mods can change if this is in the wrong forum thread... but couldnt find better.
Title says it....
first off id like to thank Seachem for helping me diagnose and sadly tell me the fate of my tank.
2nd off id like to throw this out there and ask if anyone else has dealt with this parasite before?
3rd... lets get to what this is.
Uronema is a free floating free forming parasite that needs only trace bacteria or detritus to thrive... not live or survive... THRIVE. algae can supplement growth by the parasite turning the algae into the host to reproduce and when the algae is scrubbed off, not removed... it spreads and finds a new spot to thrive. This parasite looks like bacteria when hosted to a fish, it will burn the fish and turn is slime coat to an acid. If the parasite has not infected the bloodstream of the fish through the eyes mouth or gills, the burning acid it turned the fishes slime coat into originally will blister and make an open wound for the parasite. Now in the bloodstream the parasite can reproduce ridiculously fast, sometimes tripling or quadrupling in numbers within hours and once dead, the fish now is a host for the parasite and open blood to the tank allows the parasite to free float to another acceptable or unwilling/willing host. This parasite can be treated with copper in the water column, on a 2x the recommended dosage thus killing the rock, sand, inverts and any biological or bacteria in the tank. If a fish has the parasite in the bloodstream, euthanize it because it will, and this is indefinite, die. If a fish is infected and the slime coat is thin, not shiny or slimy to your touch, you can freshwater dip only in FW of equal PH for up to 30 minutes, in hopes to rid the fish from the external parasite. If this does not work, living in the copper sometimes can. if the tank cannot be dosed with copper of that level, the tank must be drained and bleach washed. The only option.
...so id like to say now that I am dealing with this parasite and crossing my fingers we only lose the inverts and can save the fish.
Title says it....
first off id like to thank Seachem for helping me diagnose and sadly tell me the fate of my tank.
2nd off id like to throw this out there and ask if anyone else has dealt with this parasite before?
3rd... lets get to what this is.
Uronema is a free floating free forming parasite that needs only trace bacteria or detritus to thrive... not live or survive... THRIVE. algae can supplement growth by the parasite turning the algae into the host to reproduce and when the algae is scrubbed off, not removed... it spreads and finds a new spot to thrive. This parasite looks like bacteria when hosted to a fish, it will burn the fish and turn is slime coat to an acid. If the parasite has not infected the bloodstream of the fish through the eyes mouth or gills, the burning acid it turned the fishes slime coat into originally will blister and make an open wound for the parasite. Now in the bloodstream the parasite can reproduce ridiculously fast, sometimes tripling or quadrupling in numbers within hours and once dead, the fish now is a host for the parasite and open blood to the tank allows the parasite to free float to another acceptable or unwilling/willing host. This parasite can be treated with copper in the water column, on a 2x the recommended dosage thus killing the rock, sand, inverts and any biological or bacteria in the tank. If a fish has the parasite in the bloodstream, euthanize it because it will, and this is indefinite, die. If a fish is infected and the slime coat is thin, not shiny or slimy to your touch, you can freshwater dip only in FW of equal PH for up to 30 minutes, in hopes to rid the fish from the external parasite. If this does not work, living in the copper sometimes can. if the tank cannot be dosed with copper of that level, the tank must be drained and bleach washed. The only option.
...so id like to say now that I am dealing with this parasite and crossing my fingers we only lose the inverts and can save the fish.