I am trying to tank raise golden shiners and they keep fungusing up on me. I have tried many products and the fungus clears up but comes back.
Can you help me with this? Any suggestions or answers would be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
RP
R's Bait Shop
Fungus is 100% (only) stress related.
Fish *without* stress do not develop Fungus.
Stress causes the fish to release corticosteroids from their adrenal gland. The corticosteriods suppress the immune response significantly. This makes the fish vulnerable to fungi and other infections.
Without it being your fault, the bait fish are under extreme stress almost all the time.
Fish experience stress whenever they are transported or handled. (Baitfish are chased by the net every single day.)
Resource 5
Being in an unnatural environment causes stress. (The holding tank is barren and usually white)
Being chilled increases the dissolved oxygen for the fish, but also suppresses the immune response.
Improper or inadequate feeding regimens also depresses the immune response. I am pretty sure baitfish aren't fed before sale.
There are probably some conditions which I am not even thinking of which are also stressful for the Shiners.
Here's what I would consider:
1) Running Methylene blue in the sales tanks all the time.
2) Keep the water changed out regularly enough to avoid odor, and the accumulation of too much Ammonia (test kits available)
3) EXPERIMENT with salt at 0.3% and see if the Shiners tolerate it. If they do, it could work with the Methylene Blue to stabilize the fish against Fungus and Epistylis.
Past that, I don't have great ideas. I think to an extent you're working "behind the eightball" with fish which will constantly be stressed - and therefore constantly vulnerable.
Best of luck
Fishdoc
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