Lets get Melissa back into Discus

[Melissa]

Ohh man Jim, thats devastating!! and scary! Do you think youre clear of it now? Have you sterilized everything? Did you have to cull all of your stock??

[jimg]

Everything!
I sterilized with bleach, alcohol then betadine and all filter material new, all wood I baked in the oven for 1/2hr at 350.
It was in the wilds but after having to cull the $500.00 pair I was not taking any chances.

[Bill63SG]

Everything!
I sterilized with bleach, alcohol then betadine and all filter material new, all wood I baked in the oven for 1/2hr at 350.
It was in the wilds but after having to cull the $500.00 pair I was not taking any chances.

Mine doesn't seem so bad now.I have three pythons hung from hooks and my tanks are numbered,and kind of in quardrents,certain hose for certain tanks.Thought I was over-doing it,but glad I did now.Then I start thinking like Howard Hughes,and they're all on a "quick-disconnect" all using the same faucet.Told my wife last night going to get some permits and go all native,lol.To get this a little back on track,when I purchased the ticket,I was even thinkng if I won,I have no room for new fish.Would have gladly given up my ticket then.Now...empty 75 just waiting.

[Melissa]

I've done some reading on cryptobia- wanted to share what I just learned for those reading this unaware of what it is.
The University of Florida has been doing some research on it, there are something like 52 different identified species of it. Of those 52 species of crptobia, 40 are classified as hemoflagellates, which infect the bloodstream... But the most interesting tidbits in the article I just read it says this:

"It seems to be widespread in East African cichlids and has been found in Pseudotropheus zebra immediately following importation from Lake Malawi, suggesting that it occurs naturally in wild fish. It has also been found in some South American cichlids, most notably, discus. The parasite usually causes a granulomatous gastritis and may be associated with chronic low-level mortality. A systemic form of the disease has been reported in captive East African and Central American cichlids. This form was associated with acute mortalities and loss of 50% of affected animals. Currently there is no effective treatment for Cryptobia. Water quality, stocking density and diet may all effect the severity of infection. Work is in progress at the University of Florida to learn more about this common, but important, cichlid parasite."

And...

"Veterinarians at Shedd aquarium wanted to see how many species in their collection carried the parasite so they sacrificed 60 apparently healthy fish, and found evidence of Cryptobia iubilans in all but one (98% prevalence). These fish had granulomatous gastritis (the tissue reaction in the stomach) but no evidence of the systemic disease. "


Scary stuff. Makes one think twice about wilds eh?


Jim- my heart goes out to you! That's the most devastating thing that can happen to a hobbyist.

Also in reading, they say they aren't sure how it transfers from organ to organ in the fish, but they have found evidence of cryptobia in the liver, gall bladder, kidney, ovary, brain, and eye ... I wonder what symptoms would be of a fish with cryptobia in the brain?

[jimg]

higher risk of parasites/pathogens are the chance we take getting wilds.
It's not only wilds. many have it including domestics, it just don't show until it's stressed or shows as other symptoms.
there is no cure for it only control. the hard one is the microsporidia too, spores are very resilient.
I know supposedly every lfs in the world has high #'s of mycobacterium too.

it is kinda fun in a way, restocking and trying new puts the past behind pretty quick
I just went back to heckles again(coming soon), got some rams,long fin ancistrus,wild sterbi, silver angels and my first at altums. also setting up the planted tank again so I've been busy!

[Melissa]

Nice! Altums are a favorite of mine! I'm Jealous!
What size is your planted tank going to be??

[jimg]

I plant the 90's. the two I had planted before are in some of my pics. They're a nice size.

[Maria Ashton]

I've done some reading on cryptobia- wanted to share what I just learned for those reading this unaware of what it is.
The University of Florida has been doing some research on it, there are something like 52 different identified species of it. Of those 52 species of crptobia, 40 are classified as hemoflagellates, which infect the bloodstream... But the most interesting tidbits in the article I just read it says this:

"It seems to be widespread in East African cichlids and has been found in Pseudotropheus zebra immediately following importation from Lake Malawi, suggesting that it occurs naturally in wild fish. It has also been found in some South American cichlids, most notably, discus. The parasite usually causes a granulomatous gastritis and may be associated with chronic low-level mortality. A systemic form of the disease has been reported in captive East African and Central American cichlids. This form was associated with acute mortalities and loss of 50% of affected animals. Currently there is no effective treatment for Cryptobia. Water quality, stocking density and diet may all effect the severity of infection. Work is in progress at the University of Florida to learn more about this common, but important, cichlid parasite."

And...

"Veterinarians at Shedd aquarium wanted to see how many species in their collection carried the parasite so they sacrificed 60 apparently healthy fish, and found evidence of Cryptobia iubilans in all but one (98% prevalence). These fish had granulomatous gastritis (the tissue reaction in the stomach) but no evidence of the systemic disease. "


Scary stuff. Makes one think twice about wilds eh?


Jim- my heart goes out to you! That's the most devastating thing that can happen to a hobbyist.

Also in reading, they say they aren't sure how it transfers from organ to organ in the fish, but they have found evidence of cryptobia in the liver, gall bladder, kidney, ovary, brain, and eye ... I wonder what symptoms would be of a fish with cryptobia in the brain?

Really interesting Melissa, re the effect on organs I had a domestic whirling post water poisoning and my aquarium specialist said it had most probably sustained liver and or gill damage. I wondered how they knew without seeing the fish. The fish in question did recover but is now the runt, frequently bullied and often goes black. Every morning I wonder if I will find it dead but three months on its still here, lights up when I approach the tank and feeds okay. I really want wilds but am going to give myself a year with domestics first.

[yogi]

I'm in I bought tickets to help DiscusMama.

[Second Hand Pat]

Thanks Jerry

[Chad Adams]

I'm in too Melissa. Baby needs a new pair of Discus!!!!
Chad

[Melissa]

I plant the 90's. the two I had planted before are in some of my pics. They're a nice size.

i like 90's as well. Looking forward to pics when you get things set up again! Its exciting to start with a clean slate.

Really interesting Melissa, re the effect on organs I had a domestic whirling post water poisoning and my aquarium specialist said it had most probably sustained liver and or gill damage. I wondered how they knew without seeing the fish. The fish in question did recover but is now the runt, frequently bullied and often goes black. Every morning I wonder if I will find it dead but three months on its still here, lights up when I approach the tank and feeds okay. I really want wilds but am going to give myself a year with domestics first.

Hi Malga Interesting about your runted fish. How did you knowthere was some kind of poisoning that occurred in its tank? It does sound reasonable that perhaps the whirling was a result of damage caused by any poisoning episode, but i would wonder if there could be some other issue going on. Was it the only one to demonstrate symptoms of whirling?

I'm in I bought tickets to help DiscusMama.

YOGI! I like your SN lol Thank you so much!!!

I'm in too Melissa. Baby needs a new pair of Discus!!!!
Chad

LOL!!! Chad- really made me laugh. Thank you so much

[Melissa]

Geeez.... all of this talk about Cryptobia and microorganisms and disease and death is making me wonder... did i really clean everything ENOUGH.. is everything REALLY sterilized?! Im going to just pour a little PP in the 125g and turn everything on... let it run like that. PP should be good right? Then maybe spray everything down with Alcohol again... Bleach is too rough for this prego girl to handle. Do you guys think i should enlist the help of someone ese and do bleach too? Im feelingso paranoid. Even if i dont win these fish, i WILL get fish again some day and it would be terrible if things werent sterile!

[TNT77]

Geeez.... all of this talk about Cryptobia and microorganisms and disease and death is making me wonder... did i really clean everything ENOUGH.. is everything REALLY sterilized?! Im going to just pour a little PP in the 125g and turn everything on... let it run like that. PP should be good right? Then maybe spray everything down with Alcohol again... Bleach is too rough for this prego girl to handle. Do you guys think i should enlist the help of someone ese and do bleach too? Im feelingso paranoid. Even if i dont win these fish, i WILL get fish again some day and it would be terrible if things werent sterile!

Wonder how long it can live without a host. How long has the tank been empty? You might be good on the fact you have no living hosts in the house to keep it going. But I dont know about these things but its a good thought and question if anyone knows the answer.

[ericatdallas]

Melissa, you surpassed me in posting and now look at how WAAAAAY behind you are. Get some discus and get back on the forums, you have a LOT of catching up to do

Buy some $10 juvie discus if you have to and raise them and breed them if you have to

Just make sure you sanitize the tanks a few times with a high concentration of bleach...