Apisto Mouth Problem?

[TheRedDarren]

Hey gang,
my female Panduro has developed an unusual condition around her mouth and nostrils. She's still young and just starting to colour up but apart from a white blotching at the base of her dorsal she has what appear to be swollen whitened and slightly pink in the middle nostrils and two white barbels from her bottom lip!?! She could possibly be gasping slightly and appears still to feed although not quite as much as before. I recently added two other Apisto's and the new ones have claimed what was her territory so they must have had a bit of a scrap but nothing major, my point is I think she's a bit crestfallen hence the loss of appetite but not damaged from the bickering.
Any clues..?

 

[TheRedDarren]

 

[TheRedDarren]

Hmm this is getting worse, it now looks as if the "barbels" are where here bottom lip has detached at either end and her nostrils are now red as if infected? Any clues greatly received! Ta.

 

[tmh0921]

It looks like columnaris bacterial infection to me. In live bearers it's highly contagious and fatal, not sure about with cichlids (new to cichlids). In my livebearer tank I usually treat with a combination of Maracyn and Maracyn 2, as well as adding aquarium salt 1tblsp per 5g. Different fish have different tolerance for meds and/or salt though so you should research first. The goal really is preventing spread to the other fish.

 

[TheRedDarren]

Yes, that confirms what I've managed to research so far... Thankyou.
Wonder if I should procure a hospital tank...

 

[tmh0921]

I would highly recommend a hospital tank, It allows you to quarantine sick or new fish, and if you are treating with meds limits your other fishes' exposure to meds and also your filter exposure to meds that can kill off good bacteria. I'd recommend quarantine and treat IMMEDIATELY. Columnaris is a bad one.

Also check your water paramaters. Water parameters and/or stress usually trigger this.

You may consider maracyn plus if you can find it. I used it during my last run in with this and the guppy survived and it didn't spread to tankmates.

 

[TheRedDarren]

Ok, set up the hospital tank yesterday, got some mature media in there and all that, few rounds of Myaxin so far and she's not looking good not sure she'll make it. She's sat on the substrate flapping and gasping now.

 

[tmh0921]

Yeah - columnaris is bad! Keep a close eye on your other fish, the earlier you treat the liklier you are to have success. At the first sign start treatment

 

[TheRedDarren]

Well, she didn't make it
What should I do now, strip and disinfect the tank? I think, by the way, I think it was just mouth rot in the end.

 

[tmh0921]

If none of your other fish have symptoms then I'd just do a big water change and keep an eye on water parameters and watch your fish closely. Don't cause undue stress to the other fish if there's not a need.

 

[TheRedDarren]

No I meant the hospital tank! I'm gonna strip the main tank out! ha!

 

[tmh0921]

Oh, yes - strip it down and clean it good.