Bacterial Or Fungal?

[Bex]

I recently lost my female ram and thought it was an internal bacterial infection, so have been treating with Myxazin. All other fish have been fine, but last night I noticed a white, fluffy, raised patch on my male ram, on his head just in front of his dorsal fin.

This morning one of my platys looks bloated and is hiding. I am pretty certain it's a he so he's not pregnant. I think all my platys are male.

The Ram is still swimming and eating but the platy has not come out for food this morning.

Water stats are all good - ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 20, pH 7.2, temp 80.

This white patch has come up on the Ram, if it's fungal and not bacterial what should I be treating with? I think the platy is bacterial so how do I treat both?

 

[BigIan]

i`ve used a half dose of pimafix and melafix (i.e a 50/50 mix) as they are both naturaly occouring they work fine together,

 

[Bex]

i`ve used a half dose of pimafix and melafix (i.e a 50/50 mix) as they are both naturaly occouring they work fine together,

Thanks BigIan

At home I have Myxazin and I have Protozin. Would Pimafix and Melafix treat bacterial and fungal? I have only just stopped the Myxazin so should I put the black carbon in first to remove traces of it? I really want to start treatment straight away. I can get to my LFS at lunchtime.

Do you have a similar problem and did Pimafix and Melafix sort it out?

 

[BigIan]

pimafix is an anti fungal med, and melafix in an anti bacterial med, and i know they can be used together without any harmfull effects,

i had a molly with fungus growing all over her and another one that had been beaten up by the male whilst "getting giggy" so i treated both at the same time, and no ill effecs and both fish are alive and well. wilder is the person to speak to about fish illness and meds, but if your diagnosis is correct thats the combination i would use as i`d be to wary of the ill effects of mixing meds

 

[Bex]

Well the platy doesn't have any external signs of anything wrong, no scales missing etc. He is just bloated, not swimming much, which makes me think it might be an internal bacterial thing? If Pimafix is lot like Melafix, do you think I could use that with Myxazin? Pimafix for the Ram and Myxazin for the platy?

Oh, I hate it when fish get sick and you don't know what to do!!!

Thanks for your advice though Ian!

 

[BigIan]

would be wary of combining the two meds, melafix and pima fix say on the labels that they work well together, but i personaly wouldnt mix it with another med.....

 

[Bex]

ok, cheers!

I'm going to pop to the LFS at lunch and see what advice they can give. Hopefully Wilder will check in soon as she seems to know everything about fish sickness!

Thanks again!

 

[BigIan]

sorry i couldn`t be more help,


hope the fishys get well soon, keep us updated

 

[Bex]

Cheers Ian!

 

[sussexgirl]

Best of luck Bex, I really hope you don't lose your 2nd ram!

I'm hoping things are looking good for my tank after the Myaxzin, all the fish look happy and are swimming round and eating well. I've found my fish are ALOT happier too since I have varied their diet more. They're eating frozen food, flakes, the new Tetra 'crisps' and live food and they're loving it. I have a really bloated looking platy who I've been monitoring for a week now expecting babies (she spawned 5 weeks ago but I presume ate them because I only saw one briefly and haven't spotted it since). However, she is always on the very tubby side so I'm not sure what is going on with her - don't think she's ill though because she's eating well and very lively and looks in great condition.


Fingers crossed for you

 

[WILDER]

Sounds like the beginning of saddleback columnaris which starts at the head runs along the body, comes down the side to for a saddle look.
You will have to get on top of it quick as columnaris is a fast killer, you will need myxazin and primafix.

Also with the fish looking bloated what do you feed them, as they can blow up with constipation.

 

[Bex]

QUOTE "Best of luck Bex, I really hope you don't lose your 2nd ram!"

Thanks sussexgirl! The spot on his head has actually gone down since yesterday. It's not raised anymore, and doesn't look fluffy, it's now a flat white spot and is smaller. Is that good or bad? All his colours are bright and he is swimming about and eating as normal. In fact, if I hadn't noticed the spot I wouldn't have thought there was anything wrong with him?

Wilder: I feed a mixture of flake, frozen *bloodworm* and fresh veges regularly, but the platy is still not eating. Just bloated. When he does swim he swims normally but he has been hiding in the plants mainly as when he does come out the other platy's are chasing him.

I've got the myxazin but won't be able to get the primafix until tomorrow. Is there any other signs of columnaris that I should be looking out for?

 

[Bex]

Wilder - you said to get some pRimafix as well - do you mean pImafix by ABI? Just want to check as I can get some more meds today as I have just found some cash!

 

[WILDER]

Sorry spelt it wrong yes.

One of my tanks has come down with columnaris now, two small white spots on top of x rays tetra head, some fluffy fungus on belly of a black neon, harlequin has some fluff on his tail.
Turned temp down by two degrees, added methylene blue, and add a small bit of a crushed antibiotic, nearly better now, thank god.

http/www.fishjunkies.com/Medications/pimafix.php

 

[Bex]

Hi Wilder

Got the meds and have put them in. I'm not so sure if this is columnaris as it has not spread anywhere else on the ram - still only on his head, it hasn't got any bigger - and no other fish have it. I noticed the spot on Monday night and have only been able to add the meds today. Columnaris spreads quite quickly doesn't it?

I have an awful feeling the platy might have dropsy as I thought I saw some of his scales sticking out but I can't get a closer look because as soon he is out and I try and get a closer look, he swims off and hides.

Thanks for all your advice (again!) and hope your fish get better soon! There'd be a lot more dead fish in this world if it weren't for you Wilder!

*just got a closer look at the platy and on one side his scales are sticking out - is this the start of dropsy?*