Well guys, I have sadly gotten mycobacterium in my guppy tank, and all the recommendations say to cull the tank and start over (new everything, even the substrate must go). I've been slowly losing fish at the rate of two or so per week for months, and about two weeks ago noticed twisted spines, leading to the diagnosis. It's bad. It's real bad. My usual method of culling is to take out the fish, place it in the net, and flatten its head into nothingness with a hammer (these are fancy guppies, it's instant), but I have about 10 left, and about 20 brand new fry, and it's a bit much, plus this bacteria is zoonotic and I really should not be splashing it all over my kitchen and risking getting it into my eyes by bashing them with a hammer. Looking for suggestions on best ways to kill an entire tank of fish as humanely as possible. I've read about clove oil as a way to humanely knock them out before killing them. Does that work? Is it really humane? I don't need to hurry, I have time to order the right stuff on Amazon. Thinking I knock them out with that so they are unconscious, then OD the tank with Seachem Prime which will suffocate them to death?
https://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/fishkeeping-news/should-you-be-worried-about-fish-tb/
https://www.thesprucepets.com/tuberculosis-in-aquarium-fish-4844011
https://fishlab.com/fish-tuberculosis/
https://thefishsite.com/articles/mycobacterial-infections-of-fish
https://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Mycobacteriosis_(Fish_Tuberculosis)
I have been losing fish for months, unexplained, so in a way, I'm sort of glad to finally have an answer and glad it's finally over. These were pet store fish I had started over with after an accident with an aquarium light killed all my home-raised fish and they probably came with the bacteria (they also came with nuisance snails). I do have a weakened immune system, so I really can't mess around with it. I'll probably throw the whole tank away and get out of the hobby for a while. It's been discouraging ever since losing all my home-breds and these replacements have never thrived, and this is probably why.
ALTERNATELY: If anyone is near Southern Vermont and wants to take it all (for any reason: bleeding heart, loves a challenge, wants free stuff and doesn't mind culling fish and sanitizing stuff to get it), you're more than welcome to it. The tank should be considered contaminated for life unless depopulated/sanitized: no fish can ever leave, no new fish can ever come in (well, I mean, unless you want to condemn them to a terrible fate), and if you have a cut on your hand, you can catch it and it can infect you and cause a major nasty local infection. If depopulated, the substrate might could be Lysoled/bleached and boiled enough to sanitize it, but it also might not (it's beautiful black sand and lava rock and cost me a fortune, a true loss to me). The tank, as it is, could be managed by someone who is not immune-compromised, and there are some asymptomatic fish in the tank, just some will always die, and some will always need to be culled when they develop symptoms (and those symptoms are very disturbing). Once (if) all the fish die, then you could sanitize the tank (using both Lysol, bleach, and boiling) and start over. It's an old tank, hardly worth the effort (to me, your opinion may differ, which is why I am offering it). The only thing of any value is the substrate and the light, and I'll be keeping the light (I can use that to start seeds). Will come with the heater, HOB filter, filter refills, fish food, etc. I'll even give you the rest of the (expensive) meds I have been using for the past week trying to treat this before I realized how risky it was if you want to try to save them. I just can't risk it with my immune system.
https://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/fishkeeping-news/should-you-be-worried-about-fish-tb/
https://www.thesprucepets.com/tuberculosis-in-aquarium-fish-4844011
https://fishlab.com/fish-tuberculosis/
https://thefishsite.com/articles/mycobacterial-infections-of-fish
https://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Mycobacteriosis_(Fish_Tuberculosis)
I have been losing fish for months, unexplained, so in a way, I'm sort of glad to finally have an answer and glad it's finally over. These were pet store fish I had started over with after an accident with an aquarium light killed all my home-raised fish and they probably came with the bacteria (they also came with nuisance snails). I do have a weakened immune system, so I really can't mess around with it. I'll probably throw the whole tank away and get out of the hobby for a while. It's been discouraging ever since losing all my home-breds and these replacements have never thrived, and this is probably why.
ALTERNATELY: If anyone is near Southern Vermont and wants to take it all (for any reason: bleeding heart, loves a challenge, wants free stuff and doesn't mind culling fish and sanitizing stuff to get it), you're more than welcome to it. The tank should be considered contaminated for life unless depopulated/sanitized: no fish can ever leave, no new fish can ever come in (well, I mean, unless you want to condemn them to a terrible fate), and if you have a cut on your hand, you can catch it and it can infect you and cause a major nasty local infection. If depopulated, the substrate might could be Lysoled/bleached and boiled enough to sanitize it, but it also might not (it's beautiful black sand and lava rock and cost me a fortune, a true loss to me). The tank, as it is, could be managed by someone who is not immune-compromised, and there are some asymptomatic fish in the tank, just some will always die, and some will always need to be culled when they develop symptoms (and those symptoms are very disturbing). Once (if) all the fish die, then you could sanitize the tank (using both Lysol, bleach, and boiling) and start over. It's an old tank, hardly worth the effort (to me, your opinion may differ, which is why I am offering it). The only thing of any value is the substrate and the light, and I'll be keeping the light (I can use that to start seeds). Will come with the heater, HOB filter, filter refills, fish food, etc. I'll even give you the rest of the (expensive) meds I have been using for the past week trying to treat this before I realized how risky it was if you want to try to save them. I just can't risk it with my immune system.
