Fish TB?

LBUK

Exodon
MFK Member
Mar 16, 2018
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Hello all

We have had 2 deaths in the tank and my missus said the fish had popeye and blisters on their bodies. They were both neon tetras and we have had them about 8 months now. Nothjng really to report on the tank but my main worry is luckily for me my missus told me this after i had my hands in the tank(brilliant I know) and I managed to come across a load of horror fish TB stories.

What are the odds of it being fish TB and me getting it? I have a few scuffs and cuts on my hand and have since washed them very thorroughly.

Cheers.
 

Stephen St.Clair

Potamotrygon
MFK Member
Jul 2, 2017
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No worries. Chances are your fish had the very common Neon Tetra Disease or a bacterial infection. The chances you would catch fish TB or any other disease from your fish tank is extremely remote. Tank Bacteria could certainly infect an open wound on your hand or arm, but no more likely to happen than getting the same open wound infected by exposure to germs while gardening. Relax.
 

duanes

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The genus Mycobacterium (of which M tuberculosis is a species) has a number of other less deadly members of the genus, one is M marinum, which may have effected your neons.
Since the life span of a neon is usually no more than 3 years after hatching, yours may have already been very geriatric, a time when a disease like that takes over. Most neons in nature don't last a year because of predation, so your had a good long extra span of life.
M. marium is the one people often get from aquarium handling. I have had it, it produces warty granulomas on the skin, mine were on a couple fingers, and went away on their own after a few weeks. They were a little itchy, and unsightly, but beyond that, not a big deal.
 
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