Advanced Members: Cure Septicemia in Cichlids?

[Oddball]

I can't believe how rampant the disease is running in your tanks. I suffered losses when it hit my tanks but, wound up losing 34 out of 150 angels in the end. Nowhere near the total losses you're looking at. The tetracycline/malachite green/formalin showed definite signs of working by day #3.

Do you suppose the infection may be salmonid VHS (Viral Hemmoragic Septicemia)? It's currently running through salmon populations in WA state. Birds can act as carriers and affect water reservoirs.

 

[JK47]

I can't believe how rampant the disease is running in your tanks. I suffered losses when it hit my tanks but, wound up losing 34 out of 150 angels in the end. Nowhere near the total losses you're looking at. The tetracycline/malachite green/formalin showed definite signs of working by day #3.

Do you suppose the infection may be salmonid VHS (Viral Hemmoragic Septicemia)? It's currently running through salmon populations in WA state. Birds can act as carriers and affect water reservoirs.

I know boss if never seen anything like this before. You could be right though, it is salmon season and I live less than 5 minutes from the columbia river dividing WA/OR, it's littered with boats and fisherman right now. There is something happening in our area. The very best LFS in our region (no names) has at least 15 tanks tagged out and is suffering losses as well. I have spoken with at least three other MFK members in the area as well suffering serious losses of fish as well out of the blue, these are not new members or hobbiests either. (hopefully one or two of them will chime in)

 

[Oddball]

It's answers alot of questions since my 1st bout with this disease was when I was living in Vader, WA just north of Longview. I had just moved west from the Tri-Cities (Pasco) and the disease came about 5 months after the move.

 

[Oddball]

A huge problem with VHS and IHN (Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis - Same symptoms/histology/region) is that there currently is no cure for the pathogen occurring fish-to-fish. The only treatment is a preventive measure used in disinfecting eggs with iodophor to prevent parent-to-young disease transmission.

 

[JK47]

It's answers alot of questions since my 1st bout with this disease was when I was living in Vader, WA just north of Longview. I had just moved west from the Tri-Cities (Pasco) and the disease came about 5 months after the move.

Is my family at risk since it's viral? Is there any point to even trying new meds or am I at a point where I should just do daily WC's let the tank cycle and see where I am from there?

EDIT: just read your above post, more and more people are saying no cure for this. I will start cycling the tank tomorrow and see where I am in a few weeks. I don't mind shelling out more and more money to cure it, if it can be done but I have a terminally ill father who needs me just as bad as my fish and I need to draw the line somewhere.

 

[Oddball]

Is my family at risk since it's viral? Is there any point to even trying new meds or am I at a point where I should just do daily WC's let the tank cycle and see where I am from there?

The disease, thus far, does not pose any risk to humans due to body chemistry/temp incompatability.

As to throwing in the towel, I wouldn't do it myself. I still treated and was able to save the bulk of my stock. Granted, the severity of the disease may have changed to a new variant since the bout I fought.

However, if there's no point due to severe losses, I'd recommend killing off the entire tank with a wash out of wescodine. It's a strong iodophor that commonly used to sterilize operating room floors and large gear. A thorough washout with this germicide and a temp of 90F or better should kill the existing infection in the tank. Bleaching won't work since the pathogen (depending on type(s)) may be able to encyst and ride out a bleaching. A strong iodophor is your best bet at this point.

 

[JK47]

The disease, thus far, does not pose any risk to humans due to body chemistry/temp incompatability.

As to throwing in the towel, I wouldn't do it myself. I still treated and was able to save the bulk of my stock. Granted, the severity of the disease may have changed to a new variant since the bout I fought.

However, if there's no point due to severe losses, I'd recommend killing off the entire tank with a wash out of wescodine. It's a strong iodophor that commonly used to sterilize operating room floors and large gear. A thorough washout with this germicide and a temp of 90F or better should kill the existing infection in the tank. Bleaching won't work since the patogen (depending on type(s)) may be able to encyst and ride out a bleaching. A strong iodophor is your best bet at this point.

I'm sorry, I worded that poorly, I didn't mean throw in the towel and kill off my remaining stock. I meant I really need to find the right medicine and treat effectivly or not continue spending what I have been on trying new meds. I am trying to help my father right now as well and it's causing some strain with the wife, although she understands (we are traveling alot back and fourth ebtween WA and southern OR to see him). If there is not really an effective treatment, wouldn't getting the perams back where they were and giving the fish a shot on their own be better than killing off the remaining fish in the tank?

(taking your advice though on the 55g, it's now empty and I was dumb enough to bleach it, thanks! )

 

[Modest_Man]

Making me worried about doing water changes...

 

[Oddball]

Are you still treating for the possibility of secondary fungal infections? It may be that I had better success due to the triple med treatment I was doing in my tank with the combination of tetracycline, malachite green, and formalin. I also added salt at the rate of a 150 tablespoons for the 300gal system.

As a side note, I found several study papers in my recirculating hatchery system journals that recommend UV sterilization of inlet water when replenishing from a backflush, routine wc, or evaporation replenishment. The papers state that UV sterilizers are effective in killing the VHS and IHN pathogens. I can't say for certain that this works. However, I've been using UV sterilization on my storage tank inlets since setting up the hatchery in early 2004 and I have yet to see a repeat of the disease.

 

[JK47]

Are you still treating for the possibility of secondary fungal infections? It may be that I had better success due to the triple med treatment I was doing in my tank with the combination of tetracycline, malachite green, and formalin. I also added salt at the rate of a 150 tablespoons for the 300gal system.

As a side note, I found several study papers in my recirculating hatchery system journals that recommend UV sterilization of inlet water when replenishing from a backflush, routine wc, or evaporation replenishment. The papers state that UV sterilizers are effective in killing the VHS and IHN pathogens. I can't say for certain that this works. However, I've been using UV sterilization on my storage tank inlets since setting up the hatchery in early 2004 and I have yet to see a repeat of the disease.

I am only treating with the amoxicillin and 1 tblspn salt / 5 gallons. I can up the salt but only have malachite blue handy and have not used it. I can buy the green tomorrow and start adding that as well but none the less dosed the last of the antibiotics I have about a half hour ago. Rich and I just had this conversation yesterday about the UV, I'll have to buy another canister tomorrow as well because I am running an FX5 and can't get a UV locally that can handle it. I could however do as you suggest and run it on incoming water only in addition. Never thought of that.