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FAQs on Marine Infectious Disease (Bacterial, Fungal, Viral)
Case Histories: True Fungal
Related Articles: Infectious Disease, 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.,
Related FAQs: Infectious Disease 1,
Infectious Disease 2, Infectious
Disease 3,
Infectious Disease 4, & FAQs on Infectious Disease:
Identification, Causes/Etiology,
Cures/Medications, Case Histories:
Bacterial, &
Biological Cleaners, Cryptocaryon, |
Most "fungus" infections of aquatic life are really bacterial, but
there are a few really pathogenic fungal organisms of marines...
Most mycelious activity is borne of actual decomposition... the
"host" organisms severely damaged, dying, being digested. |
Ich? 8/28/2009
I have been doing a lot of research on ich lately after one of my fish
got a white dot on his belly and on one side.
<Oh?>
These spots look bigger than ich so I don't know what it could be. my
fish hasn't shown any symptoms of ich either.
<Ick (or Whitespot, as its also known) appears as discrete white spots
about the size and shape of salt grains. They're fairly distinctive.
Velvet tends to be much smaller, more like icing sugar, and has a
velvety,
sometimes golden, sheen. In any even, both are generally easily
distinguished from things like Fungus (cottony threads) and Finrot
(white, sometimes bloody, patches of decaying skin and/or fin membrane).
In spring male Goldfish develop white "spawning tubercles" on their
faces, and these appear in a symmetrical pattern so should be easy to
spot. Treating Ick is relatively easy, and you can either use a
commercial medication (in which case don't forget to remove carbon from
the filter, if used) or else (assuming a freshwater tank) raise the
temperature to 82 degrees F (for coldwater/subtropical fish) or 86
degrees (for tropical fish) and add 2 to 3 teaspoons of non-iodised salt
per gallon. Leave running thus for 2-3 weeks, and then do 25% water
changes every day for 2-3 days to flush out some of the salt. The
salt/heat method is safest and works well with delicate fish, such as
loaches and catfish. Cheers, Neale.>
Re: Ich? 8/30/2009
Thanks for your help!
<Neale has "marked himself out till Tues.">
- have found out from liveaquaria.com that my problem is a fungus. It is
on my regal tang, and I'm using something that starts
with an m for my problem sorry I'm not at home so I can't tell you the
name of the product because I can't remember it.
<... Maracyn... I or II?... antimicrobials... Actual fungal "diseases"
of saltwater fishes are rare. Please see WWM re their use, fungal
infections of marine fishes... and Paracanthurus care period. Bob
Fenner>
Re: Ich?
8/30/2009
O I found out its Melafix
<Worthless... Please, research WWM before writing us. B>
Fungal Infection. 4/23/2009
Hi,
I have in 2 different tanks a changeling emperor angel and a small
about 2 inch juvenile Blueface angel.
<Oooh, small>
They were purchased at the same time, I think imported from
Indonesia. The problem they have both developed is a classic cotton
wool like creamy coloured lump, only one on each fish, although the
emperor did also have some black like "mould" on his dorsal spines
which has now gone but left a raw area. Both fish were perfect when
I bought them but got the problems about a week later, the Blueface
about a month later.
I am reluctant to treat either as one tank with the small Blueface
is also full of inverts and both tanks are doing well with a Moorish
Idol and a Baronessa butterfly eating well I am worried to disturb
the system for what appears as this stage just to be cosmetic.
<I agree>
Any ideas of what will happen or how to sure them safely please?
<Just time going by treatment wise... perhaps bolstering their
immune systems with a HUFA and Vitamin supplement... Read here:
http://wetwebmedia.com/vitaminmarfaqs.htm>
Regards,
Adam.
<Bob Fenner>
Koran angel fungus?
12/24/07
Hey crew merry Christmas to you and yours
<Peace,
good will...>
Need help ASAP. I have gotten
<How long ago?>
a
Koran angel from a LFS he is eating very well, alert and curious.
However, He seems to have this white colored film growing on him. Looks
like a fungus.
<Mmmm... would be exceedingly rare if this were a true
fungus...>
It has eroded some of the edges on his pectoral fins and
given them a pale white translucent color as opposed to the normal clear
transparent color.
this does not seem to be ich as it is not raised
protrusions this is more a film or a better example would be when you do
a fungal assay the white subtly fuzzy film of certain fungi that
appears. I realize this could also very well be a bacterial infection.
either case this fish is quarantined (of course) in a 55 gallon aquarium
with a 30 gallon sump water
<Ah, very good>
is reef quality 0
ammonia, 0 nitrite, < 10 ppm nitrate, calcium 400 ppm, ph 8.3. I have
removed carbon and turned off protein skimmer. I have dosed for the last
48 hours in malachite green. I have not seen any real improvement. now I
have realize that if it is in fact a fungus that I would probably need
to use a sulfur type medication.
<Likely you mean Sulfa...>
do
you have any recommendations?
<Yes... just simple observation for
now>
also if it is bacterial which regimen of antibiotics should I
use.
<Best not to...>
Don't be afraid of giving a complicated
answer I am a veterinary technician pursuing a bachelors in marine
biology I have access to all chemicals and medications. please be as
specific as possible. thank you all so much for what you do. its people
like you who helped me to see my goals in this field to fruition. God
bless you
Regards
Daniel Bock
<IF you were a
wholesale/intermediate facility I would have done a prophylactic
dip/bath (see WWM re) going in/out of stages/systems here... IF you
think it will help (sans any sensitivity testing) I MIGHT utilize a
Furan cpd. (perhaps Nitrofuranace) at 250 mg./ten gallons... as an
antimicrobial... If your employer will allow it, I would do a simple
"mucus swipe" look/see here (see Ed Noga, "Fish Disease, Diagnosis and
Treatment"... Again, I am very dubious that this situation is
mycelious... and it is highly likely that actual "treatment" of this
Pomacanthus may do more harm than good. Bob Fenner>
Thank you
Hi Bob,
Thanks for your time taken to reply my
e-mail, I appreciated it.
Actually I have a question to ask you if a
tank is infested with fungus, can it stabilize by itself ? And what
causes fungus in the first place ?
Hope to hear from you soon.
Best Regards, David Teh
>>
Hmm, fungus? Really? These forms of
life can be readily identified with a simple microscope... their
mycelial growth is indicative... and they really only "get going" in
"deleterious" conditions... with decaying matter, lack of circulation,
light...
I suspect you might mean "algae"... and do take a read re
these life forms and their practical control in aquariums... on our
site: Home Page
Bob Fenner Fungus!
Thanks in advance
for whatever help you can give. I purchased a royal Gramma two weeks
ago. At the time didn't notice any problems, he started eating right
away (flakes and prime reef). Three days ago, I noticed a whitish-grey
fuzz on his side and under his body.
<Bummer...>
Seems to have
decreased movement of the fin on that side too (but it doesn't have the
fuzz on it). The spot is probably 3-4 mm long and 2-3 mm wide. It
doesn't seem to be growing and his behavior is completely normal (still
eating and swimming around). The water conditions in the tank are ideal
and the other fish all look and behave normally (Percula clownfish and
two green Chromis). From what I've seen on the net, I think its either a
fungal infection or bacteria (but thinking it would have progressed
faster if it was bacterial).
<Probably as a result of poor conditions
during capture, transport, or his stay at the LFS...In the future, do
employ quarantine for all new fishes-a condition like this could be
dealt with a lot easier in the quarantine tank...just a reminder! :) >
Any idea what this might be? I was wondering what you would suggest as
a treatment? Is there anything that would treat both potential
problems? Kirra
<Well, Kirra, it does sound like some sort of fungus
to me, too. Assuming that this is the condition that we're dealing with
here, I'd remove him to a separate aquarium for treatment. The treatment
that I'd use would be an anti-fungal medication such as Mardel Labs
MarOxy. This product has been very effective or me; Be sure to follow
the manufacturer's instructions exactly when using this medication, and
you should be successful at eradicating the condition. Keep feeding this
little guy and continue to provide excellent water conditions to prevent
secondary infections, and he'll live a long and happy life! Good luck!
Regards, Scott F> Looking for (high-res pix) of fungus among us
Bob,
We received this e-mail. Maybe you can help her. Thanks, Sue
Hello,
I am a photo researcher working on a college Microbiology
book, and am seeking to obtain a high resolution image of a fish with
fish fungus (Saprolegnia or Oomycetes) growing on it. I am wondering if
you could recommend a photographer of source for such a photo?
Please
note our deadline is early next week, if you can help could you please
advise ASAP? Or recommend someone who can? I thank you for your help on
this project.
Maureen Spuhler
seelevel@attbi.com
<I will post
this request on our sites... and folks who shoot whatever they are
referring to as "high resolution" (down to showing mycelia?) may respond
directly... I principally work with marines that rarely have these
genera involved. Bob Fenner> Treatment of Fungal Problem
Hi there,
<Hi! Scott F. with you today!>
It would really help if I
could find that answer for it.
I've clown fish for almost three weeks
now it has cottony patchy white underneath its fin and hanging big white
cottony like. now its growing towards its fin. I'm feeding as much as it
consume so to fight with the disease which didn't as I always keep on
eye for almost three weeks now.
<Sounds like some sort of fungal
disease>
I'm so much worried if that fish will die and another fish
I've. the other fish is fine with it no problem at all.
<That really
makes me think it's a fungal infection>
So I'm trying to setup a
quarantine tank ASAP. I need some suggestions how to cure this disease
and setting up quarantine ASAP but I don't have any sump. This tank I've
is nano 15gal tank running for about six months now.
<I'd set up a
small container (like a Rubbermaid) to serve as a temporary "hospital"
tank. You could use a broad spectrum medication, such as Maracyn>
Therefore, if I need to setup a quarantine tank ASAP how would be the
fastest way and better way would be great to know.
<I'd do as
above...>
Thanks so much and looking forward to hear soon. Thanks
much.
Pradeep
<Good luck, Pradeep...I'm sure that things will work
out fine> Fungus Among Us?
Thanks in advance for
whatever help you can give. I purchased a royal Gramma two weeks
ago. At the time didn't notice any problems, he started eating right
away (flakes and prime reef). Three days ago, I noticed a whitish-grey
fuzz on his side and under his body. Seems to have decreased movement
of the fin on that side too (but it doesn't have the fuzz on it). The
spot is probably 3-4 mm long and 2-3 mm wide. It doesn't seem to be
growing and his behavior is completely normal (still eating and swimming
around). The water conditions in the tank are ideal and the other fish
all look and behave normally (Percula clownfish and two green Chromis).
From what I've seen on the net, I think its either a fungal infection or
bacteria (but thinking it would have progressed faster if it was
bacterial). Any idea what this might be? I was wondering what you would
suggest as a treatment? Is there anything that would treat both
potential problems? Kirra
<Well, Kirra- I think that I agree with
your assessment. I'd venture to say that it is a fungal infection of
some sort, possibly brought about as a result of injury or acclimation
trauma. I'd remove this fish to a separate tank for treatment. You may
want to start with a 5 minute freshwater dip with Methylene blue (as an
antibacterial dip), and then treat the fish with a broad spectrum
antibiotic, such as Maracyn, in accordance with the manufacturer's
instructions. Do a bit more research to verify that this is, indeed,
what you are dealing with. Then, take appropriate action. Be sure to
quarantine all new arrivals for a minimum of 21 days before they are
placed into the display aquarium. This gives you a chance to eliminate
any potential problems before the fish gets into your display tank. Not
a bad procedure to adopt, IMO. Good luck! Regards, Scott F>
Is The Fungus Among Us? (Possible Fungal Infection)
Scott,
<Scott here, Captain... (I love saying that...LOL)>
Sorry! Two
in one day :o(
Would not be bothering you, but I might have a
disease (actually the fish).
<Never a bother...That's what we
do this for!>
Bought a Forcipiger flavissimus a few days ago and
have him in quarantine. When I got him under better light (better
than the LFS) I noticed what looked like a little blemish/tear in
the center of his transparent tail fin. Thought it was probably a
little nip, as he was residing in a tank with several much, much
larger Bannerfish. Tonight I noticed that the little blemish is
starting to look a little fungus-like. Has not spread but the area
has gotten thicker, and whiter. Looks like a little piece of cotton
growing on the fin. Did by searches on the site, but have not come
up with a good answer.
<Well, it does sound like some kind of
fungal malady, possibly caused by a trauma during the
collection/shipping/acclimating process. If the fish is otherwise
appearing healthy and eating, I'd go for a simple treatment
consisting of frequent water changes, and over-the-counter aquarium
remedies that include sulfonamides, which are very effective against
fungal infections. You can also look for medicated foods to help
out, as well.>
The fish seems otherwise very healthy, moving
constantly, no heavy breathing, good color, good appetite.
<Good!
As I am fond of saying. "A fish that eats is a fish that lives!".
This bodes well for his recovery. Keep him well fed during the
treatment process...>
My optimistic side says this is just an
injury and this is part of the healing process, but don't want to be
dumb about this. I know this is not a lot to go on. Any guesses,
or any treatments you would recommend? Glad I learned about
quarantine on WWM.
Thanks again. Jim
<Well, as mentioned
above, Jim, maintain very clean conditions, consider medication for
a fungal infection (if it seems to be necessary), and observe the
fish carefully. You might be surprised at how the passage of time
and clean water alone can do the trick, but be prepared to act as
needed. Good luck! Regards, Scott F> A Fungus Among Us?
(Follow-up)
Hi Scott,
<Hi there, Jim!>
Thanks again!
<You're quite welcome!>
Re the Forcipiger, took your advice, but
got a little carried away. Bought the fungicide, but the fungus
starting spreading to other fins and growing rapidly, so got a
little worried and a little overzealous and decided to take him for
a dip, freshwater, same ph and temp, with Seachem Paraguard..
Probably did it for a little too long (11 minutes) and probably
should have skipped the fungus meds. He seemed fine, very calm in
the bath, but when I put him back in the QT he nose-dived straight
to the bottom, upside-down, and stayed there! Thought for sure he
was a goner, but only a TKO. Couple of minutes later he was up and
swimming around.
<Yep...Sometimes Butterflyfish and some angels
just "keel over" during FW dips...It's frightening to see, but they
almost always pull through okay if they are in decent shape!>
A
few hours later he was back eating again. I guess on the bright
side the fungus is completely gone. He looks fine but watching him
closely.
<Yep- keep a close eye on him...I'm sure he's been
through the worst of it, and should pull through...>
My latest
adventure, and question - today I added my weekly buffer, Seachem
Marine Buffer (alkalinity got a little low, about 8 dKH) and after
the smoke cleared I had a burnt-orange-colored fur over several of
the live rocks. Curiously it has nearly covered some, and no trace
on others, in what looks
to be a totally random pattern (nothing
to do with lighting anyway, as some under the brightest light
unaffected and others not, same with those less well lit). Tried to
find out what it was searching FAQs, but nothing seemed to quite
match what it looks like. Am I hallucinating? Could this have
just popped into view after adding the buffer? Any guess what it
is?
<I have no idea...Perhaps some strange precipitate that
resulted from the addition of the buffer? I don't know...Could be a
random, coincidental event having nothing to do with anything! As
long as your water checks out okay, I'd just put this one in the
file of "unexplained phenomenon"...>
As always, thanks for all
the time, effort and great advice!
Best regards, Jim
<Glad to
be of assistance, Jim! Good luck the rest of the way with the
Butterfly! Regards, Scott F> |
Scratches or Fungus Patches?
Hi Bob,
<Scott F. in for Bob
today!>
I recently purchased a lionfish and it wasn’t till I got
it home and in the tank that I noticed what looked like little
scratches on the side of his body. I inspected him at the store but
must have missed these marks somehow…
<Not hard to do, as the
fish's coloration can make these kinds of marks difficult to
distinguish>
I’ve been told it could be some kind of fungal
problem.
Just the other day I tested my water for nitrate,
nitrite, salinity, ph etc. and everything is fine, so will he get
better by himself or should I add some treatment to my tank?
<Well, I think I'd hold off on medicating the fish (particularly in
the display tank, which is an absolute "no-no" in my book) until you
have a chance to observe him some more. Is the fish eating and
behaving normally? Does it appear to be scratching, or having
difficulty breathing? Is there a lot of mucus or slime being exuded
from the fish's body? Any other skin problems? It may simply be that
the "scratches" are just that- scratches, and they may go away by
simply providing excellent environmental conditions. Also, these
fishes do go through an occasional "sloughing" of skin, where they
exhibit all kinds of weird behaviors, such as "coughing" or
"twitching". Keep a close eye on this guy for a few more days to see
if things get worse...In the mean time, read up on fungal conditions
on the WWM site to see if this is, indeed what you're seeing...>
I also have a gold spot eel in the tank with the lionfish, I have no
other tank for quarantine purposes.
<Well, you really want to
avoid medicating in the main tank, if that becomes necessary. Eels
can be sensitive to certain medications. If it turns out to be a
condition that requires medication, I'd consider temporary quarters
for the fish in the form of a plastic garbage can or storage
container, equipped with a filter and heater. Ultimately, you should
consider investing in the simple items that you need for a
quarantine tank. The tank and associated quarantine procedure will
more than pay for itself in terms of fish lives saved (and heartache
spared for you) in a very short time!>
I am new to this, but I
made sure all conditions in the tank were perfect before I started
adding fish, and now this happens, what a disappointment!! Regards,
Andrew Ickeringill
<Well, you did all that you could- don't blame
yourself! But I would very carefully observe the fish and make good
and certain that you are dealing with a medical problem before
rushing to "treat" the fish...Improperly medicating a fish can
sometimes be more lethal than the "malady" that you're "treating"
for! Keep a positive attitude, and hang in there! Let us know if you
need further help! Regards, Scott F>Scratches Or Fungus
Patches (Pt.2)
Hi Scott,
<Hi Andrew!>
Thanks for your
advice, however I think I have made a mistake... the guy at the pet
store told me to just add the treatment to my tank, so I did last
night and again this morning.
<Uh- Oh..>
Should I stop this
immediately and just see how the lionfish goes?
<Well, at this
point, the "damage is done" as they say, but I would still stop and
see if the medication has any impact on the "condition". We still
were not 100% certain what we were dealing with here, so I'm a bit
concerned over the necessity of medicating.>
Will adding the
treatment to the tank twice affect anything?
<Well, it's hard to
say- lots of factors, particularly important is-what is the
medication that you're using? The potential for damage to biological
filtration and other "collateral damage" to desirable life forms in
the display is a big part of why I don't recommend treatments in the
display tank. However, some medications do become "bound up" in
substrate materials, where they become substantially less
effective...All in all- I'd still cease dosing any medication until
you ascertain exactly what it is you're dealing
with...Unfortunately, I'm here and you're there- so it's sort of
hard for me to "diagnose" the animal without some good pictures. You
may, indeed have to rely on some local help to confirm the malady.
Again, however, if it is necessary to medicate the fish, I'd refrain
from treating in the display tank if you can!
(I will stop adding
the treatment until I hear back from you)
Thanks Scott. Regards,
Andrew Ickeringill
<Your welcome! I'd continue to seek some local
help in diagnosing this illness before continuing a course of
treatment (in a separate container, of course!). Hang in there! Good
luck! Scott F> |
Body Fungus?
Hello
to the keepers of knowledge,
<Hi, MikeD here>
I have searched and
searched yet found nothing pertaining to my problem. I noticed the
white/grey fluff on the head of my banded watchman goby, so I
transferred him from the regular QT tank into his own hospital tank.
Treated with Maracyn and then put him to bed for the night.<You did the
right thing. The fluff was likely mucous from a bacterial infection.>
The next day I noticed the fuzz was gone but so was the some of the
flesh that was under the fuzz.<The bacteria had already eaten into the
flesh, not your fault>
Can barely make out eyes, he is still
breathing, but do not want to be inhumane by letting him suffer. Can you
tell me what the heck is going on, and if I should ride it out or "take
him out",<Without seeing the fish, I'd hate to make the call, but I have
seen almost miraculous recoveries on rare occasions> and what should I
do with the
rest of the livestock in the QT tank (all was going well
for 5 weeks)?<It sounds like you're almost good to go. I suspect the
goby may have sustained an injury, so I'd not take any other action
unless you actually see a problem> Your continued support is greatly
appreciated.
<as is yours>
Thank You Very Much,
Dan
Sick Polymnus Clownfish 4/17/05
I purchased a mated pair of
Saddleback (Polymnus) clownfish about 3 weeks ago. When I first placed
them into my 12 gallon QT tank, they seemed very healthy and readily
accepted foods including Mysis soaked in vitamins, Cyclop-Eeze and small
pellets. However, after two weeks or so, I began to notice some odd
behavior in the female (who is about 3x larger than her mate). She
seemed very lethargic, mostly swimming near the bottom of the tank
without the usual bobbing motion associated with her species. Once in a
while, I noticed she would just swim from one end of the tank to the
other, sometimes gently bumping into the tank wall before reversing
direction. She also stopped eating, but exhibited no signs of parasites
or other diseases. The male remains very healthy.
<A. Polymnus
aren't the hardiest of clowns and often fail to acclimate to captivity.
The black variant seems to do somewhat better. If these are wild caught
specimens, I would suggest that you research and rule out Brooklynella
(usually indicated by thick cloudy mucous on skin). If it is
Brooklynella, both clowns must be moved to a hospital tank and must be
treated with Formalin baths.>
A couple days ago, I moved the pair
into the 60gal reef tank, hoping that a larger tank would perk her up.
After several hours, the pair began hosting in my LTA anemone. At first
I thought the female had perked up, but it has been two days now and she
is still not eating (it's been about a week total since she stopped
eating). This morning I discovered that one eye is beginning to bulge
out, looks like early stages of Popeye however the eye is not cloudy.
There is a small hippo tang in the tank which is perfectly happy and
only occasionally hangs around the clownfish and their anemone although
I've seen no biting.
<"Pop Eye", especially when only one eye is
affected is most often caused by physical injury. However, in her
outstanding book on Clownfishes, Joyce Wilkerson describes a very rare
fungal disease that often causes pop-eye and the other signs you have
described. There is no certain way to diagnose it while the fish is
still alive, but she suggests that it can be treated by soaking food in
1% Phenoxyethanol I don't have a brand name to recommend, but it will be
marketed as an anti-fungal medication (don't substitute!).>
What do
you suggest I do? Is her strange behavior just a result of the Popeye
she is developing or is there a bigger issue likely involved? Should I
move the female (or both) back to the QT tank? Should I treat with Epsom
salts or Maracyn as you sometimes suggest? Thanks for your help. You
guys perform a wonderful service! Saahil.
<I would not move the fish
again. The other fish have already been exposed to the problem and
further stress and physical contact with the injured eye could be quite
harmful. If the fish is not eating, there is no way to get
Phenoxyethanol into the fish (adding to the water is ineffective), so
you will have to offer tempting foods and wait it out. Best Regards.
AdamC.>
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