Description

Symptoms: emaciation, hollow belly, possibly sores.

Tuberculosis is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium piscium and can manifest itself in diverse forms. Fish infected with tuberculosis may become lethargic, hollow bellied, pale, show skin ulcers and frayed fins, have fin and scale loss, and loss of appetite. Yellowish or darker nodules may appear on the eyes or body and may deform the fish.

Even though 4/5 of all tropical fish are said to have a latent infection with this organism, the disease only erupts in rare cases.

The main causes for this disease appears to be over crowding in unkempt conditions - ie. poor water quality, malnutrition. All fish species could be susceptible though some are more susceptible than others. Those most susceptible are the labyrinth air breathers like the Gouramis, Bettas, and Paradise Fish. Others include Neon Tetras, Discus, and the Ram Cichlid.

Treatment

Fish showing signs of this disease should be removed from the aquarium immediately. There is no absolute treatment. However the most effective treatment known for this disease is to treat with Kanamycin and Vitamin B-6 for 30 days. Liquid baby vitamins work well as s Vitamin B-6 source. They are available at your local pharmacy. Add one drop per every 5 gallons of aquarium water during treatment. If the treatment is ineffective, the best thing to do is destroy the infected fish. If either unkempt conditions or overcrowding are the suspected cause, correct the condition. After the disease breaks out, all of the items in the tank must be disinfected thoroughly.

It is possible for humans to contract this disease so we recommend using caution when dealing with it. Humans are very rarely are at risk from aquariums though. It is more common to contract this disease from public swimming areas or as a food contaminant.