fungal vs bacterial fin rot

Sgooosh

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one of my pearl gouramis got fin rot and 2 small livebearers got mouth fungus because i forgot to do a weekly water change i was busy :(

what is the difference between fungal and bacterial and how do i treat them
i changed water, wiped glass.
 
Pictures of the fish so we can confirm the problem?

Have you checked ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH of the tank water?

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Bacterial infections are usually red.
Fungus is normally white and fluffy.
Excess mucous is cream, white and smooth.
 
To me there is no fungal finrot and primarily all finrot is bacterial. Fungus will be a secundairy infection on the damaged / dead tissue.

Several bacterial infection show as "fungus" like Columnaris showing as cottonmouth-disease
 
Pictures of the fish so we can confirm the problem?

Have you checked ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH of the tank water?

----------------
Bacterial infections are usually red.
Fungus is normally white and fluffy.
Excess mucous is cream, white and smooth.
To me there is no fungal finrot and primarily all finrot is bacterial. Fungus will be a secundairy infection on the damaged / dead tissue.

Several bacterial infection show as "fungus" like Columnaris showing as cottonmouth-disease
thanks i will post photos when i get my phone in a bit
 
ACA37F59-3A24-4F14-B28A-7E657F5A9EC7.jpeg
 
The gourami has a bacterial infection on the dorsal (top) fin. Salt might work. If it doesn't help after a few days, get a broad spectrum medication to treat them.

Do a big water change, complete gravel clean, wipe the glass down, and clean the filter before adding salt or medications.

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SALT
You can add rock salt (often sold as aquarium salt), sea salt or swimming pool salt to the aquarium at the dose rate of 1 heaped tablespoon per 20 litres of water. If there is no improvement after 48 hours you can double that dose rate so there is 2 heaped tablespoons of salt per 20 litres.

Keep the salt level like this for at least 2 weeks but no longer than 4 weeks otherwise kidney damage can occur. Kidney damage is more likely to occur in fish from soft water (tetras, Corydoras, angelfish, Bettas & gouramis, loaches) that are exposed to high levels of salt for an extended period of time, and is not an issue with livebearers, rainbowfish or other salt tolerant species.

The salt will not affect the beneficial filter bacteria, fish, plants, shrimp or snails.

After you use salt and the fish have recovered, you do a 10% water change each day for a week using only fresh water that has been dechlorinated. Then do a 20% water change each day for a week. Then you can do bigger water changes after that. This dilutes the salt out of the tank slowly so it doesn't harm the fish.

If you do water changes while using salt, you need to treat the new water with salt before adding it to the tank. This will keep the salt level stable in the tank and minimise stress on the fish.

When you first add salt, add the salt to a small bucket of tank water and dissolve the salt. Then slowly pour the salt water into the tank near the filter outlet. Add the salt over a couple of minutes.
 
How many days between the water changes?
1-2 days
The gourami has a bacterial infection on the dorsal (top) fin. Salt might work. If it doesn't help after a few days, get a broad spectrum medication to treat them.

Do a big water change, complete gravel clean, wipe the glass down, and clean the filter before adding salt or medications.

--------------------
SALT
You can add rock salt (often sold as aquarium salt), sea salt or swimming pool salt to the aquarium at the dose rate of 1 heaped tablespoon per 20 litres of water. If there is no improvement after 48 hours you can double that dose rate so there is 2 heaped tablespoons of salt per 20 litres.

Keep the salt level like this for at least 2 weeks but no longer than 4 weeks otherwise kidney damage can occur. Kidney damage is more likely to occur in fish from soft water (tetras, Corydoras, angelfish, Bettas & gouramis, loaches) that are exposed to high levels of salt for an extended period of time, and is not an issue with livebearers, rainbowfish or other salt tolerant species.

The salt will not affect the beneficial filter bacteria, fish, plants, shrimp or snails.

After you use salt and the fish have recovered, you do a 10% water change each day for a week using only fresh water that has been dechlorinated. Then do a 20% water change each day for a week. Then you can do bigger water changes after that. This dilutes the salt out of the tank slowly so it doesn't harm the fish.

If you do water changes while using salt, you need to treat the new water with salt before adding it to the tank. This will keep the salt level stable in the tank and minimise stress on the fish.

When you first add salt, add the salt to a small bucket of tank water and dissolve the salt. Then slowly pour the salt water into the tank near the filter outlet. Add the salt over a couple of minutes.
Thanks ill do a salt duarantine since i have a ton of coriee
 
I have had a lot of success with that sort of bacterial fin thing (an infected injury?) by laying down some paper towel, netting the fish and holding it over the paper and dripping a tiny bit of betadine into the wound, AVOIDING THE EYES AND GILLS. It's an old remedy from the pre-antibiotic age, where they also used iodine. Both betadine and iodine (which I haven't used) stain, so the paper towel gets a workout. Don't do it over the tank.
You keep the fish in the net for a few seconds, then drop it back in. I've cleared bacterial blooms on Betta fins with it, among other fish.
 
I have had a lot of success with that sort of bacterial fin thing (an infected injury?) by laying down some paper towel, netting the fish and holding it over the paper and dripping a tiny bit of betadine into the wound, AVOIDING THE EYES AND GILLS. It's an old remedy from the pre-antibiotic age, where they also used iodine. Both betadine and iodine (which I haven't used) stain, so the paper towel gets a workout. Don't do it over the tank.
You keep the fish in the net for a few seconds, then drop it back in. I've cleared bacterial blooms on Betta fins with it, among other fish.
thanks, i did the salt bath and i'll use that as a last resort if salt does not work :)
 
Don't do salt baths because you stress the fish every time you chase and catch it, and move it in and out of the salt water. Just add salt to the tank with the fish in and leave the fish in the salty water for a week after the wound has healed. Then do small water changes without salt to slowly remove the salt from the water and the fish.
 
Don't do salt baths because you stress the fish every time you chase and catch it, and move it in and out of the salt water. Just add salt to the tank with the fish in and leave the fish in the salty water for a week after the wound has healed. Then do small water changes without salt to slowly remove the salt from the water and the fish.
i will do that instead thanks
 

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