| Re: Cardinal Tetra Issues |
Subject: Re: Cardinal Tetra Issues by Fishlady on 28/1/2012 9:14:24 Two things have sprung to mind overnight - first, what's the pH of the tank? You mentioned some issue with pH stabilty, what happened there? Most Cardinals in the UK are still wild caught, and need very soft acidic water so this may be related to pH issues. The second is infection with one of the mycobacterium strains. Mostly this is a chronic disease with very slow progression and varied symptoms, but lumps and bumps certainly appear as it progresses. It's often carried by fish and doesn't manifest until some environmental stress depresses immunity (such as fluctuating or incorrect pH). If it is a mycobacterial infection the only effective treatment is antibiotics which have to be prescribed by a Vet., but as diagnosis involves microscopic examination of infected tissue this can be expensive (think £80 or so to diagnose, plus antibiotics). Until you're sure, take precautions when working on the tank as this can be transmitted to humans and cause a nasty skin infection. |