# Possible fish TB? ( im being very} serious... )



## Larsa (May 6, 2011)

Continued from my threads:

http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=84899

http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=82624

I really think this is the culprit of my 2 random dead fish. I have been researching a TON online and in my aquarium books and it only leads to this. I just lost Sakura, and before that, Natsuko, and now Kasumi is showing the same symptoms of - not eating - white rings around eyes - lost weight - constant resting -rapid breathing -"wrinkles" or " lines" under the eyes ( circled them in the picture ). The only thing she doesnt show is the twisted/bent U shape spine and the dramatic color-loss that my 2 girls died with. Natsuko and Sakura died literally within a day of showing these symptoms. Kasumi has slightly raised scales on her belly but its really hard to take a picture but you cansorta tell in the one I took of her  those are NOT normal!! Sakura nd Natsuko were both super active and acting normal the day before they died. It was so sudden, I cant even explain how fast they died! I am so worried about my surviving girls, im trying not to cry at work. All my girls look a little skinny right now, and a couple have grey spots on them- especially Aimi and Amiya. Okami has a little bit of grey spots developing. I took more and more water samples to Petco, Petsmart, and got my own and everything reads safe, safe, normal, safe, etc etc. *WTF*. I have been quarantining these girls for a few days now, keeping their water at a toasty 80 F for them. I am trying literally EVERYTHING I can right now...

oh, LOLZ... EDIT:
Kasumi- blue/green CT
Amaya-grey/blue CT
Aimi- cellophane/pastel VT
Okami- red cambodian CT

*passed girls in last 2 pictures
Natsuko-blue/red VT
Sakura- red VT

Right now Aimi is showing grey spots on her mouth that are _NOT_ normal! 0.0 here are some picture the 2nd to last one here was Sakura when she died T-T The last is Natsuko, when I tried to help her. I stayed up for HOURS holding her so she could breathe...


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

I have to say, honestly, if it were TB you would know, and others here would of picked it up too. You would of had to of seen a doctor by now as well. 
The main symptoms of fish tuberculosis are loss of scales, loss of color, lesions on the body, wasting, and skeletal deformities such as curved spines. You will have many deaths a day if they were infected with TB. It will kill all fish who have come into contact with it, and since it's very highly contagious, your other girls wouldn't be here right now if it were TB.. 
Multiple opinions by many people here, especially by OFL who was in the medical profession, has not picked up on it. It is pretty rare to have TB, so don't stress out too much. I would just do what was recommended in your previous posts- if you are concerned you can wear the large rubber long gloves made for dish washing while you are cleaning out their tanks. But I honestly, with all my knowledge and experience will say, they don't have TB.
Bettas easily lose scales on top of their heads, I have one that does. And it's very common for them to change color, or spots to appear.. just keep that in mind as well.


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## 1fish2fish (Sep 10, 2009)

#1 Fish TB is NOT contageous to humans. It is VERY RARE that a human becomes infected by an illness in an aquarium so no she would not have to have been seen by a doctor. Please don't spread that rumor anymore.. this is why every other single thread on this forum is "Oh noes does my fish have TB???"

#2 There is not a consensus among aquarists as to whether or not TB is very contagious or not. Some people with it have only lost one fish out of a tank, others have lost many fish out of many tanks. So the other fish may or may not pick it up.

That said I also agree that this does not look like TB. Your girls seem to be showing none of the signs of TB.

If they're skinny the first thing I would do is treat with prazipro to eliminate the possibility that they have internal parasites. 

I really can't see what your talking about in the pictures posted. Most of what you circled looks like normal coloration.


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## cajunamy (Apr 28, 2011)

TB is characterized mostly by a bent spine, none of which these fish have. The wrinkle you have circled is his eye - it's his actual eye ball, not a wrinkle. The spot on the head is on all bettas, all fish as far as I know. It is either nostrils or part of their lateral line. I'd have to look it up. The red on the gill plates are ammonia burns. That gray looks like blue coloring showing up on the mouth, as if the fish would have a goatee lol


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

While it is possible that your Betta contracted Mycobacterium marinum, it usually takes a really long time for them to die from it since it is a chronic progressive gram positive bacteria

http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=73359

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/FA/FA18200.pdf

http://www.aces.edu/dept/fisheries/education/ras/publications/Update/Iridovirus in gouramis.pdf


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## Myates (Aug 2, 2011)

1fish2fish said:


> #1 Fish TB is NOT contageous to humans. It is VERY RARE that a human becomes infected by an illness in an aquarium so no she would not have to have been seen by a doctor. Please don't spread that rumor anymore.. this is why every other single thread on this forum is "Oh noes does my fish have TB???"
> 
> #2 There is not a consensus among aquarists as to whether or not TB is very contagious or not. Some people with it have only lost one fish out of a tank, others have lost many fish out of many tanks. So the other fish may or may not pick it up.


I shouldn't of jumped in the way I did about the TB.. But what I said is true, she could catch it if it was TB. Fish Tb causes a skin infection in people. Fish and other aquatic organisms carry, or get bacteria which can be transmitted to humans. It is possible to get fish TB. It is difficult to get a diagnosis from a doctor for fish TB. Apparently there needs to be a culture taken from the infection site which then needs to be cultured properly. 
The bacteria usually enter the skin in small abrasions or cuts when you are performing tank maintenance. In humans, the symptoms are usually restricted to skin and soft tissue destruction. Lesions appear, first small and purple, and gradually grow. Treatment is difficult. The bacteria can also infect bones and tendons that can feel like arthritis (Handbook of Dermatology and Venereology, chapter 16, Cutaneous Tuberculosis and Atypical Mycobacterial Infection by Dr. L. Y. Chong). Leslie Keefer, histotechnologist. 

As well as the wonderful links shared by OFL.
Yes, it's not that common, but it can and does happen. Why it's best to just wash your hands as mentioned above, no reason to worry about it and be afraid.

As far as contagious, it's not as bad if caught early..


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