A veterinarian/aquarium specialist (Gerald Bassleer) presents a case of Harlequin rasboras from a wholesaler infected with two unicellular parasites: Oodinium (velvet) and Ichthyobodo (formerly Kostia). He describes behavioral and clinical signs (itchiness, darkening, emaciation, surface-hanging, poor appetite, secondary bacterial lesions and tail rot), shows microscope footage (~150–200×) identifying both parasites, and recommends treatment: copper sulfate combined with salt (3–5 g/L) for at least seven days, plus a 20-day course of a medicated food (Dr. Bassleer bifid food matrine) to support parasite resistance and healing. He also warns about preventing spread (nets/hands) and treating secondary bacterial infections if they occur.
Questions this video answers
May 18, 2022
Oodinium (velvet) and Ichthyobodo (formerly Kostia)
Approximately 150–200× magnification
3 to 5 grams per liter
At least seven days
Chapters
Hello, aquarium fish keepers. Today I have another case to explain to you about an ornamental fish. Well, we have so many ornamental fish who can become sick. And I will share my screen and show my PowerPoint about the harlequin tetras, the harlequin rasboras. And these fish were. Well, they were suffering. We found two parasitic infections, and this can be a case that is common for many Fish Keepers because those are two common parasitic infections which we found here. We see the fish swimming in a fish tank at a wholesaler. And you see that some of the Harlequin rasboras are very itchy behavior. See them swimming here, they're getting skinny. Some are getting darker in color, which is not a normal behavior. And I will show it again here at the video so you can see more. This abnormal behavior, it's important that you try to observe your fish. And then these diseases start to develop. Those symptoms start to develop. It is to recognize your fish. Like you look at this one here. This is another normal behavior. So the fish would also not swimming properly. You will see also some will hang at the surface getting skinny. Their eating behavior will be not so good. Some will eat less. So you see some getting separated from the group here, getting dark. And well, this fish is telling you with their body language and their behavior that something is wrong. And with our eyes or naked eyes, we don't observe any particular disease like fin rot or tail rot or spots or velvet or anything like that. But they're abnormal behavior. But luckily we have a microscope and this can help us to see what we cannot see with the naked eyes. Look at, see here, these organisms dark here on the tail, we cut off a piece of the tail and we observe these organisms. I could take you to the other slide where we show you with the video. The magnification is about 200, 150, 200 magnification. And you see these darker bodies here, which is velvet Oodinium. It is a parasite. And also we see some Kostia parasites. See small, twinkling little parasites here in the water. This is now called Ichthyoboda, which is the new name. See them here, Here is one, There is one, Here is one. There are many. So there are two different kinds of parasites having an impact on the health of the fish. And that's why the fish was itchy, was behaving abnormal. They will eat less and they become sick. And afterwards they were getting lesions, wounds. They're getting tail rot, which are secondary infections. So what I explained you here, that we found two unicellular Parasitic infections Piscinodynam or velvet disease. And the ichthyobodo or the X. Kostia parasites. Like I told you, bacterial infections can become a secondary infections which also might have to be treated. If you have waited too long to treat these parasitic infections and here I would recommend as a treatment formaling a copper sulfate combination together with salt. Salt, 3 to 4, 5 grams a liter can help. And certainly in my experience did show good results. You need to treat at least for seven days and follow the dosage recommended in my books or the products which are supplied in the pet shop. So follow the directs because like oodinium needs to at least be treated with different treatments during seven days. Another thing I have to make as a remark. Be careful not to spread this velvet disease to other aquarium with nets with your hands, anything like that. And as a last resort or very good help, we have our Dr. Basler bifid food matrine that helps the fish to fight off parasites fight off like oodinium that it doesn't like to attach to the skin, to the mucus of the skin and the gills. At least treat 20 days with this food and use no other food. And it will help the fish to defend themselves together with medication. So I hope this case helped you. In the background you see beautiful Cassaras in Spain. I want to show you. This is a beauty of an area which I like to spend my vacation. The clouds were coming in from the sea. Here is the ocean in the back. Africa is in the back. So this is one of my favorite spots where I sometimes do my work and some vacation. So thank you for watching this case and more cases to come. I tell you in the. In the coming videos I will. I will show you. Okay, thank you for watching.
