fins |
Furan compounds, antibiotics, improved water quality,
nutrition |
| Bacterial Fin Rot, Bacteria |
Dissolving fins |
Furan compounds, antibiotics, improved water quality,
nutrition |
Protozoans:
| Ichthyophthirius multifilius. A holociliate
protozoan. |
Ich or White spot; appears as pin-head pumps on the fishes
body, fins. Fish scratching. |
Elevated temperature (mid-80's), malachite, copper, silver
solutions. |
| Oodinium ocellatum et al. A dinoflagellate |
Oodinium,Velvet or Rust; appears as a white or golden
sprinkling on body, fins. Fast breathing. |
Absence of light, malachite, copper solutions. |
| Head and Lateral Line Disease. Hexamita (Octomita).
Protozoan |
Pits in head and along in pits of lateral line system. |
Metronidazole (Flagyl), improved nutrition (vitamins,
iodide) |
| Pleistophora. A sporozoan |
Neon Tetra Disease (affects other species); listlessness,
whitened areas of mid-body. |
No known cure. Removal of affected specimens. |
| Costia (Ichthyobodo), Chilodonella, Trichodina. Protozoans |
Called by causative organism; cloudiness on skin. Labored
breathing, lethargy. |
Potassium permanganate, malachite and formalin, copper, salt
baths |
| Tetrahymena needs to be added to the
ciliated protozoans section alongside Chilodonella, Trichodina and
Costia. I've personally battled this nasty and it really IS a fish
killer in closed systems. PaulV. |
Flatworms; Platyhelminthes
| Metacercariae. Digenetic Flukes |
Flukes. Red or Black nodules under skin. |
Organophosphates |
| The BEST
suggested treatment for the Platyhelminthes/flatworms section is by far and
hands down, Praziquantel (AKA, Droncit or Biltricide). It is 100% nontoxic
to humans, fish, crustaceans and biofilter. PaulV. |
| Dactylogyrus, Gyrodactylus. Monogenetic Flukes |
Body or Gill Flukes; lethargy, chewed gills, pale skin,
drooping fins, emaciation |
Organophosphates, formalin, salt baths |
| Some Excellent Micrographs of Dactylogyrus by
Paul Vaughn, 80X |
|
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| Cestodes, Tapeworms |
Tapeworms. White or gray nodules under the skin, distinctive
worms in the gut. |
Organophosphates |
Crustaceans:
| Crustaceans on skin. Argulus, Ergasilus, Lernaea |
Larger (visible with naked eye) hanging on to hosts sides,
gills with hooks, scratching, redness |
Organophosphates |
| For the crustacean parasites,
Dimilin is my favorite as it too is nontoxic to the bio-filter and fish.
Please consider adding this to the treatment column as the first choice.
PaulV. |
Environmental:
| Exophthalmia, protruding eyes |
Pop-eye. Gas embolism, toxins, some parasites |
Epsom salt |
| Head and Lateral Line Disease. Hexamita (Octomita).
Protozoan |
Pits in head and along in pits of lateral line system. |
Metronidazole (Flagyl), improved nutrition (vitamins,
iodide) |
About Prevention:
As the saying goes... "an ounce... is worth a pound of
cure". There are three sets of factors that determine livestock health and its
reciprocal disease. Of these the elements that are prevention: livestock
selection, proper environment, and not allowing the introduction of pathogenic
(disease inducing) organisms are germinal.
About Suitable, Stable Environment:
All diseases are to some degree environmentally
mediated... some caused directly as a consequence of too inappropriate
circumstances, or too variable of ones. Much goes into defining an environment.
Water quality, foods/feeding/nutrition, the role of tankmates, physical
make-up... And these factors are species specific; different for different
types of life. And may be age/size specific as well; with individuals living in
another set of circumstances preferable with growth.
About Quarantine:
Not many people do so, but having a separate system,
placing new livestock there for a couple of weeks for quarantine is one of the
best practices you can engage in to assure your success. Quarantining newbies
does a few important things for you. It gives the new livestock a chance to
"rest up" before becoming embroiled in a new social dynamic. Most importantly
for or topic here, this time allows for the development and possible treatment
for infectious and parasitic disease... without it spreading to your
main/display system.
Bibliography/Further Reading:
FishDoc.com
Freshwater Infectious and Parasitic Disease 7/28/07
Hi Bob!
Thanks for adding me to the WWM Crew. If there is anything I can do
beyond answering queries, let me know. I'll do my best to help out in
any way I can.
I DO have a couple suggestions. I think that this page:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwfshparasites.htm needs a
couple additions and subtractions.
Tetrahymena needs to be added to the ciliated protozoans section
alongside Chilodonella, Trichodina and Costia. I've personally battled
this nasty and it really IS a fish killer in closed systems.
Copper should be removed from all corresponding treatment columns as it
shouldn't be on the freshwater page for obvious toxicological
complications when using it in freshwater species of fish. In my
opinion, there is too thin of a line between the levels needed for
effective treatment and an overdose. Regardless, Copper is so far down
the hierarchal list of chemicals for treating freshwater protozoans that
it really should be relegated to a strictly saltwater treatment. Just a
thought....
The BEST suggested treatment for the Platyhelminthes/flatworms section
is by far and hands down, Praziquantel (AKA, Droncit or Biltricide). It
is 100% nontoxic to humans, fish, crustaceans and biofilter. I would
seriously consider adding this to the list as the first choice in
treatment. It can and will reduce a lot of mortalities due to the other,
more toxic remedies such as Potassium Permanganate, Formalin/Malachite
Green and organophosphates (fluke tabs?).
For the crustacean parasites, Dimilin is my favorite as it too is
nontoxic to the bio-filter and fish. Please consider adding this to the
treatment column as the first choice.
Thanks for looking into this Bob. Do you have any input on my thoughts
outlined above?
<Am in agreement entirely, will addend. Cheers, Bob/Chuang Tzu/Fenner>
Twothless (Paul)
Re: Some contributions
7/28/07
Once again, Hi Bob!
<Pablo>
I swear this is the last time I'll pester you....
<Never a bother>
At least for a while....
I have several good videos and some great photos of the following:
Tetrahymena Pyriformis, Chilodonella (Cyprini/Piscicola and Uncinata, both
facultative) as well as a species of Dactylogyrus. I've searched and found no
place where there's a compilation of photos regarding disease or parasites. If
there is such a place, can I donate my media?
<I will gladly help you find such... or aid us in putting them on WWM with an
offer to others there>
Also, should I be making general queries such as these to Sabrina instead of
bogging you down?
<I do wish Sab had enough time to help us>
I know your already inundated with "Dear Bobs".....
Thanks again,
Paul
<Might I ask, where did you make these images? BobF>
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