Lymphocystis and selling fish

[Dispatch273]

What is the consensus on selling fish knowing they have Lymphocystis? I bought some festae juvies to pair up with juvies from my pair but was informed shortly after I got them that it appears the mother to my fish has lymph. I don't want to use them for breeding since they would obviously be carriers of this virus right? But I also feel bad just culling them. Not quite sure what to do at this point. Thanks for any advice guys!

 

[duanes]

Lymphocystis is akin to the common cold, it is ubiquitous (it is present everywhere in the aquatic environment). Just as most colds are self limiting, any cold can develop serious complications, and as you know, Lymph can become lethal to fish under stress.
There is a certain amount of immunity fish can build up if they beat it, but can also become non-symptomatic carriers.
I have had fish develop Lymph due to the stress after being shipped, yet with care go into remission for the rest of there lives.
I would never sell or give away a fish with symptoms, but unless you have an entirely sterile environment, where fish are, and have always been totally isolated from all other fish, and any outside influences, Lymph, though asymptomatic, is always there.
You must decide if the strain in your tank is so robust or epidemic, that it warrants euthanizing the fish, or controllable with TLC.

 

[Dispatch273]

Lymphocystis is akin to the common cold, it is ubiquitous (it is present everywhere in the aquatic environment). Just as most colds are self limiting, any cold can develop serious complications, and as you know, Lymph can become lethal to fish under stress.
There is a certain amount of immunity fish can build up if they beat it, but can also become non-symptomatic carriers.
I have had fish develop Lymph due to the stress after being shipped, yet with care go into remission for the rest of there lives.
I would never sell or give away a fish with symptoms, but unless you have an entirely sterile environment, where fish are, and have always been totally isolated from all other fish, and any outside influences, Lymph, though asymptomatic, is always there.
You must decide if the strain in your tank is so robust or epidemic, that it warrants euthanizing the fish, or controllable with TLC.

Thanks for the advice Duanes. My end goal with these juvies is to breed them and sell their fry. If I can't do that then I'd have to pass them on to someone else who just wants a pretty pet. They themselves have shown no symptoms at all but they came from a tank their mother was in and she does have lymph. None of my other fish or tanks have lymph to my knowledge and I'd like to keep it that way. So I guess I will just sell these guys and go from there. Thank you again.