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Re: OT: Clown loach and Skinny Disease	Naomi Mizumoto
	Jul 07, 2004 12:17 PDT

The main symptom is the fish being skinny - with it's bone structure showing But usually when it reach this point, it is already too late to cure Isn't the other tell-tale symptom of Mycobacteriosis a curving of the "spine"? Oh yeah - and sometimes they'll have lesions (granuloma?) on the body, too. The other condition that comes to mind with the only visible symptom being emaciation would be internal parasites. Did you try treating for parasites, first? Vicki Costley (may she rest in peace) treated her tanks regularly for parasites and almost always found evidence of her fish carrying something or other. Her favorite med for it was Levamisole. She soaked Tetra ColorBits in the Levamisole and the fish would eat it no problem. Next day, there'd be dead worms littered on the floor of her tank and she'd vacuum them up. You can find her treatment as a "sticky" at AB in the forum called "The Fish Bowl." I'm not suggesting that you misdiagnosed your fish, but there's more than one disease out there that can cause the symptom you describe. There's no way to be absolutely positive in your diagnosis unless you have the affected fish analyzed by the vet. As far as I know, Mycobacteriosis is rare in comparison to internal parasites. I don't think it's really ignorance or even indifference that keeps shop owners from noticing these problems. They may just not see it because they're not looking for it. Like Troi said, some people who have had to deal with certain conditions in their own personal tanks may be able to spot a disease more easily than the average Joe. That's why you should say something to somebody who's working there if you suspect their fish of carrying a disease. I certainly don't think it's an *intentional* oversight on their part. -Naomi

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