BACTERIAL DISEASES OF CORALS: PERSPECTIVES AND "CU

[andysho]

think this article will help us to know more about the

solution to RTN and so on

OZONE has been show to be effective at decreasing the V. vulnificus burden of

oysters. (People can get V. vulnifucus from eating raw oysters, and when they do, it is like a science fiction nightmare.) However, monsterous doses of ozone are required. The seawater is effectively "brominated" or "chlorinated" by the time an effective ozone dose is reached. Ozone may be capable of reducing the quantity of V. vulnificus in the water in the aquarium, but it will do nothing about bacteria that are already inside. Remember that V. vulnificus can become intracellular.

LUGOL'S DIPS Also have some small degree of efficacy. Iodine is a moderately strong disinfectant that can reduce the surface burden of bacteria on a coral. Again, it will do nothing about intracellular bacteria, because by the time you reach a sufficiently high concentration inside the cell to kill the bacteria, the cell will be dead as well.

In conjunction with fragmentation, Lugol's dips can be somewhat effective.

UV STERILIZERSUV has proven to be ineffective at decreasing the Vibrio burden of shellfish. UV will kill bacteria in the water column, but attached bacteria are inaccessible to it. Use of a UV sterilizer might slow the progress of a V. vulnificus infection in the tank, but it will not cure it.

ANTIBIOTIC THERAPY is the only sure-fire way to kill these bacteria. I've used antibiotic therapy in the aquarium and in isolation vessels.

Paletta's recent AFM article again championed the use of tetracycline. Tet has one thing going for it. You can get it at the pet store. However, in collaboration with Beverly Dixon, the pattern of antibiotic sensitivity in the organism that causes RTN has been determined. The bacteria are almost completely insensitive to Tet. Moreover, tetracycline is unstable in seawater. It forms insoluble calcium salts. And because tetracycline is a bacteriostatic agent, it takes time to kill the bacteria. The 8 hour quaranteen mentioned in Paletta's article just isn't long enough.

[Tanzy]

Having been here for nearly a year and over 1000 posts you should know better than to use all CAPS for your title and to post threads in the correct forums.

Please observe forum rules for a tidier SRC.

Thanks.