Sick Fish

[kaylshouse15]

Few fish have died in very short time, I'm thinking velvet? Have taken some samples of infected fish. Can anyone confirm what is on these slides please ??

Thanks in advance

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Few fish have died in very short time, I'm thinking velvet? Have taken some samples of infected fish. Can anyone confirm what is on these slides please ??

Thanks in advance

I find identifying organisms from slides produced by somebody else very difficult.

Where was the tissue taken, what is the magnification, and what stain was used? Then, what are the symptoms the fish are showing?

Jay

 

[vetteguy53081]

Im on same page with Jay. After death Slides are difficult. Any pics by chance of fish with sisease before death?
If this helps, Some symptoms you should have seen with velvet would have been:
- Scratching body against hard objects
- Fish is lethargic
- Loss of appetite and weight loss
- Rapid, labored breathing
- Fins clamped against the body
- rapid breathing and mucus around the gills

Fish with velvet will typically stay at the surface of the water, or remain in a position where a steady flow of water is present in the aquarium. As the disease progresses outwards from the gills, the cysts then become visible on the fins and body.

 

[fishguy242]

hi , pics or short video of current fish,could help tremendously.

 

[kaylshouse15]

Extremely bad picture, I'm working my husband is at home. This is one of the affected fish. Iv only notice sandy spots all over them then death. Never really went off food or went ill. The puffer is now at the bottom with closed eyes and heavy breathing and discolouration

Slides were from body of fish, stain used called rapi-diff stain, magnifications was 100 x with oil immersion lense.

 

[MnFish1]

The stain is basically the equivalent of an H/E stain. (Hematoxylin/Eosin)

 

[kaylshouse15]

Here is a better pictures and a video poor guy

 

[kaylshouse15]

hi , pics or short video of current fish,could help tremendously.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I don’t know how to interpret the photomicrographs - I’m out at the marina for the weekend and all my histology texts are at home. I can almost see a clear envelope around each stained cell. If so, Amyloodinium/velvet doesn’t stain like that. There are also a lot of them. I wonder if you scraped and stained some mucus?
In any event the fish either seem to have velvet or late stage marine ich with secondary infection. The treatment for both would be a full dose of copper in a treatment tank. You might consider a 5 minute FW dip going in to buy some time as copper doesn’t wok right away. I also should add that once fish loss has begun due to parasitic disease it is very difficult to stop things before more fish die….
Jay

 

[kaylshouse15]

I don’t know how to interpret the photomicrographs - I’m out at the marina for the weekend and all my histology texts are at home. I can almost see a clear envelope around each stained cell. If so, Amyloodinium/velvet doesn’t stain like that. There are also a lot of them. I wonder if you scraped and stained some mucus?
In any event the fish either seem to have velvet or late stage marine ich with secondary infection. The treatment for both would be a full dose of copper in a treatment tank. You might consider a 5 minute FW dip going in to buy some time as copper doesn’t wok right away. I also should add that once fish loss has begun due to parasitic disease it is very difficult to stop things before more fish die….
Jay

thanks so much for your reply! I will try this!

 

[kaylshouse15]

I don’t know how to interpret the photomicrographs - I’m out at the marina for the weekend and all my histology texts are at home. I can almost see a clear envelope around each stained cell. If so, Amyloodinium/velvet doesn’t stain like that. There are also a lot of them. I wonder if you scraped and stained some mucus?
In any event the fish either seem to have velvet or late stage marine ich with secondary infection. The treatment for both would be a full dose of copper in a treatment tank. You might consider a 5 minute FW dip going in to buy some time as copper doesn’t wok right away. I also should add that once fish loss has begun due to parasitic disease it is very difficult to stop things before more fish die….
Jay

how long for a FW dip ?

 

[kaylshouse15]

I don’t know how to interpret the photomicrographs - I’m out at the marina for the weekend and all my histology texts are at home. I can almost see a clear envelope around each stained cell. If so, Amyloodinium/velvet doesn’t stain like that. There are also a lot of them. I wonder if you scraped and stained some mucus?
In any event the fish either seem to have velvet or late stage marine ich with secondary infection. The treatment for both would be a full dose of copper in a treatment tank. You might consider a 5 minute FW dip going in to buy some time as copper doesn’t wok right away. I also should add that once fish loss has begun due to parasitic disease it is very difficult to stop things before more fish die….
Jay

ignore my last comment just re read your comment after running and grabbing my stuff for a FW dip

 

[kaylshouse15]

I don’t know how to interpret the photomicrographs - I’m out at the marina for the weekend and all my histology texts are at home. I can almost see a clear envelope around each stained cell. If so, Amyloodinium/velvet doesn’t stain like that. There are also a lot of them. I wonder if you scraped and stained some mucus?
In any event the fish either seem to have velvet or late stage marine ich with secondary infection. The treatment for both would be a full dose of copper in a treatment tank. You might consider a 5 minute FW dip going in to buy some time as copper doesn’t wok right away. I also should add that once fish loss has begun due to parasitic disease it is very difficult to stop things before more fish die….
Jay

Done my FW dip and so much stuff came out of him, he is not very happy but already see a diffrance! less cloudiness and more energetic! Thank you !

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Done my FW dip and so much stuff came out of him, he is not very happy but already see a diffrance! less cloudiness and more energetic! Thank you !

Ok, this may buy you some time, but you need to get a full treatment started right away - coppersafe at full strength is my preference.
Jay

 

[kaylshouse15]

Ok, this may buy you some time, but you need to get a full treatment started right away - coppersafe at full strength is my preference.
Jay

iv just said bugger it and thew it in my display tank, it's fish only ! Iv ordered a copper testing kit but it won't arrive till Monday.

 

[kaylshouse15]

Can someone tell me what the copper level guidelines?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Can someone tell me what the copper level guidelines?

Depends which copper product you are using. Coppersafe is 2.5 ppm for 30 days. Copper Power is 2.1 ppm for 30, but some people push it to 2.5 Cupramine is .5 for 14 days, but most people take it to 30. Ionic copper is 0.20 for 20 days.
Jay

 

[fishguy242]

#fishmedic
sorry ,i am not sure if levels are the same with coppersafe and copper power.
i did see @kaylshouse15 you added to tank with rock and sand.
do think will do damage to your biological filtration ,and absorb the copper ?
experts ,correct me if i am wrong please.

 

[MnFish1]

#fishmedic
sorry ,i am not sure if levels are the same with coppersafe and copper power.
i did see @kaylshouse15 you added to tank with rock and sand.
do think will do damage to your biological filtration ,and absorb the copper ?
experts ,correct me if i am wrong please.

Here is what Jay says:

Depends which copper product you are using. Coppersafe is 2.5 ppm for 30 days. Copper Power is 2.1 ppm for 30, but some people push it to 2.5 Cupramine is .5 for 14 days, but most people take it to 30. Ionic copper is 0.20 for 20 days.
Jay

I do not think its a good idea to add copper to a tank with rock/sand

 

[kaylshouse15]

I dont have a QT, and I have only fish in the tank so it's my best option I know its not ideal. I'm using cupramine. My copper testing has arrived, it's showing nothing in the system but its the first dose will try it again at the 2nd dose