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Bacterial Disorders
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Many of our customers have called
and are wondering what the difference is between gram-negative
bacteria, and gram-positive bacteria. These terms are used
to identify bacteria under a microscope.
Gram-negative bacteria cause the most fish diseases in the
tropical fish industry. Gram-negative bacteria show up as
"rods" under a microscope, where gram-positive bacteria have a
nucleus and are round or spheroid in shape. |
Also, if anyone out there is making slides... make sure that you
are staining them with methylene blue or gentian violet.
If you are not staining your slides, you are missing out.
Dr. Brian |
Symptoms
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Cause
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Treatment and Links
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A). The Bacteria move on their own |
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Are they gram-negative? |
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Do they move fast in a living
mount? Probably Bacteria of the genus Vibrio are involved |
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Use:
Doxycycline
-or-
Oxytetracycline. Kanamycin may also be effective in marine
tanks. |
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B). Do the Bacteria move
moderately fast |
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Are they 1 to 2u long and 0.5 to 1u wide?
Did the fish have any symptoms of abdominal dropsy? |
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These Bacteria also belong to the genus
Aeromonas. Treat with:
Oxolinic Acid in the food+
Forma-Green in the water. Or you can treat the water
with one of the following: Koi Fix® -or-
Oxytetracycline. |
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C). Are the Bacteria 0.8 to 2.5u
long and 0.3 to 0.8u wide? |
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Was the Bacteria taken from lesions or bleeding
organs, or rotting Fins? Your fish are affected with
Pseudomonas Bacteria |
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Use: Kanamycin
-or-
Gentamycin -or-
Neomycin. |
|
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D). Do the Bacteria glide slowly
along or do they "inch" along like a caterpillar, attach to the
glass in the aquarium? |
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FlexiBacteria are involved, which cause
Columnaris disease |
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Treat with:
TMP Sulfa -or-
Sulfa 4 TMP -or-
Parinox. |
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E). The Bacteria are spiral-shaped,
long, thin, measuring 5 to 30u long and 0.5 to 1u wide |
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Spirochetes are involved |
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Use:
Gentamycin -or-
Oxytetracycline |
|
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F). Are the Bacteria immotile and
gram-negative? |
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Are they 1 to 2u, almost round or spheroid?
Do they occur in pairs or in chains? |
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Did the fish exhibit bloody lesions, boils or
hemorrhaging in their organs |
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Are the Bacteria 1 to 2u long and 0.5 to 1u
wide? Do they form pairs and short chains? |
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These Bacteria also belong to the genus
Aeromonas. Treat with:
Oxolinic Acid in the food+
Forma-Green in the water. Or you can treat the water
with one of the following: Koi Fix® -or-
Oxytetracycline. |
|
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G). Were the Bacteria taken from
Skin lesions? |
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Bacteria of the genus Brucella are involved. |
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Treat with:
Oxytetracycline |
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H). Are the Bacteria gram-positive
and immotile? |
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Are they about 1u long and 0.5u wide and do they
occur as pairs in V or Y form? |
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They are affected by Corynebacterium.
Treat with: Erythromycin |
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I). Do the Bacteria form long,
branched threads which sometimes break into long fragments? |
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Were the Bacteria obtained from purulent lesions
of the Skin or from the organs? |
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Actinomycetacae or Nocardia Bacteria are
involved. Treat with:
TMP Sulfa -or-
Sulfa 4 TMP. |
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