Fish T.B. Fish Tuberculosis

Infection may come by every conceivable route. Bacilli may be in the feces, scraps of skin or burst abscesses and can be ingested by healthy fish. If infected fish die and are eaten by others (as we have all seen, on occasion, in a poorly attended fish retailer's stock tanks) then an overwhelming infection may result.

Fish may also hover/hang near the surface or other warm areas of your tank loss of appetite Scales sticking out like a pine cone Bulging eyes General swelling Progressive thinness Sluggish movement (Lethargic) Folded fins Dark coloration and granular appearance of the cornea (this is the first sign in Angelfish) Skeletal deformity Skin defects, including blood spots and open wounds that may ulcerate Black spots, or overall dark coloration (in Cichlids particularly) Fin rot, characterized by the outer rays falling out Scales loosening and falling out

Fish Tuberculosis is a bacterial disease. Tuberculosis is one bacterium that is hard to fight. Oozing, cheesy open sores on fish. Fish TB starts with little white balls in the body that may be seen in more "see-through" fish. As it grows, the fish appears to become obese with abnormal bulges, often just on one side. Eventually, the bacteria breaks the body wall and kills the fish. Larger fish, like goldfish, may survive open sores that look like infected red, cheesy boils for many months whereas all my small fish died as soon as they ruptured. Also, commonly small fish like danios and white clouds that were born normal developed kinked spines from TB as they aged and the TB set in. Tuberculosis apparently can be in a fish for years without any harm. If the fish is stressed in any way, the TB may become active. These carriers of TB who look perfectly healthy can spread it to the other fish even if they themselves are not yet or ever ill which is even possible. Older fish are prone to infections. Tuberculosis is sometimes killed using tetracyclines or sulfonamides. It is virtually incurable, but if caught early it can save your fish.

Treatment