Cottonmouth! It's Killing Them!

[Kailebw]

I accidently poured A LOT of fish food into my tank and didn't know that it doesn't just dissolved or my fish wont eat it. Obviously they got sick and I had no idea. I didn't notice until I got my next two glofish (Kush & Mt Dew) to chill with my dwarf gourami (smart "butt") and first glofish (Kafka). that there was something wrong. The first two were much lazier and tended to more drift in the water rather than swim. I just thought they were cooler and more laid back. Turns out they have cotton mouth from the loads of food. I tried pumping it all up but I'm afraid I'm removing beneficial bacteria. I also tried putting in some Jungle Fungus Clear fizz tabs because it's only 4 days and I thought they were closer to dying than Larry King. Smart "Butt" just lays on the ground. That's it. Not even a tap moves him. He'll move from spot to spot but that's. The jungle crap didn't work. So I'm wondering. Melafix All Natural Fish First Aid (which takes 7) or another half tab of Jungle? I have a 5 gallon tank, fake gravel, 78ish degree water, fake plants, gravel and some decor. Please help. I'm failing these fish as their Man-god.

Edit: I guess I have to censor myself?... I'll just make some changes to the words.

 

[fluttermoth]

You don't need to worry about removing beneficial bacteria; they live in your filter, not in the gravel, so first of all you have to clean the gravel to get all that food out.

You might need to do multiple water changes until it's all out; that's not a problem as long as the new water is warmed and dechlorinated.

I can't comment on your anti fungus med, as I've never used it, but you do want a specific med for fungus; the melafix won't be enough, IMO.

 

[This Old Spouse]

Cotton mouth is a bacterial infection, not a true fungus, so you'll need to use an antibacterial medication like Myxazin, which will affect your filter media, unfortunately. I lost 10 of my 11 corydoras trilineatus to that terrible stuff. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Firstly this is not correct:

You don't need to worry about removing beneficial bacteria; they live in your filter, not in the gravel, so first of all you have to clean the gravel to get all that food out.

Bacteria colonize all the hard surfaces of a tank and substrate is one of the main areas they will live. However, normal gravel vacuuming should not remove the bacteria. Removing the gravel would remove the bacteria.

Second, here is a good description of the disease and its treatment. 9Sorry but its treatments are all available in the USA but likely not in the UK..)

Mouth Fungus is so called because it looks like a fungus attack of the mouth. It is actually caused from the bacterium Chondrococcus columnaris. It shows up first as a gray or white line around the lips and later as short tufts sprouting from the mouth like fungus. The toxins produced and the inability to eat will be fatal unless treated at an early stage. This bacteria is often accompanied by a second infection of an Aeromonas bacteria.
Penicillin at 10,000 units per liter is a very effective treatment. Treat with a second dose in two days. Or use chloromycetin, 10 to 20 mg per liter, with a second dose in two days. Other antibiotics can also be effective. Kanacyn (kanamycin) will treat both bacteria at once. Maracyn (erythromycin) is effective against C. columnaris, and using Maracyn 2 (minocycline) in conjuntion with it will treat the Aeromonas bacteria as well.

From http/animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/information/Diseases.htm#MouthFungus

Maracyn Plus or Furan 2 will also work.

 

[Kailebw]

Firstly this is not correct:

You don't need to worry about removing beneficial bacteria; they live in your filter, not in the gravel, so first of all you have to clean the gravel to get all that food out.

Bacteria colonize all the hard surfaces of a tank and substrate is one of the main areas they will live. However, normal gravel vacuuming should not remove the bacteria. Removing the gravel would remove the bacteria.

Second, here is a good description of the disease and its treatment. 9Sorry but its treatments are all available in the USA but likely not in the UK..)

Mouth Fungus is so called because it looks like a fungus attack of the mouth. It is actually caused from the bacterium Chondrococcus columnaris. It shows up first as a gray or white line around the lips and later as short tufts sprouting from the mouth like fungus. The toxins produced and the inability to eat will be fatal unless treated at an early stage. This bacteria is often accompanied by a second infection of an Aeromonas bacteria.
Penicillin at 10,000 units per liter is a very effective treatment. Treat with a second dose in two days. Or use chloromycetin, 10 to 20 mg per liter, with a second dose in two days. Other antibiotics can also be effective. Kanacyn (kanamycin) will treat both bacteria at once. Maracyn (erythromycin) is effective against C. columnaris, and using Maracyn 2 (minocycline) in conjuntion with it will treat the Aeromonas bacteria as well.

From http/animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/information/Diseases.htm#MouthFungus

Maracyn Plus or Furan 2 will also work.

Penicillin? I just pour it in the water?...

 

[snake007]

Just a few things to point out, sorry if I missed it but did you cycle your tank?
Second goldfish and gouramis shouldnt really be a in a 5 gallon.
And Goldfish are coldwater.

 

[This Old Spouse]

Just a few things to point out, sorry if I missed it but did you cycle your tank?
Second goldfish and gouramis shouldnt really be a in a 5 gallon.
And Goldfish are coldwater.

The OP has *glofish* not goldfish.

And use Myxazin or another OTC medication.

I honestly think that your gouramis are suffering from dwarf gourami disease and maybe cotton mouth as well because of their cramped quarters. They belong in at least a 20-30g tank. It doesn't matter what the fish store says. And even the glofish need bigger quarters. A 5g tank is only good for a limited number of things, like quarantine, nursery, a betta, shrimp, but not much else, and certainly not the fish you have. Don't want to be nasty, but them's the facts.

 

[snake007]

Sorry I misread it.

 

[This Old Spouse]

Oops!

 

[TwoTankAmin]

All of the meds listed in that quote are available in the states as fish meds. Here is a perfect example
http/www.kensfish.com/bacterial-medications.html

Please take the advice of a UK member as to what to use since they will know what is available and works over there.