Furunculosis, Ulcer Disease.
Contagious disease. Skin ulcers can occur due to bacterial infection or injury. In addition, they can be external manifestations of a systemic bacterial infection. The causative agents are water microbes Aeromonas, Pseudomonas fluorescens. They do not form spores or capsules. They develop optimally at a temperature of 20-22°C. The pathogen is widespread in natural waters. It enters aquariums with live food, water, substrate, and vegetation. The spread of the disease is facilitated by unquarantined fish, water, substrate, and plants taken from aquariums infected with this disease, as well as the use of shared fish-breeding equipment. A mixed infection caused by different types of bacteria is often observed.
Bacteria that cause ulcers are usually present in aquarium water. They are harmless to healthy fish, but as soon as an opportunity arises, they can attack an open wound. Very dangerous and causes great damage. Skin ulcers can occur due to bacterial infection or injury. In addition, they can be external manifestations of a systemic bacterial infection. Ulcers are a gateway for bacteria, viruses, and fungi to enter the fish’s body. In severely weakened fish, mold fungi of the genera Saprolegnia and Achlya settle at the site of the ulcers, thereby complicating the course of the main disease.
Intestinal furunculosis – the intestine is affected, the anus can protrude significantly. The asymptomatic form is very dangerous, as it does not manifest with any signs, and the fish die. The disease is more threatening to labyrinth fish, tetras, barbs, angelfish, and livebearing fish, and affects fry. The disease is often accompanied by mass mortality of young fish. Adults die much less frequently. Fish kept in aquariums with low water temperature are especially susceptible to the disease. Secondary fungal infection often occurs.
Causes 4 forms of the disease: 1.- Cone-shaped ulcers up to 2 cm in size form in the musculature. They are filled with pus and blood and can burst. Open ulcers are affected by Saprolegniceae mold, which can be identified by white, cotton-like fungal threads. 2.- No furuncles are formed, only pinpoint hemorrhages on the skin appear, redness of individual areas (especially on the fins) and muscle tissues is observed. Other symptoms include fin rot, exophthalmia, and hemorrhages in internal organs. 3.- Intestinal furunculosis. The intestine is affected, the anus can protrude significantly. 4.- Asymptomatic form. Fish die in large numbers without external signs of the disease.
Symptoms: •— Inflammation of the skin and muscle tissue, reddening of individual areas with the formation of furuncles, cone-shaped ulcers up to 2 cm in size. They can burst and be secondarily affected by fungi. •— Small dark spots on the body, turning into regular round reddish ulcers filled with blood and pus. •— Open ulcers on the head or body with reddened edges. •— Redness of individual fin areas. •— Fin rot. •— Bleeding inflammations in the anal area and at the base of the fins. •— The anus may protrude significantly. •— Body bloating. •— Exophthalmia (is a secondary symptom).
Treatment: Treatment helps in the initial stage of the disease, with minor damage to the fish. First of all, it is necessary to raise the water temperature in the aquarium to the maximum limit corresponding to the spawning period of the sick fish. Sick fish are treated in the general aquarium using antibiotics and sulfonamides, as well as in a separate vessel. The water should be well aerated, but not filtered. After 6 days, change part of the water and repeat the treatment. After 6 days, the bacteria will be killed, but the furuncles and ulcers will disappear in 3 weeks. On the 7th day, replace the water in the vessel, turn on the filter, and leave the fish until the furuncles completely disappear. Small surface ulcers are treated with baths containing anti-ulcer and antibacterial agents, preferably containing Phenoxyethanol, against secondary fungal infection.
Minor ulcers that do not respond to the treatment described above, as well as larger, deeper, or multiple ulcers, should be treated with antibiotics administered in food, and in large fish, with baths or injections. If the cause of the disease lies in environmental conditions, then eliminating these problems must become an integral part of the treatment process to minimize the likelihood of disease recurrence. Disinfect the aquarium, plants, substrate, and equipment.
Medicines: Aquarium Pharmaceuticals E.M. Tablets; Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Furan-2; Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Triple Sulfa; Sera Baktopur direct; Aquacons, Antibak, Biomycin; Chlortetracycline hydrochloride – 1.5 g per 100 liters, seven days, four times; Basic Violet K; White Streptocide; Fisept; 0.1-0.2% Aureomycin, Tetramycin, Gentamicin, or Chloramphenicol are mixed into food and given every 5 days.
Prevention of furunculosis comes down to preventing the introduction of water, vegetation, and uninfected substrate from natural bodies of water into the aquarium, keeping fish in optimal conditions, and quarantining newly acquired fish. Skin damage, stress, and adverse environmental conditions can make fish susceptible to ulcer infections.
Aeromoniasis, Red-Sore Disease.
Contagious disease. Causative agent Aeromonas punktata, bacteria from the genus Aeromonas. The source of infection is a newly acquired sick fish, their excreta and corpses, Daphnia, Cyclops. Infection occurs through damaged skin and gills. A widespread infectious disease of aquarium fish. The disease progresses noticeably in heavily polluted aquariums with cold water. At water temperatures below 20°C, the disease becomes chronic. The fish becomes a spreader of infection.
It occurs in the form of a slowly developing epizootic and often ends in the death of the majority of aquarium fish of all ages. Weak fish kept in poor conditions fall ill first. Most often found in barbs. If many fish are affected, the problem is in the environment.
Symptoms: •— The fish becomes sluggish, gathers near the water surface. Sick fish are inactive, do not react to stimuli, lie on the substrate, stop eating. •— Abdomen, sides, gills, and pectoral fins become inflamed, abdomen swells. In the initial stage of the disease, the fish’s scales rise upwards. At the crisis moment, the scales bristle over the entire surface of the body and begin to fall out. •— Blood spots on the body and fins, turning into ulcers with white edges and red color in the center. Dropsy and ulcers in these places may occur. •— Exophthalmia appears. •— The anal opening swells and reddens.
Treatment: The disease is difficult to treat, responsive to treatment only at the beginning of the disease, when scale bristling is observed in certain areas of the body. With timely treatment, fish recover, but remain carriers of the infection. In some cases, in the initial stage of the disease, after thorough cleaning of the aquarium, maintaining a temperature of 26-28°C, active aeration, and adding a therapeutic dose of trypaflavine or a weak potassium permanganate solution to the water, the disease subsides and the fish recover.
Antibiotics and sulfonamides are used for treatment. Fish with abdominal dropsy and raised scales are destroyed. Other fish must be treated. The aquarium and fish-breeding equipment are disinfected with 5% solutions of hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, or chloramine. The substrate is disinfected by boiling or roasting.
Medicines: Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Triple Sulfa; Aquacons; Aquarium Pharmaceuticals E.M. Tablets; Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Furan-2; Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Melafix; Sera baktopur direct; Sera baktopur; Sera cyprinopur; Antibak PRO; Antibak; Biomycin; Bicillin-5; Kanamycin (25-50 mg/l for 5-10 days); Levomycetin; Methylene blue; Neomycin; Basic Violet K; Syntomycin; Sulfamonomethoxine; Sulfonamide; Erythrocycline;
Pseudomoniasis, White-Skin Disease.
Contagious disease. Causative agent — rod-shaped bacterium Pseudomonas dermoalba. Source — newly acquired sick fish, their excreta and corpses, live food, and various items from the infected aquarium. Affects the skin, central nervous system, organs of balance and coordination of movement.
Symptoms: •— In the first stage, the fish’s skin near the dorsal and caudal fins turns white. The color pales or turns yellow. Then the spot enlarges and spreads to the body. •— It swims near the surface, often sticking its dorsal fin out of the water. •— The sick fish shows barely noticeable drooping of the fin edges followed by their destruction and shortening. •— Coordination of movements is impaired. Balance disorder (head tilted down). •— Exophthalmia (is a secondary symptom);
Treatment: Treatment has not been developed. Treatment must begin immediately after signs of the disease are detected. The fish are given levomycetin baths. Disinfect the aquarium, substrate, plants, and equipment.
Medicines: Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Furan-2; Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Triple Sulfa; Aquacons; Antibak PRO; Antibak; Biomycin; Levomycetin; Minocycline; Oxacillin; Copper sulfate; Erythrocycline;
