Black Molly White Fungus

[wicked32]

Hello everyone!! New member here trying to find an ID for a disease. Fish are black mollies. I've had them for about 30 days or so. Originally purchased 4 from Petsmart to add to my 55 gal tank. 3 days ago I found one dead. I didn't notice anything abnormal about his appearance. Yesterday, when I went to feed the fish I noticed slight white blotch around one eye and mouth of another. Today it seems the white blotch has exploded in size and the other 2 seemingly healthy mollies seem to be developing the same white blotches around their eyes and mouths, yet very mildly at this time. All the other fish in the tank seem healthy and have no abnormalities at this time. I tried to take a clear picture of the worse one but had a little trouble getting a clear one. So took a little video instead. I don't believe it is ICK due to the size of the blotches and their isolation to the head region but I could be wrong. I'm assuming it's either bacterial or fungal. Any help in identifying and treating would greatly be appreciated.

http://s1184.photobucket.com/albums/z329/ginger769/?action=view&current=IMG_07481.mp4

 

[WILDER]

How many fish and which type?
Can you post your water stats please in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph.

Look like columnaris to me. The white on the head, and mouths does it look like cotton wool?
Check to see if there mouths are rotting away.

 

[WILDER]

If your location is the UK.
Myxazin by waterlife.
Get you a good link to columnaris,
Link.
http/nippyfish.net/sick-betta/cotton-wool-disease-flex/


Columnaris
>The hospital tank should be heated to approx. 74 degrees. 76 and above is the ideal breeding temperature for columnaris. Though there is some dispute over lowering the temperature, my experience has been that 72 is too low for the medication to work rapidly, 76+ causes the disease to breed more rapidly than the anti-biotic can kill, and 74 is "just right." Remember to keep this temperature stable.
Text (c) Lauren Weeks

Another link also on columnaris. This article about mouth fungus, columnaris.
Once the mouth and head region of the fish start to rot away.

Link.
http/www.articledepot.co.uk/article-29320.htm

A link to myxazin by waterlife.
http/www.waterlife.co.uk/waterlife/myxazin.htm

 

[wicked32]

Fish:
6 Molly-3 Dalmation 3 Black
2 Zebra Danios
1 Red tailed shark
1 Black Ghost Knife(Getting transferred to my new 150 gal tank once it finishes cycling)

Tank has been up and running for about 4 months since I moved. Before that it was running for a good 4 years.

Water Condition
Ammonia:0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: ~20ppm(tap water usually registers a 5ppm)
PH: ~6.7

The Nitrate is higher than normal. I tend to do a water change every 3-4 days but haven't had a chance to in the last few days due to work. Going to do one now. The white spots definitely look cottony, kind of similar to fuzzy mold you would see on old bread. My research pointed to Columnaris too but figured I'd get a second opinion before I went ahead and attempted a treatment. Do you believe the other fish in the tank, besides the molly have been contaminated. Should I just re-quarantine the new mollies and treat them separately or treat the whole tank?

 

[WILDER]

I think I would treat the whole tank as columnaris can spread like wild fire if it's a bad strain of columnaris,.. Also I would advise lowering your temp to 74.

The spots do they have a red, or pink areas.
Are the spots bigger than a grain of salt.

If you do have to preform a water change during medication. Just add the correct amount of med back to water removed.

Remove black carbon from filter.
Increase aeration.

 

[wicked32]

I see in the one link you posted, the best option is just to execute the affect fish before it spreads. Although cruel, if that's what I need to do to prevent it from spreading to the other fish I'll do that. My main concerns are the red tail, which I've had since the tank was originally set up 4 years ago and the BGK which is my favorite fish in the whole tank.

 

[WILDER]

I would go in with meds and see how the fish do. The columnaris might not be a severe strain.
I would only end the fish misery if the fish head region, or mouth area start to rot away.

If you are really worried about your other fish isolate the sick fish and treat.
Than preform a water change and add myxazin by waterlife to the main tank aswell,.

 

[wicked32]

Thanks for your help. I decided to treat the tank. Hopefully it doesn't spread to the rest of the tank.

 

[WILDER]

That good to hear.

Hope the fish make a full recovery.

Good Luck.

 

[wicked32]

Update: After a mere 24 hrs of treatment, I already can see marked improvements. The worse of the 3, already has most of the fuzz off of his eye and mouth. Still has the white spot around both but not nearly as bad as it was yesterday. The other 2 have only made slight improvements but improvements nonetheless. Thanks, you were a great help. Hopefully over the next few days of treatment nothing comes back or spreads to the other fish. I'll keep you informed.

 

[WILDER]

Thank you for the update. Glad to hear there been a slight improvement.

Keep any eye on the spots as columnaris spots can be difficult to get rid of.
Columnaris spot are a greyish white in colour, sometimes have a pink centre, or a pink border around the edge of the spot.