Septicemia - Red Streaks/Bleeding - Cures

leebca

Well-known member
I've noted several shipments of fishes coming through the wholesalers with signs of septicemia. I'm sure their condition won't improve in display aquariums and especially in recently established aquariums.

Symptoms include any/all of the following:
Red blotches
Red sores
Bleeding patches or 'raw' looking areas
Red streaks
Particularly advanced, I've seen bone

Leading up to one or more of the above symptoms, the fish could well be eating and have a normal appearance. A patch is seen to develop often reddish, like a sub-surface bruise. The patch can expand a bit, turn deeper red or give the appearance of being rubbed raw with bloody flesh visible. During the expansion of the area or spread of the condition, I have found the fish to stop eating (if it was in the beginning).

I had the (sad) opportunity to acquire fish in the expansion stage before they stopped eating, but were showing signs of this condition. They came from one wholesaler's tank and were the same species of butterflyfish (Chaetodon rafflesi) a.k.a. the Lattice Butterflyfish. It is not a particularly easy fish. If you're lucky, you can encourage it to eat in a couple of days by fooling it (pressing food into dead corals) or by offering very finely chopped foods. It will usually eat live foods.

In three identical tanks with the same, freshly prepared and split tank water they were acclimated (without any dips or treatments). Tank 1 had 7, Tank 2 had 7, Tank 3 had 8.

All were fed the same (if they would eat). I fed live brine shrimp (sub-adult sized) and live mysis shrimp (Mysidopsis bahia) and misc. pods from my 'pod factory' (refugium).

Each tank was isolated and I did identical water changes and chemical treatments. Tank 1 is getting a combination Melafix and Pimafix according to bottle directions. Tank 2 is getting Maracyn Two for saltwater fish (at twice the recommended dosage). Tank 3 is getting no treatment.

This began 2 days ago and I'm still collecting information.

I'm posting to find out if anyone has had success with treating septicemia (advanced stage or initial stage) with Melafix, Pimafix, other products (non antibiotic).

Thanks.
 
Lee,

I have used enrofloxacin injection with septicemia in sharks with good success.

I have also used kanamycin baths for puffers and seahorses with septicemia. Good results for the puffers. Unfortunately seahorses did not make it & when cultured on necropsy - grew out vibrio.

Keep us updated with your progress - I am very interested.

Hope this helps.

Kelly
 
I've used Kanacyn, Furan's, and Maracyn II with good success on septicemia on a variety of fish. In many cases with fish from the wholesaler, just providing good clean water has been sufficient. The non antibiotic treatments such as Mela Fix have not been very effective IME.

Lee,

Are you doing any pathology to determine cause of the septicemia? I've seen it from a variety of causes, such as ammonia burn from the shipping bag, Uronema, and other types of infections. All of witch will respond differently to treatments.
 
Thanks Bill.

Three 'dead fish' from the same symptoms were sent for culturing and autopsy. No results yet. I'm proceeding as if a bacterial cause. I checked the tank water and found params in order, but that doesn't (of course) address the bag conditions. :)
 
I'll be curious to see the necropsy results. I'll bet you can come up with a few interesting things ;)
 

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