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Tank Decontamination

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amanda

Guest
So to make a very long story short, I talked to a reliable friend, and it sounds like i have nematode larvae (darn you feeder fish!!! never again!) as well as fungus in my 10gal tank. SO! Since my little guy has an open wound http://www.caudata.org/forum/messages/793/52108.html?1137492671 on him, i am moving him to the five gallon tank for a bit. My question is this:

My friend recommended a chemical or two to use, but would a good tank cleaning suffice? I'm wary about introducing chemicals to my system. Someone said something about boiling sand? What about boiling plastic plants and drift wood (the suspected source of fungi). If I use chemicals, how long to decontaminate? Do i have to cycle again? aaahhhhh!!! I hate you feeder fish!!!
violent.gif
 
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edward

Guest
Without a skin scraping, this is a presumptive diagnosis (there are protozoal, bacterial and fungal diseases as well as secondary infections that can do the same thing) and needs to be correctly diagnosed to treat the animal.
If it is nematodes, then this can be readily treated with the proper medication which can be obtained from a vet. This treatment would also deal with any residual populations in the tank preventing the need to tear the tank down and recyle the tank.

I am not sure what reasoning is being used to distinguish the nematode larva as the parasitic form from the adults? Some nematodes can parasitize the host by having the larva burrow through the skin but this does not cause them to degrade all of the tissue at one site and is preliminary to establishing the adults in the specific tissues. There are reports in the literature of nematodes causing lesion in aquatic caecilians but this is only recorded at one facility and it was never determined if the nematodes were opportunistically invading a injury caused by another process.

Ed
 
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amanda

Guest
Okay, that makes sense. I had given my friend a description of small critters that I found in my tank. They are dark grey to brownish in color, very small, and I found them on my glass. They move in an inch-worm fashion, by extending themselves, and then drawing themselves back together. (So it was a brief description.) I asked him if these were "normal" animals that would show up in an aquarium, and it was his thought that it sounded like nematode larvae, and probably transported via feeder fish bought back around Thanksgiving. I have not noticed any so far on my axolotl, only on the glass walls.

The fungus is white and cottony in appearance. It has been growing mainly on a piece of wood that i bought from an aquarium. I had run it under hot water and scrubbed it with a toothbrush prior to putting it in the tank, yet still I have had growth on it.
 
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edward

Guest
There are very few free living nematodes that are also parasitic and typically the larva would be invisible to the naked eye.
There are harmless flatworms that are often found in aquaria, that under really high numbers can live on the surface of the fish or the axolotl and may irritate the animal by feeding on the mucous coat but these do not cause lesions like you are reporting.

Ed
 
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amanda

Guest
Yeah, under closer inspection, i think it may be possible that he ... broke off? a piece of his finger while "flailing" around the tank. The fingers look fragile, so my closest guess is that he just knocked it really hard, and it snapped. It does not seem to be bothering him too much, as his eating patterns have not changed. But should i add anything to the water to take care of the critters and fungi in the tank? Or will the critters go away on their on?

Thanks for all your help Ed, I really appreciate it.

Amanda
 
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edward

Guest
The critters and the fungus are probably due to high levels of organics (uneaten foods etc) and routine water changes and making sure that all uneaten foods are immediately removed will deal with the critters.

If the wound looks infected I would consider seeking the advice of a vet and would start some salt baths in the meantime.
Ed
 
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