# Fish TB survival



## nicolec50 (Dec 19, 2010)

I have a 3ft tropical freshwater tank for a community of fish; angelfish, tetras, siamese algae eaters,clown loaches. Three years ago I started losing fish to a mystery disease that didn't seem to fit any single disease symptoms. It seemed the more treatments I tried the more fish I would lose. 

Two years ago I finally realised it was TB killing my fish and it was very distressing to realise there was nothing that could be done to save my fish. they aren't particularly valuable cost wise, but I am really attached to each fish. I couldn't bring myself to euthanise them, so I just let them go on, making sure none died in the aquarium (ie I put them in a plastic container within the tank when they were at the point of no return).

I realised there is a one critical day for the tetras at least with TB. It is when their spine curves; it happens rather suddenly. Most fish will give up when their spine curves and they are unable to keep themselves stable. 1.5 years ago I watched sadly as one of my rummy nose tetras struggled to keep itself swimming the day its spine curved. I am glad I gave him a chance though, as he learnt to adapt his swim stroke to correct for his curved spine. he now swims perfectly, and unless you look along his spine you wouldn't even know his spine was so curved.

Half of my fish have survived with TB in the tank for 3 years. The greatest survival rates were from large angelfish (100% survival 4/4 fish still going) and algae eaters (100% 2/2 alive), followed by rummy nose tetras (4/6). 

Since I haven't lost a fish for over a year I recently began to restock the aquarium. So far no new fish show any signs of infection. 

If you love your fish then all is not lost if you get TB in the tank. If you keep the water conditions correct then even infected fish can often survive. Also I think the risk of human mycobacterium skin infection is exaggerated; I had unknowingly had my hands with cuts and scratches on them in the tank in the tank every 10 days, but nothing has ever come of it. 

has anyone else had any signs of hope following TB in the tank?

Also, do you think its possible that it could have come from frozen bloodworms? I had bought a new lot of frozen bloodworms just prior to the initial outbreak, and I am not sure of the conditions that commercially produced bloodworms would be propogated in. 

-Nicole


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## james7139 (Jul 10, 2010)

im sorry,you will have to tell me what TB means Because the only tb i know of is tuberculosis.


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## SinCrisis (Aug 7, 2008)

TB is turburculosis.

Aquarium FD - Fish Tuberculosis (Curved Spine) - Disease Identification, Diagnosis & Treatment

Nicolec50, welcome to the forums. You were very lucky with those survival rates since TB is a very tough disease for fish to conquer and return from and its terrible since theres nothing we can do to help them.


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