Symptoms of bacterial infections in plecos
external symptoms
- bloated bellies
- Catfish swell
- Catfish breathe heavily
- Bloodshot spots
- Redness between the scales
- Catfish no longer retreat to burrows or shelters.
- Catfish lose their shyness.
Behave
internal symptoms
photos
Clicking on a photo shows the whole picture, if available.
Photos: Klaus Dreymann
Chaetostoma showing signs of bacterial infection. The catfish died from the disease. In the evening, the redness between the scales was only visible on the underside of the base of the tail. The next morning the redness had spread as can be seen in the second picture.
Photo: dorih (forum)
Yellow bow-tie catfish Females with multiple red and reddish-brown spots that appeared within a few days. Presumably a rapidly progressing bacterial infection. The male had previously died suddenly without symptoms.
Photos: Th. Streubel
White spots were noticed on the back of the female tortoiseshell catfish shown after laying eggs in the ovipositor. Since the diagnosis was unclear based on the pictures, the temperature was increased to 27° and sea almond leaves were placed in the aquarium.
Photo: Th. Streubel
Next, a young catfish was noticed in another aquarium. From the description, it looks like a piece of skin has been rasped off. There, too, a sea almond tree leaf was put in the basin.
Photos: Th. Streubel
One fin of the tortoiseshell catfish turned red. New photos strengthened the suspicion of a bacterial infection. Treatment with nifurpirinol or an equivalent follow-up drug was recommended.
Photo: Th. Streubel
The catfish and the tortoiseshell catfish were placed in a common quarantine tank. Fishtamine and garlic were added to the basin. Add some Sera salt. The temperature was around 28°. An aerator was used for this.
Immediately after the transfer, the female had a very red muzzle. The second fin tip was also red. The muzzle and fin tip looked better the next morning.
Both catfish occasionally gasped, ie they occasionally breathed on the water surface.
Due to the development, reference was made to the experience with particularly severe bacterial infections in loricariids. Treatment with JBL Furanol (active ingredient Nifurpirinol) was started.
The tortoiseshell catfish’s mouth and fin tip recovered. The belly looked a little bigger. A fungus formed on the edges of the wound on his back. JBL Furanol and an anti-fungal agent were then used together.
The spot on the head of the catfish seemed to be healing, but one fin had fungus.
Photos: Th. Streubel
After about 6 days both catfish died, although an antibiotic was also used.
In the tank in which the catfish was originally, 3 other small catfish died without recognizable symptoms. 2 other catfish got somewhat thicker bellies, which did not clearly indicate abdominal dropsy.
Photos: Th. Streubel
Finally, the male tortoiseshell catfish also showed the same symptoms.
Photos: Christian
Photos of 2 LDA 25 who got sick and died within 2 days. The animals had red spots under their heads and on their bellies, some extending down to their fins. The anus seemed turned outwards and was reddened. All affected animals had protruding eyes.
The course of the disease began unremarkably, with occasional gasps on the surface. Within about 12-14 hours, small red spots that looked like hemorrhages formed, primarily on the «neck». The fish became sluggish and stopped accepting food. Their escape behavior was no longer existent.
As they progressed, they began to breathe more and more frequently on the surface, but seemed unable to take in or release anything via the gills.
The first Infested Catfish would often stagger unconscious from the surface of the water to the bottom and remain there on its side. After a while, however, he began to move again and rolled back onto his stomach. This was repeated a few times before his death. When the second Pleco exhibited the same behavior, he was taken out of the pool and put on clove oil to stop him suffering.
During the disease phase, the affected animals often lay on the ground with their heads held high or hung lifeless on the edges of the leaves of the plants or on technology such as the CO2 pinball machine. On closer inspection, however, something like breathing could still be recognized. Occasionally they still moved jerkily on the ground on the spot
causes
For some time now, reports have been piling up of diseases in loricariids that progress very quickly and are often fatal. Even if the pathogen has not yet been clearly identified, the symptoms and treatment options suggest that bacteria play at least an important role in the course of the disease.
The trigger for the diseases seems to be the transmission of the pathogens by creatures brought into the aquarium or by transport water. Whether the pathogens are transmitted directly to one another by the plecos themselves, or whether an intermediate host, e.g. g. other species of fish or snails, is unclear. However, there are indications that the pathogens also survive outside of loricariids.
While loricariids become severely ill and die quickly if left untreated, other fish species can live in the same aquarium completely healthy and without a symptom.
treatment suggestions
Due to the fast and deadly progression of the diseases, a veterinarian or at least a very experienced aquarist who is familiar with the symptoms of these diseases must be consulted for advice.
Animals that are clearly ill must be separated and treated separately. The treatment tank must be empty and filled with fresh water. This allows the bacterial pressure to be reduced, the course of the disease to be better observed and dead animals to be discovered and removed immediately. All aquariums and their inhabitants in which sick animals have been or which have come into contact with objects or water from such aquariums must also be treated.
If recovered animals are returned to an untreated tank, they usually show symptoms of the disease again very quickly and very severely.
Treatment is with an antibiotic recommended by a veterinarian. Some reports speak of successes through treatment with Sera baktopur direct. The main active ingredient in Sera baktopur direct is nifurpirinol. Other remedies that contain nifurpirinol may also help. However, a strong warning must be given against lengthy experiments. If at all possible, a veterinarian must be called in immediately when the first symptoms described above appear in plecos.
If appropriate treatment is not provided promptly, the chance of survival is extremely low.
If the infested catfish tolerate it, the pH can be adjusted to low levels. Positive experiences have been made with a pH value of 6.5 and simultaneous treatment with alder cones.
There are also indications of a successful but protracted treatment with Sera costapur and Nystatin-Lederle+ADs. Nystatin is a human antifungal agent. It fights the fungal infection that often occurs as a secondary infection. 1 milligram/liter of water content was dosed once, then 0.5 milligrams/liter daily. Costapur was dosed according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Costapur contains malachite green as the main active ingredient. Other remedies that contain malachite green may also be effective.
However, a strong warning must be given against lengthy experiments. It is unclear whether the cases of disease cured without antibiotics were actually caused by the same pathogen. If at all possible, a veterinarian must be called in immediately when the first symptoms described above appear in plecos.
If appropriate treatment is not provided promptly, the chance of survival is very low.
In addition, resistant pathogens are generated by treatment that is started too late. This means that ever stronger antibiotics are required, which in turn lead to side effects. Permanent damage is the result, which can range from impairment to the failure of various organs, sterility, behavioral disorders, loss of senses, etc. to death.
Further information