Help!

[Nevergone815]

I posted on the livebears section about my male black platy. I lost my male platy yesterday. He was in a 10g with 3 female platies, 2 swordtails. On saturday I noticed that a couple of the fish in my tank had the beginning of what looked like fin and tail rot. But this guy had that and what looked like cotton mouth. I seperated him and medicated the tank, medicating him seperatly. By sunday the fish in my tank looked 100 times better but the poor male platy looked bad. He was beginning to show symptoms of swim bladder disease, bloating, just floating at the top, and trying to swim forward but not going anywhere. When I got back from lunch on sunday his gills had begun bleeding and he had developed open sores on his head, another hour later he was dead. Was is just a horrible combination of dieseases that killed him, or something else? It worked so quickly!!! Now my female black platy is starting to have some of the same beginning symptoms that he had.. I don't know what to do, right now all she doing is swimming funny and floating at the top and her fins are clamped. And thats how he started. Should I quarantine her??? I have 2 expectant mothers, and a betta ready for breeding so I don't want to risk anything. Please help!!

Tank stats

Temp: 78
nitrate: 0
nitrite: 0
PH: 6.7
Ammonia: less than .2 (am doing daily water changes, since ammonia spike, has gone down from .7 in 3 days)

 

[tttnjfttt]

It sounds like both of the fish have/had columnaris, which is a bacterial infection (this is also sometimes called fungus, mouth rot, mouth fungus, or saddle back disease). This can be very lethal, depending on the exact strain, so a strong antibiotic is usually needed. What have you been using so far?

Also, adding an airstone and turning the temp down slowly (2* F a day max, 1* C) to 72 will slow the growth of the bacteria, which will give the meds. Columnaris thrives in low oxygen settings, which is why i recomended an air stone. Also, add 2 tablespoons of aquarium salt to the tank to help.

I am not the author of this information.
Symptoms

Early signs of this disease are greyish-white marks or patches around the mouth, or on the body or fins of the fish. These may appear thread-like, particularly around the mouth, giving rise to the incorrect name of 'mouth fungus'. Fins will deteriorate and sores may appear on the body. The gills may be affected, giving rise to bacterial gill disease. It may cause 'shimmying' behaviour in fishes like livebearers.
Causes

The disease is caused by the bacteria Flavobacterium colmnare, formerly known as Flexibacter columnaris. It has been refered to as 'mouth fungus' (even though the cause is bacterial), due to the whitish strands which may appear fungus-like. These are Gram-negative, rod shaped bacteria, which move by gliding across a surface.

As with many bacterial diseases, poor water quality is a major factor in triggering the disease. Sudden changes in conditions may also trigger it, and the disease is common in newly imported fish.
Possible cures

Anti-bacterial medications should cure this disease if used promptly. At later stages, the bacteria may invade internal organs, in which case only antibiotics may be effective. Several strains exist which vary in their virulence (how 'aggressively' they cause disease)..

 

[Nevergone815]

Should I remove the female whos exibiting symptoms and quarantine her then treat the rest of the tank? Shes the only one showing any symptoms.

 

[WILDER]

You have alot of bacterial problem in your tank, the bleeding gills as parasites can cause alot of these problems as once they pierce the skin bacteria invades the body, the bleeding gills, any heavy breathing or flicking and rubbing against objects.

 

[WILDER]

Not the writer of this information below,
Gill Flukes



Symptoms:

Fish with gill flukes have gills that may appear red and inflamed, bleeding or slimy. Excess mucous or puss may exude from the gills. Sick fish can be observed gasping for air near the surface. This disease is most common in younger fish and fry, who are more susceptible to the parasite.



Cause:

The monogenetic fluke Dactylogyrus, which destroys gill tissue and damages blood vessels in this region.



Treatment:

Treat with Clout, Fluke Tabs, Paraform, Trifon, Paragon, Quick Cure, Formalin, orParasite Guard. Gill flukes are highly contagious, therefore, all fish in the same aquarium should be treated.