melypr1985
totally addicted
Nice!
Home-study of fish disease/parasites
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GHsaltie
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Sorry I haven't updated in a while, had some serious personal life issues come up that have been occupying the majority of my thought and energy. Today is day 17 of copper treatment and Rabbit is doing very well. He's a lot more comfortable now with movement outside of the tank and I think is starting to associate me with yummy food 
. He's actually getting a bit chubby with all the food. I don't have any pics as of right now but I'll work on that later.
Now going off-topic, on my way home yesterday I was thinking about how some fish develop temporary immunity to ich and/or velvet. I started to wonder if anyone has tried to breed for a stronger generation of fish using ones that have this temp immunity. For instance, at my store I usually get a batch of 6 clowns from ORA, in most cases 3 or 4 of them end up with ich or velvet (sometimes brook I think but I'm not great at IDing it yet) within two weeks time. Now I can only assume that these 6 fish are from the same batch, or at the very least from the same tank. All of these fish should have had the same amount of exposure to disease and so that would make one think that the 2 or 3 that are unaffected, or at least for a longer time period, have a slight immunity. Now what if someone were to take these few specimens and breed them, then in a controlled and monitored environment expose the offspring (once at an appropriate age of course) to ich or velvet and if any show signs of having some immunity use those as the next breeding stock. Theoretically this aught to produce a stronger fish with more immunity for each generation. Now understandably not all fish are cooperative when breeding in a captive environment, but there are certainly enough species to test it out with, such as clowns, cardinals, and some dottybacks also come to mind. I repeat, this is all theory derived from a bored mind enduring an hour long commute, but it's something to think about right? What are the opinions of others on this? Surely someone else has thought of this before, so I wonder what conclusion they came to.
. He's actually getting a bit chubby with all the food. I don't have any pics as of right now but I'll work on that later.Now going off-topic, on my way home yesterday I was thinking about how some fish develop temporary immunity to ich and/or velvet. I started to wonder if anyone has tried to breed for a stronger generation of fish using ones that have this temp immunity. For instance, at my store I usually get a batch of 6 clowns from ORA, in most cases 3 or 4 of them end up with ich or velvet (sometimes brook I think but I'm not great at IDing it yet) within two weeks time. Now I can only assume that these 6 fish are from the same batch, or at the very least from the same tank. All of these fish should have had the same amount of exposure to disease and so that would make one think that the 2 or 3 that are unaffected, or at least for a longer time period, have a slight immunity. Now what if someone were to take these few specimens and breed them, then in a controlled and monitored environment expose the offspring (once at an appropriate age of course) to ich or velvet and if any show signs of having some immunity use those as the next breeding stock. Theoretically this aught to produce a stronger fish with more immunity for each generation. Now understandably not all fish are cooperative when breeding in a captive environment, but there are certainly enough species to test it out with, such as clowns, cardinals, and some dottybacks also come to mind. I repeat, this is all theory derived from a bored mind enduring an hour long commute, but it's something to think about right? What are the opinions of others on this? Surely someone else has thought of this before, so I wonder what conclusion they came to.
Brew12
Electrical Gru
Here is some light reading for you.Sorry I haven't updated in a while, had some serious personal life issues come up that have been occupying the majority of my thought and energy. Today is day 17 of copper treatment and Rabbit is doing very well. He's a lot more comfortable now with movement outside of the tank and I think is starting to associate me with yummy food
Now going off-topic, on my way home yesterday I was thinking about how some fish develop temporary immunity to ich and/or velvet. I started to wonder if anyone has tried to breed for a stronger generation of fish using ones that have this temp immunity. For instance, at my store I usually get a batch of 6 clowns from ORA, in most cases 3 or 4 of them end up with ich or velvet (sometimes brook I think but I'm not great at IDing it yet) within two weeks time. Now I can only assume that these 6 fish are from the same batch, or at the very least from the same tank. All of these fish should have had the same amount of exposure to disease and so that would make one think that the 2 or 3 that are unaffected, or at least for a longer time period, have a slight immunity. Now what if someone were to take these few specimens and breed them, then in a controlled and monitored environment expose the offspring (once at an appropriate age of course) to ich or velvet and if any show signs of having some immunity use those as the next breeding stock. Theoretically this aught to produce a stronger fish with more immunity for each generation. Now understandably not all fish are cooperative when breeding in a captive environment, but there are certainly enough species to test it out with, such as clowns, cardinals, and some dottybacks also come to mind. I repeat, this is all theory derived from a bored mind enduring an hour long commute, but it's something to think about right? What are the opinions of others on this? Surely someone else has thought of this before, so I wonder what conclusion they came to.
http://www.inmunologia.org/Upload/Articles/6/0/602.pdf
http://icb.oxfordjournals.org/content/46/6/1060.full
The readers digest version is basically that strong immune systems and high reproduction rates are not compatible for reasons of hormones and some other chemical balance reasons. Fish go the route of laying thousands of eggs to make up for high predation and low immune systems.
Brew12
Electrical Gru
No problem. I didn't understand it all either. I read it as blah blah blah few babies lots of immunities blah blah lots of babies few immunities blah blah.
I'm just glad you didn't ask me any questions about it!
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GHsaltie
Valuable Member
No problem. I didn't understand it all either. I read it as blah blah blah few babies lots of immunities blah blah lots of babies few immunities blah blah.
I'm just glad you didn't ask me any questions about it!
Haha! Glad I'm not the only one! I was starting to feel pretty tiny reading that
.
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GHsaltie
Valuable Member
Today marks day 35 in copper treatment, I didn't originally intend for Rabbit to stay in treatment longer than 30, but with Christmas and New Years I was preoccupied in other areas of life . Now that the 30 days are done I'm going to treat him with some metroplex and continue with observation for 2-3 weeks. I don't know for certain that he has internal parasites but he's having a really hard time keeping weight on and I want to cover all the bases. I'm planning on going ahead and putting a thread up to find him a home in the meantime, so hopefully that goes well. This is my first time rehoming an animal and I'm kind of reluctant to let him go but I'm also excited for him to have a new start! So if anybody knows of someone looking for a cute little rabbitfish, spread the word !
. Now that the 30 days are done I'm going to treat him with some metroplex and continue with observation for 2-3 weeks. I don't know for certain that he has internal parasites but he's having a really hard time keeping weight on and I want to cover all the bases. I'm planning on going ahead and putting a thread up to find him a home in the meantime, so hopefully that goes well. This is my first time rehoming an animal and I'm kind of reluctant to let him go but I'm also excited for him to have a new start! So if anybody knows of someone looking for a cute little rabbitfish, spread the word !This is my first time rehoming an animal and I'm kind of reluctant to let him go but I'm also excited for him to have a new start! So if anybody knows of someone looking for a cute little rabbitfish, spread the word
Bless your heart for saving him.
It's not easy to rehome them after you bring a fish back from certain death. People don't understand why I ask so many question before agreeing to it. You pour everything you've got into saving a fish and want to ensure it goes to a good home.
melypr1985
totally addicted
Today marks day 35 in copper treatment, I didn't originally intend for Rabbit to stay in treatment longer than 30, but with Christmas and New Years I was preoccupied in other areas of life
That's awesome and so are you. Great job
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GHsaltie
Valuable Member
Aww thank you Humble ! Little secret, I also have a teeny tiny niger trigger in another QT that I brought home a few days ago. He's not sick but I felt bad for the poor little guy so I broke my rule of only getting sick fish . A guy came storming into my store an hour before close telling me that he got this fish the day before and it had already killed all his peppermint shrimp! I love nigers so I knew what kind of fish it was and was fawning all over him while the guy told me all this. I don't think I managed to hide the irritation in my voice when I told him that it's a triggerfish, that's what they do. He just couldn't get over the fact that the fish killed his shrimp. I know exactly where he got it from too, because I stopped in at that store the week before and I know I saw the same fish that he brought to me, the employees there aught to be ashamed of the horrible advice they give. Anyway so yeah I also have an adorable little niger triggerfish that I'll be rehoming in a few weeks!
! Little secret, I also have a teeny tiny niger trigger in another QT that I brought home a few days ago. He's not sick but I felt bad for the poor little guy so I broke my rule of only getting sick fish . A guy came storming into my store an hour before close telling me that he got this fish the day before and it had already killed all his peppermint shrimp! I love nigers so I knew what kind of fish it was and was fawning all over him while the guy told me all this. I don't think I managed to hide the irritation in my voice when I told him that it's a triggerfish, that's what they do. He just couldn't get over the fact that the fish killed his shrimp. I know exactly where he got it from too, because I stopped in at that store the week before and I know I saw the same fish that he brought to me, the employees there aught to be ashamed of the horrible advice they give. Anyway so yeah I also have an adorable little niger triggerfish that I'll be rehoming in a few weeks! 
Brew12
Electrical Gru
That is so wrong... funny, but wrong!At least you already know what to feed him.
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GHsaltie
Valuable Member
At least you already know what to feed him.
Haha unfortunately I don't think I can justify spending 8 bucks a pop to give him a fancy peppermint shrimp dinner! Although I have a 6g betta tank that can fit a breeder box, I could use that to fatten up ghost shrimp in
.
Haha unfortunately I don't think I can justify spending 8 bucks a pop to give him a fancy peppermint shrimp dinner! Although I have a 6g betta tank that can fit a breeder box, I could use that to fatten up ghost shrimp in
Or there's always frozen shrimp from the grocery store. Not as much nutritional value as PE Mysis, but it makes for a nice treat. He'll also tear up a black mussel or littleneck clam.
melypr1985
totally addicted
Or there's always frozen shrimp from the grocery store. Not as much nutritional value as PE Mysis, but it makes for a nice treat. He'll also tear up a black mussel or littleneck clam.
We feed the niger triggers at the store all kinds of stuff like that. Mysis, small silver sides, clam strips, the occasional gulf shrimp ect. They love it.
TRUE STORY. A LFS I advise was feeding his triggers dead chromis which had succumbed to Uronema. I was like what are you doing.
melypr1985
totally addicted
TRUE STORY. A LFS I advise was feeding his triggers dead chromis which had succumbed to Uronema. I was like what are you doing.
OH BOY!! that's just asking for trouble.
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GHsaltie
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TRUE STORY. A LFS I advise was feeding his triggers dead chromis which had succumbed to Uronema. I was like what are you doing.
Oh dear lord!Or there's always frozen shrimp from the grocery store. Not as much nutritional value as PE Mysis, but it makes for a nice treat. He'll also tear up a black mussel or littleneck clam.
That's an idea! I don't have much in the way of seafood markets where I'm at but there is a surprisingly nice Kroger nearby that has a huge seafood section. I'll have to check them out and see what goodies I can find
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