Subject: Re: Dwarf Cichlid Plague

["Tania Dunlop" <baddog@telusplanet.net>]

>
> >Once frozen blood worms wiped out my ram's tank. i dont think it was a
> >bacterial infection since once I stopped still living rams immediately
got

I have unfortunately just had a similar "plague" experience.  I added some
cardinal tetras to a community tank (yes, should have quarantined)and within
hours the fish started dying.  Not just the added cardinals but a whole
assortment of fish.
The casualties include agasizi, cacatuoides, Corydoras, cardinal tetras and
some ancistrus.  Needless to say, I am more than a little upset.  Under the
microscope there are a miriad of bacteria throughout the tissues of the dead
fish.  Hard to tell if the bacteria are feasting on the dead fish or if they
killed it.
I have fed my other tanks with the same frozen bloodworms as the victim tank
and no other tank is affected.  My take on this is that the new fish
introduced some bacteria to the tank to which the fish had little immunity.
I am taking precautions to isolate the affected tank from my other tanks (no
shared nets etc.).
I have heard that some bacteria will secrete a toxin which may then leach
out into the water and weaken otherwise healthy fish to the point of
suceptibility to infection.  I cannot say for sure that this has been the
case but it would certainly fit the circumstances.  I now am trying to
decide if I should treat the tank with antibiotics or just wait some time
(if so how long) before introducing some new fish.  The tank is a heavily
planted (hard to retrieve the dead fish) 650L (155us gal) tank so I cannot
conceive of a good way to sterilize it without trashing all of the plants.
There are still some fish in the tank (mostly corydoras) and I do not want
to introduce any further fish to the tank without doing something about the
possible disease carriers.

On a side (much happier) note, I am going on vacation to Peru in april with
my wife.  I thought I might try to get an Amazon week squeezed in.  Does
anyone know of a reputable and economically priced tour operator that might
have some fish collecting know-how?

Thanks,
Doug



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