Advertisements
Aquatic Avenue Banner Tropica Shop Banner Fishy Business Banner
Results 1 to 15 of 15

Thread: white pus at tail of cardinal tetras

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2002
    Location
    Seng Kang
    Posts
    366
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore

    white pus at tail of cardinal tetras

    Advertisements
    Fresh n Marine aQuarium Banner

    Advertise here

    Advertise here
    Does anybody else know this is and how to treat it? it looks like an abcess or pus which forms at the base of the tail. i'm not very sure whether it's contagious. usually one tetra gets it. it struggles with the pus for 2 weeks to 1 month before it dies. then randomly later, another tetra will kena. usually no more than 2 tetras will kena at one time. sometimes no tetras will kena at all. very puzzled

    Cheers
    Boon Yong
    Cheers
    Boon Yong

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Location
    Singapore
    Posts
    2,436
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore
    you have just rediscovered NTD
    i haven't managed to stop it
    i've tried furan-3 but it just came back after a few months
    the concensus on the web is euthanasia and not keeping neons/cardinals in that tank

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2002
    Location
    Seng Kang
    Posts
    366
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore
    i see. NTD stands for neon tetra disease right? anyway, only my cardinals get it. but my rummy nose doesn't. as DEA stated, only neons and cardinals get it right?

    Anyone can point out some links on NTD so that I can read up more on it?

    Many thanks
    Boon Yong
    Cheers
    Boon Yong

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2002
    Location
    Seng Kang
    Posts
    366
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore
    Saw this article somewhere else. Anyone disagree with the content?

    Neon Tetra disease is more common than many aquarium enthusiasts realize, and affects species beyond neon tetras. Named after the fish that it was first identified in, the disease strikes members of the tetra family most often. However, other popular families of aquarium fish are not immune. Cichlids such as Angelfish, and Cyprinids such as Rasboras and Barbs, also fall victim to the disease. Even the common Goldfish can become infected with the disease. Interestingly enough, Cardinal tetras are resistant to the ravages of Neon Tetra disease.

    Caused by the sporozoan, Pleistophora hyphessobryconis, the disease is known for its rapid and high mortality rate among neons. To date there is no known cure, the only 'treatment' being the immediate removal of diseased fish to preserve the remaining fish.

    The disease cycle begins when parasitic spores enter the fish after it consumes infected material, such as the bodies of dead fish, or live food such as tubifex, which may serve as intermediate hosts. Once in the intestinal tract, the newly hatched embryos burrow through the intestinal wall and produce cysts within the muscle tissue. Muscles bearing the cysts begin to die, and the necrotic tissue becomes pale, eventually turning white in color.

    Symptoms

    Restlessness

    Fish begins to lose coloration

    As cysts develop, body may become lumpy

    Fish has difficulty swimming

    In advanced cases spine may become curved

    Secondary infections such as fin rot and bloating

    During the initial stages, the only symptom may be restlessness, particularly at night. Often the first thing an owner will notice is that the affected fish no longer school with the others. Eventually swimming becomes more erratic, and it becomes quite obvious that the fish is not well.

    As the disease progresses, affected muscle tissue begins to turn white, generally starting within the color band and areas along the spine. As additional muscle tissue is affected, the pale coloration expands. Damage to the muscles can cause curvature or deformation of the spine, which may cause the fish to have difficulty in swimming. It is not unusual for the body of the fish to have a lumpy appearance as the cysts deform the muscles.

    Rotting of the fins, especially the caudal fin is not uncommon. However, this is due to secondary infection rather than a direct result of the disease itself. Bloating is also a secondary condition that may be seen in Neon Tetra disease.

    Treatment

    None - separate or euthanize diseased fish
    As previously stated, there is no known cure. To ensure that all fish are not lost, diseased specimens should be removed from the tank. Some species, such as Angelfish, may live for quite some time. However, they should be separated from uninfected fish to avoid spreading the disease.

    Prevention


    Quarantine new fish for two weeks

    Maintain high water quality

    Do not purchase from a tank with ill fish
    The best prevention is to avoid purchasing sick fish, and to maintain high water. Carefully observe the suppliers fish. Do not purchase any fish from tanks where there are sick, dying, or dead fish present. Fish that do not school, or hang apart from the others, should be suspect.

    Common Questions
    Q: I've heard that just like ich, all neon tetras carry this disease.
    A: No all neons are not carriers, however if the disease is present in one specimen in a tank, it may have already infected all other neons in that tank. Never purchase a fish from a tank where other fish appear to be sick.

    Q: Does Erythromycin cure this disease? How about Nalidixic Acid, or Protozin?
    A: There is no known cure for Neon Tetra disease. Erythromycin is primarily effective against gram-positive bacteria, and no evidence exists that it has any effect on Neon Tetra disease. Some owners have reported success in alleviating symptoms of the disease by using Nalidixic Acid, which is generally used to treat gram-negative organisms. However, this has not been substantiated in
    Cheers
    Boon Yong

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2002
    Location
    Seng Kang
    Posts
    366
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore
    I'm not entirely convinced that my cardinals have NTD. based on this article, the fish will lose its colour due to the white cysts. mine doesn't. it gets a white pus (i stress pus, looks just like the white pimple pus that we get on our face. yes it's gross but sorry, have to describe it truly[] ) at the BASE of the tail, not the middle of the body.

    i guess best would be for me to take a pic but sorry no digital cam. sigh...
    Cheers
    Boon Yong

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2002
    Location
    Seng Kang
    Posts
    366
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore
    See this statement from another article:

    "It is characterized by a loss of coloration and pale, white patches of skin, particularly the strip of skin beneath the dorsal fin."

    The pus is at the tail (Caudal fin?) and not at the dorsal fin (that's the middle fin at the top right?)

    Still not convinced that it's NTD
    Cheers
    Boon Yong

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2002
    Location
    Seng Kang
    Posts
    366
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore
    another note I saw. it says it's highly contagious, and will infect danios as well. My zebra danios were perfectly fine, and I've been having this sympton for close to 3-4 months already (considering first infected to current infected fish)
    Cheers
    Boon Yong

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Location
    Bukit Panjang
    Posts
    1,433
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore
    Could you post a pic? Best to have a pic so we can see what you are talking about.
    Allen

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Location
    Singapore
    Posts
    2,436
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore
    well
    you have to understand that cysts refer to abnormal membranous sacs containing a gaseous, liquid, or semisolid substance which in this case could VERY WELL mean pus
    geddit?

    as for the spreading period
    no one can say for sure about the time period
    what your first action should be is to isolate the afflicted individuals and observe

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Location
    Bukit Panjang
    Posts
    1,433
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore
    OK I've never had NTD in my tank, and so have never needed to deal with it... and to be honest, most of the literature I read on the net implies that it is very difficult to treat... more so when the patchiness already shows...

    Anyway, I was fiddling around and I noticed that protozin from waterlife products claims to work agains NTD (available at C328 and petmart). I dunno how effective it is, but you could give it a shot. Since NTD is due to protozoa, it sounds like the right med as protozin is a anti-protozoan med... do check the precautions as there are some things which could be sensitive to the medicine.
    Allen

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Location
    Singapore
    Posts
    2,436
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore
    allen
    tried it before
    worked against ich
    not against NTD
    ymmv
    but it's always worth a try when all else fails
    the waterlife med gave me the impression of being very mild

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Location
    Tampines, Singapore.
    Posts
    7,920
    Feedback Score
    0
    Images
    7
    Country
    Singapore
    my harlequin and hengli are having whitish patches on their flanks, sounds like NTD?
    why I don't do garden hybrids and aquarium strains: natural species is a history of Nature, while hybrids are just the whims of Man.
    hexazona · crumenatum · Galleria Botanica

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Location
    Singapore
    Posts
    2,436
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore
    white patches at side extending up to gills? difficulty breathing? still alive?

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Location
    Tampines, Singapore.
    Posts
    7,920
    Feedback Score
    0
    Images
    7
    Country
    Singapore
    ----------------
    On 1/9/2003 2:33:59 AM

    white patches at side extending up to gills? difficulty breathing? still alive?
    ----------------
    mostly on the black patch and back (just before dorsal fin), fish still alive but swim kind of slow and sian sian like that. and not really white but pale patches and some shiny scales.
    why I don't do garden hybrids and aquarium strains: natural species is a history of Nature, while hybrids are just the whims of Man.
    hexazona · crumenatum · Galleria Botanica

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Location
    Singapore
    Posts
    2,436
    Feedback Score
    0
    Country
    Singapore
    pale patches
    hmmm

    what about the breathing? gills distended in any way?

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •