Treating dermocystidium in cardinal tetra

[wildcherry]

Hi all,

Hope everyone is safe and well.

I suspect one of my cardinal tetras has dermocystidium - as you might be able to see from the photos, it's developed clear, round cysts on it's body. Looks identical to the example here: https://i.prcdn.co/img?regionKey=0F6Ypu ... 8lkg%3D%3D





I've moved it to a hospital tank, the cysts are still clear, no white parasites visible yet, so hopefully the other fish won't be affected.

Has anyone experienced this before? How did you treat it?

Water parameters are:

pH:7.0
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20
Temp: 25C

Thanks all,

Cherry

[plankton]

Well diagnosed, I've never seen anything like that, it's almost like extreme lymphocystis.
Esha 2000 can sometimes help with that.
Interpet Anti-Internal Bacteria contains acriflavine which is the treatment advised.

[Martinspuddle]

Dermocystidium is contagious fungal disease, it is not normally fatal but there is no known treatment to date.

Although some aquarists have report that doses of salt have slowed the spread to other fish, this seems to be only reported by pond, Koi keepers and commercial fisheries. The fungus has a cycle and once the cysts break spores are release back into the water column and later will infect other inhabitants leaving open wounds on the host fish which may need treatment to prevent secondary infection.

Quarantining new fish is the best way to prevent the spreading of this disease plus other known aquatic diseases and parasites.

Further reading; Dermocystidiosis induced by the parasite Dermocystidium sp. in the ornamental fish Paracheirodon axelrodi

I would venture to suggest you return the infected fish to the main aquarium and bleach the hospital aquarium. I would use a formaldehyde, methanol or malachite green chloride based anti fungus treatment to try to keep the infection under control.

[wildcherry]

Thanks both, really appreciate your advice.

Dosed with Interpet Anti-Internal Bacteria but lost it over night, dropsy and pop eye set in too by the looks of things, what a wee state it's in.

Thankfully none of the cysts have ruptured, although they have grown since I moved it to the hospital tank a couple of days ago, no white worms inside them yet (yuck). Everything crossed the main tank is ok and none of the other fish are infected if the bursting of the cysts is what spreads the disease. They all look fine.

Wonder how it got it, I've not added anything to the tank in over a year. Only thing I can think of is frozen food or instant baby brine shrimp. Either that or it's been harbouring the parasite for the 3 years I've had the cardinals and it's only just showing itself now?! Very weird. Away for 5 days from Saturday so at least it didn't happen then and the cysts ruptures in the main tank, what a disaster that could have been.

Should I dose the main tank with anything in case the healthy fish are still at risk, do you think? Or just big water change?

Is regular household bleach what should be used to sanitise the hospital tank?

Thanks again.

[plankton]

Sorry to hear you lost it.
It's not easy to treat as @Martinspuddle says.
You could use the Interpet in the main tank, but hopefully, if the cysts haven't burst, you may be ok.
I have no idea where it might have come from if you haven't used live food, but then I would expect it to be in all the fish...??
You want bleach without perfume or sufactants (so the thin bleach or something like Milton) for the hospital tank. Conditioner will negate the chlorine.

[wildcherry]

Thanks plankton.

Really strange isn't it. That cardinal has had a white spot in the centre of each eye all the years I've had it which never shifted though antibacterial or wormer treatments I've used in the past. To me it's always just looked a bit old, not in as good condition as the others. Maybe it it's been rumbling away all this time? Who knows. The rest all seem happy enough and were evening spawning last night.

Will keep an eagle eye on the rest of the tank in case any symptoms start to show and will dose Interpet as a precaution, thank you. Everything crossed.

Really helpful advice on the bleach! Will chuck out the plastic plant, net etc used, not going to take any chances.