Fish tuberculosis?

Question

Does anyone have any experience with this affliction? I bought a second hand tank a few weeks ago and am concerned. I read that it can be contracted to humans. Perhaps it is the hypochondriac in me talking, but does anyone know the risks associated with fish to human TB?

My comet's symptoms are:

-stomach protrusion in the front and being very thin in the back

- lethargy

-sitting near the bottom of the tank a few days ago and now floating sideways near the top

-folded pectoral fin*

-gills flapping rapidly

-a small brown sore on his side*

- weak crooked swimming

* I posted a question earlier today about a comet getting stuck on the filter and losing a fin, but it seems it was just folded to his body ( he is very small and it is hard to see). This all said the lesion and folded fin are the side that was caught up against the intake tube of my whisper filter. They may be injuries from that since I noticed them only this morning.

Answer 1

did you cycle the tank before adding the fish? have you checked ammonia, ntrite, nitrate Ph levels? fish TB is rare it's more often something else like a bacterial infection or water quality problems

Answer 2

The symptoms you describe are more indicative of something like dropsy or constipation than TB.  The chances of you contracting fish TB (or any other aquarium fish related affliction) are EXTREMELY low, especially if you wash your hands (and forearms) with soap and water after having them in the tank.  If you have an open cut on your hands or arms, you may consider using rubber gloves, or simply keeping your hands out of the tank until it heals over.  I definitely agree that the fin and legion are from the filter incident, but the fact that he got stuck on the filter indicates that something else is wrong-- I would start by feeding it split peas and putting about 1/4 teaspoon of epsom salt per 10 gallons of water, as both will act as a laxative if it is constipation.  If it's dropsy, the prognosis is slightly less good...  The epsom salt will help here too, and you might consider a kanamycin or oxytetracycline based medication as well (Kanaplex, straight kanamycin sulfate, Terramycin, straight oxytetracycline).  If using oxytetracycline based medications, keep the tank dark, as it degrades with exposure to light (actually making it more toxic!).