ID: Brook or just bacterial infection

[vaporize]

Not sure if I am especially unlucky or what. I got a wild clarkii on friday evening. After putting it through the a formalin dip for 1 hr, it is put into a barebottom QT with just a powerhead (and a sponge filter attached) & heater & pot.

However it seems that today I noticed that it is breathing very fast, swimming at the top of the tank, and refuse to eat. Looking at the skin and the speed, I am dianosing that it is brook. Attached is a picture of the fish.

Could anybody confirm that? (this is unrelated to the other disease thread I post as they are in different systems).

Thanks for the any help. (I do have kordon formalin3 at home and ready)

[leebca]

It has the appearance of Brooklynella, an external or internal bacterial infection, or a poisoning (see: Is this bacterial infection or fungus? previously covered).

If this tank and/or equipment had come into contact with the water/equipment the other anemonefish are in, I am concerned of a transfer of bacteria, especially Mycobacterium.

Brooklynella can take hours or weeks to fully develop. This can be related to the seriousness of the affliction AND the over-all condition of the fish (it's nutritional resources; immune response; etc.); its energy reserve, (see: Stress - A More Technical Discussion) and other stressors on the fish (see: Stress (and the Single Marine Fish)

[leebca]

Separately --- the formalin treatment should be a series of dips using Formalin (37% solution of formaldehyde). The Formalin3 product you mentioned is not true Formalin. It can be used, but the use requires a different procedure.

A good Formalin dip procedure is in this short article:
Formaldehyde: Friend or Foe - Treating Saltwater Fish Diseases

[vaporize]

If this tank and/or equipment had come into contact with the water/equipment the other anemonefish are in, I am concerned of a transfer of bacteria, especially Mycobacterium.

The QT and filter & pot are seperated from the other tank of Mycobacterium.... however now that you mention it, I think the net might actually be a possible tranfer of that.

[leebca]

From experience and reports, I've found nets to be the most frequent culprit in the transfer of diseases between aquariums.

[vaporize]

What would be the best way to dis-infect aquariums? I see some LFS actually use bleach (I assume they follow by using some dechlorinizer after using the bleach), would that be a safe way to dis-infect aquariums?

BTW, the fish with brook didn't last more than a day. I guess it is really Brook. Is brook like ich/velvet that have in-water, on-sand stages or does it have to jump from fish to fish?

Thanks

[leebca]

Brooklynella means that your source of these fish has it in their tanks, or it was introduced from your tanks. Truly tank bred fish should be void of this condition/disease. They only get it when exposed to wild-caught fish or were contaminated by wild-caught fishes. Sorry of hear of this.

Brooklynella does not have a life cycle like Marine Ich (Cryptocaryon irritans). They reproduce and seek other hosts immediately. Sterilizing all equipment is about the best that can be done to prevent transmittal.

The optimum cleaning process is three stage:
Tap water rinse, then Bleach, followed by tap water rinses
Vinegar, followed by tap water rinses
Mild liquid soap, follow by tap water rinses, followed by RO/DI or distilled water rinses.

The final part of this cleaning process is to let the equipment go bone dry for 48 hours.

After the above, equipment is ready to use again.

[vaporize]

Separately --- the formalin treatment should be a series of dips using Formalin (37% solution of formaldehyde). The Formalin3 product you mentioned is not true Formalin. It can be used, but the use requires a different procedure.

HI Lee,

Just wondering what procedure I should use when using the Kordon Formalin3 product? That seems to be the only kind of formalin available to me at the moment (others looks like they have been on store shelf for > 3 yrs, and knowing that formalin can change to become very toxic, I would not want to even buy those).

Thanks & cheers, v

[leebca]

Full strength Formalin is 37% Formaldehyde gas in water. I think Formalin3 is 3%. So, it will take 12 times as much of that product when you follow the directions given in this reference:

Formaldehyde: Friend or Foe - Treating Saltwater Fish Diseases

Using Formalin requires close attention to the details in the above reference. Take no shortcuts; make no modification to the procedure other than the above difference in quantity of Formalin3 you will be adding.

[vaporize]

Full strength Formalin is 37% Formaldehyde gas in water. I think Formalin3 is 3%. So, it will take 12 times as much of that product when you follow the directions given in this reference:

Thanks Lee for the explaination, that probably explains why my previous effort of using Kordon Formalin3 does not improve any of my previous Brook episodes.

BTW, can formalin be purchase from drug stores? If so, would it be sold as formaldehyde crystals or something?

[leebca]

Formalin is a common name given to the mixture of Formaldehyde gas (a.k.a. methanal) dissolved in water at its near saturation point. That is, about 37% or so Formaldehyde gas will go into water and not much more. That mixture was given the name of Formalin a long time ago.

Formalin was used as a disinfectant in the late 1800's (after its discovery) and early 1900's. Soon after, it was the preservative of choice for biological specimens. It kills bacteria and that is what the public would use it for. However, it is a 'hostile' substance. . .a big irritant to humans. So, it fell from favor over the decades as something not for the general public to use.

You still might find it in some drug stores, but not likely. Your drugist should be able to order it for you, if you're friends. ;; I'll tell you what group uses it the most -- serious, big-time koi pond owners. A very large outlet of koi pond products and fishes might carry this chemical. You can even find it on the Internet -- usually from businesses specializing in medication products for koi.

From the above, I think it's clear it is not a solid. It is a gas dissolved in water, making the final product a liquid. That is the proper form. Fresh is better than old, since it does/can degrade with time.

[vaporize]

Thanks for the explaination Lee.

I will try to see if my neighbourhood pharmacist can get some for me, else might have to dig up scientific supply places. With clownfish I am sure that is one of the more common medicine I need in my med.carbinet.