Gecko
21-05-2009, 04:09 PM
Guys
Just sharing something I started over at PF so that we can have a record here:
I hope to start a thread on rare diseases of panaques. While rare and not well understood, these diseases are highly fatal and contagious. Once symptoms appear, it would go south pretty quickly.
Also as we would like to keep this as a sticky for future reference, kindly keep this thread chat free, but do share pictures and suggested or successful treatments, personally experienced or referenced.
Any known research or related studies are welcomed too.
Ultimately, prevention and maintenance are of paramount importance to safeguard our precious collection. It involves simply the following:
1. Pick a heathy royal with no sunken eyes, no sunken stomach and no outward signs of disease or rapid breathing with fanning. QT before introducing to established tank.
2. Good filteration and aerated water with good parameters. Avoid overloading.
3. Minimize protein feed as panaques have evolved to eat and digest on wood.
(ref: http://pages.towson.edu/nelson/Panaque/manaus.html)
The dreaded "white spots" also known as royal plague is by far the deadliest disease known in panaque. Potential pathogen: Piscirickettsia salmonis.
Ref:
http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:40JSrfCoYU4J:ftp://ftp.cdc.gov/pub/EID/vol3no2/adobe/fryer.pdf+suttoni+disease&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=23&gl=sg
Early stage: 1 or 2 round whitish spots, within hours will spread to rest of body and other panaque tankmates.
Some hobbists have reported that the disease also jump species to pseudas and scobbys. Strangely, I have personally experienced that L330 and L190 are immuned despite being surrounded by dying diseased panaques. Their similar locale of collection might offer some clues.
Early stage.
http://www.plecofanatics.com/gallery/files/2/7/4/2/2nd_spot2a.jpg
Same fish, dead about 48 - 72 hours later. Smaller fish of 6" to 8" died with 24 to 48 hrs.
http://www.plecofanatics.com/gallery/files/2/7/4/2/peru_green1.jpg
This is by far the worst known fish disease and has been experienced by hobbists globally.
The second panaque disease I have witnessed (importers' Q tank) is commonly referred to as the "Slime disease". Pathogen: Unknown (please contribute if anyone knows).
It is commonly found in newly imported panaques and symptoms are the fish turns whitish, possibly loss of slime or manifestation of internal infection most likely induced by stress. The fish will suffer for up to a week and the dorsal fin will literally dissolved into spines and bones.
Initial stage: Fish turning whitish. Pictures Credit: lyh from Plecoclub, Singapore
http://www.plecofanatics.com/gallery/files/2/7/4/2/sickfish1.jpg
Terminal Stage:
http://www.plecofanatics.com/gallery/files/2/7/4/2/sickfish2.jpg
Eg of successfully treating the panaque plague (especially when caught early). Good pictures for reference as well as treatment used:
http://www.plecofanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21093&highlight=plague
Found some good article links:
http://www.tropicalresources.net/phpBB2/d_profiles_skin_slime_disease.php
http://www.jbl.de/onlinehospitaluk/p...=2&GalleryId=2
Just sharing something I started over at PF so that we can have a record here:
I hope to start a thread on rare diseases of panaques. While rare and not well understood, these diseases are highly fatal and contagious. Once symptoms appear, it would go south pretty quickly.
Also as we would like to keep this as a sticky for future reference, kindly keep this thread chat free, but do share pictures and suggested or successful treatments, personally experienced or referenced.
Any known research or related studies are welcomed too.
Ultimately, prevention and maintenance are of paramount importance to safeguard our precious collection. It involves simply the following:
1. Pick a heathy royal with no sunken eyes, no sunken stomach and no outward signs of disease or rapid breathing with fanning. QT before introducing to established tank.
2. Good filteration and aerated water with good parameters. Avoid overloading.
3. Minimize protein feed as panaques have evolved to eat and digest on wood.
(ref: http://pages.towson.edu/nelson/Panaque/manaus.html)
The dreaded "white spots" also known as royal plague is by far the deadliest disease known in panaque. Potential pathogen: Piscirickettsia salmonis.
Ref:
http://64.233.169.104/search?q=cache:40JSrfCoYU4J:ftp://ftp.cdc.gov/pub/EID/vol3no2/adobe/fryer.pdf+suttoni+disease&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=23&gl=sg
Early stage: 1 or 2 round whitish spots, within hours will spread to rest of body and other panaque tankmates.
Some hobbists have reported that the disease also jump species to pseudas and scobbys. Strangely, I have personally experienced that L330 and L190 are immuned despite being surrounded by dying diseased panaques. Their similar locale of collection might offer some clues.
Early stage.
http://www.plecofanatics.com/gallery/files/2/7/4/2/2nd_spot2a.jpg
Same fish, dead about 48 - 72 hours later. Smaller fish of 6" to 8" died with 24 to 48 hrs.
http://www.plecofanatics.com/gallery/files/2/7/4/2/peru_green1.jpg
This is by far the worst known fish disease and has been experienced by hobbists globally.
The second panaque disease I have witnessed (importers' Q tank) is commonly referred to as the "Slime disease". Pathogen: Unknown (please contribute if anyone knows).
It is commonly found in newly imported panaques and symptoms are the fish turns whitish, possibly loss of slime or manifestation of internal infection most likely induced by stress. The fish will suffer for up to a week and the dorsal fin will literally dissolved into spines and bones.
Initial stage: Fish turning whitish. Pictures Credit: lyh from Plecoclub, Singapore
http://www.plecofanatics.com/gallery/files/2/7/4/2/sickfish1.jpg
Terminal Stage:
http://www.plecofanatics.com/gallery/files/2/7/4/2/sickfish2.jpg
Eg of successfully treating the panaque plague (especially when caught early). Good pictures for reference as well as treatment used:
http://www.plecofanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21093&highlight=plague
Found some good article links:
http://www.tropicalresources.net/phpBB2/d_profiles_skin_slime_disease.php
http://www.jbl.de/onlinehospitaluk/p...=2&GalleryId=2