Piscine Tuberculosis

Piscine Tuberculosis

Piscine Tuberculosis Disease in Freshwater Tropical Aquarium Fish is caused by a mycobacteria and is a gram positive, one of the few out there and believe me these ones mean business.

Below is the format overview we follow and how we present the information.

UPDATED: July 2, 2026

Identification

Can be all, any number, or only one of from the list:
This disease can present literally every symptom for every other virus and bacterial disease.
Slow long death, slowly killing of your tank population over weeks or months.
There are no true common symptoms. it can vary from one individual to the next.
Bloating and fluid retenton.
Lifted scales and scale loss.
Emaciation along the spine, curvature, sunken belly.
Skin lesions.
Pale coloration.
Jerky, convulsive swimming.
Lack of flight reflxes.
Loss of appetite.
Segregation from other fish.

CLASS

Bacterial Gram +

Reproduction

Cysts, that hatch under the right condition.

Causes

Vitamin Deficiency from stale old food.
Heavily populated Tanks.
Survives and becomes prolific in the bottom gravel, soil, debris, left over foods and dead fish.
Hitched a ride on something, poor water quality, high ammonia, low oxygen.
Poor water Quality and poor husbandry foster the outbreak.
The fish are at risk from starvation, malnutrition, improper diet, incomplete diet, cold, stress from transport, unsanitary condition in the tank that burden their processes.

Treatments

There is none, except to maintain water quality, feed quality foods and proper husbandry.
These practices with force them to remain dormant and will only present if conditions deteriorate.

Observations, Notes, Remarks

This disease can present literally every symptom for every other virus and bacterial disease.
DO NOT HANDLE SPECIMENS WITH BARE HANDS!!!!
This is the same tuberculosis humans can get.