Bacterial Or Fungal?

[WILDER]

Columnaris spots don't spread they tend to be hardier to get rid off that all, plus they don't seem to kill a fish as fast as the fungus stuff on them.
Columnaris spots can be greyish to white in colour, and they can have a cirling of red around the spot, or a red spot in the centre.
If the spot is bigger than a grain of salt it's bacterial.

And columnaris spots do tend ot appear on the head most of the time.
http/www.aquatic-hobbyist.com/profiles/d...columnaris.html

The fish with the scales sticking out yes it sounds like dropsy, but sometimes you stand a chance of saving them if it's only on one side, do you have any epson salt, if not normal salt i would do a salt bath on the fish, i will get you a link.

http/www.fishjunkies.com/Treatments/salt.php


Also look at dropsy.

 

[Bex]

Cheers Wilder, I'm sure you are right, just kinda hoping it might be less serious. Will go with the meds you suggested and keep my fingers crossed!

 

[WILDER]

Good luck.

 

[Bex]

UPDATE

Just given the platy a salt bath and when we put him back in the tank I noticed he didn't look anywhere near as bloated and his scales have gone back down. Would a salt bath work that quick or is it more the meds we are already using? Couldn't really see him this morning as he was hiding but I think he also ate a little bit of food that drifted his way after everyone had had their fill.

THe spot on the ram hasn't changed in size or shape and it hasn't spread on him or to any other fish. He is still eating and acting normal and none of his colours have changed.

Hopefully things are looking up in my tank. Will be very pleased if we save the platy, especially if it was the start of dropsy!

 

[WILDER]

Salt helps draw the fluid out of the fish, so if the bloating has gone down abit good news, i would do another one in four hours, good luck.
The spot on the other fish is there no improvement in another day or two you might have to change meds.
Columnaris spots are hard to treat and really need antibiotics.

 

[Bex]

Ok, thanks.

If the spot doesn't go down on the ram what would you suggest using? I don't have a hospital tank unfortunately so I can't isolate him.

We are getting a much bigger tank this weekend but won't be moving the fish for at least a month, but we will invest in a hospital tank. New tank wasn't cheap though so we can't get a hospital for a while yet.

 

[WILDER]

This, but it will wipe the bacteria colony out in your filter.
http/www.aquaessentials.co.uk/index.php?...bb88ecadf913bd8

http/www.jbl.de/uk/aqua/uk_10032.html

 

[Bex]

Ok, don't want to wipe out my filter, but it says on the link that I can take my filter media out and store it damp for a few days? I thought the bacteria needed a flow of water to keep oxygenated to stay alive? Would this work? If I can do this I will give it a go.

If not, I think I will finish the current treatment for now and keep a close eye on it. Then, when we have the new tank filled (which should be in about 10 days) I could put the *old filter* sponges in the new filter and run it on the new tank for a couple of days with a couple of healthy fish in the new tank and just leave the affected fish in the old tank?

Hopefully the current treatment will work so I won't have to.

On a better note, after another salt bath, the platy is not bloated at all! No scales are sticking out and he came out to eat properly this morning! The only reason he is hiding seems to be because the other platys chase him as soon as they see him. Not sure why as previous to this, they were all fine together and swam in a group?

 

[WILDER]

I can't see how keeping the sponges damp will not wipe the bacteria colony out as they need a constant flow of water going over them, do you have a spare filter if so put the sponges in that, get a bucket of tank water and run the filter in a bucket adding some fish food to keep the bacteria going.
I would also feed the fish some frozen peas, good on the fish if the belly has gone down, but just keep a close eye on her, good luck.