Friday, May 11, 2007

Stupid germans!

I now know what is causing the aquarial death currently ongoing in my living room. 10 cardinal tetras have died. On the very same day. Some american suggested it was a maffia settlement between the platy and the tetra clans, producing ten fish bodies. I liked the suggestion, it was fun, and the best I had upuntil 1 hour ago.

This is when I commenced watching the aquarium, and the activities going on inside. The fish have been behaving differently the last few days, and I don't want more to die. suddenly Joding noticed one of the new Platys having white dots all over his fins and body. Just like that tetra I saw, two days ago, just before it died.

I got worried, obviously, and did the only right thing. Googled it; "platy white spot". And came quickly across the disease causing the dots, and the recent fish death in the tank.

Ichthyophthirius multifiliis.

Whatever you might believe, I did not just make up that word, or write it randomly. It is a proper word. Latin, of course. A species name of an evil protozoa parasiting on my fish! Apparently the parasites grow on the fins, after a few days the parasites fall off down on the undergrowth in the aquarium, where it rapidly divides in a cyst, which after a few days breaks and spreads up to 1000 new parasites. How disgusting is that?! Apparently there should be a treatment you can pour into the water for a few days, to break the parasite cycle in the only place possible - when the parasites leave the cyst, before getting onto the fins of my pretty fish. Apparently the treatment is also carcinogenic, not only to fish but also to humans. I am skeptical. Should I kill the fish and autoclave the stones, and the log. Buy new plants and clean out the tank with our lovely Virkon-kill-all-solution we have at the lab?

I feel so bad for my sweet little fish.

And do you want to know why the Germans are to blame? The last 5 fish we got two weeks ago is the cause. There was some infection in one of the tanks at Hornbach (very german-decending store), so he didn't sell fish from those tanks. But from the others. And on one page I found the strongly disencouraged you to buy fish from a place that had this Ich (as it is shortened to) infection. Since the parasite spreads with pretty much anything, e.g. the nets they lift fish with. Stupid stupid stupid. Well, I have learnt something now then.

I feel so bad for my fish! I want to sue Hornbach!

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