How do you tell the differance between the two at first stages?? and what are the two differances of fish reactions to have it. Because reading the charts they both seem the same so it is hard to diagnose for me.
ty.
ty.
Ich & Columnaris
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Ichthyophthiriasis, (ich or whitespot) produces small (about 1mm diameter) white spots on the fish's body and fins. The fish will scratch because the parasites are digging into the skin. Here the parasites stay for a few days while they grow. Then they fall off the fish and sit in the gravel for a few days. While they are in the gravel they produce a shell around them and the parasites multiply inside the shell. Then a few days later they hatch out and re-infect the fish.
Columnaris, commonly called mouth fungus, makes the end of the mouth go white. It usually starts off with either the bottom or top lip becoming red and inflamed. Then after a few hours it goes white. This disease spreads very rapidly and can kill fish within a day or two of noticing the white mouth. In more advanced cases of Columnaris the white can spread over the head and gills. Fish don't normally survive long enough for this to happen but if they do, they often die soon after you notice it.
White spot is caused by a parasitic protozoan whereas Columnaris is caused by bacteria.
Columnaris, commonly called mouth fungus, makes the end of the mouth go white. It usually starts off with either the bottom or top lip becoming red and inflamed. Then after a few hours it goes white. This disease spreads very rapidly and can kill fish within a day or two of noticing the white mouth. In more advanced cases of Columnaris the white can spread over the head and gills. Fish don't normally survive long enough for this to happen but if they do, they often die soon after you notice it.
White spot is caused by a parasitic protozoan whereas Columnaris is caused by bacteria.
ich only produces little white dots on the body and fins
Columnaris starts at the mouth and in severe cases will spread over the head and gills. But usually the fish die before it gets that far.
ich will take a week or more to kill fish, whereas Columnaris will kill fish within a day or two.
If the fish looks like it is covered in a white film then it is probably producing excess mucous. Fish have a mucous coating over their body and when they are stressed out (usually by poor water quality) they produce more mucous and it can look like they are covered in a milky white film. If this is the case then doing a 50% water change each day for a week will often fix the problem. You should also cut back on the feeding under this sort of condition.
If you have a picture of a sick fish we can try to id the problem for you.
Columnaris starts at the mouth and in severe cases will spread over the head and gills. But usually the fish die before it gets that far.
ich will take a week or more to kill fish, whereas Columnaris will kill fish within a day or two.
If the fish looks like it is covered in a white film then it is probably producing excess mucous. Fish have a mucous coating over their body and when they are stressed out (usually by poor water quality) they produce more mucous and it can look like they are covered in a milky white film. If this is the case then doing a 50% water change each day for a week will often fix the problem. You should also cut back on the feeding under this sort of condition.
If you have a picture of a sick fish we can try to id the problem for you.
White fluffy patches on fish are usually fungal infections. This gets into damaged areas and can occur anywhere on the body. Excess mucous is often seen on the tail or fins first but can be seen on the eyes as they become cloudy.
White lumpy growths on the edge of the fins can be Lymphocystis. This is a virus that affects fish when they are stressed out. If the water is good and temperature correct for the species, then they will often clear up by themselves after a few weeks.
Have you checked the water in the tank? It might be off and have high levels of ammonia, nitrite or nitrate, or the PH could be really low or really high.
White lumpy growths on the edge of the fins can be Lymphocystis. This is a virus that affects fish when they are stressed out. If the water is good and temperature correct for the species, then they will often clear up by themselves after a few weeks.
Have you checked the water in the tank? It might be off and have high levels of ammonia, nitrite or nitrate, or the PH could be really low or really high.
okay this is not good. my water stats are fine, but the fish aren't. they are acting strange. fins clamped, hanging at the top or bottum, and i can see a few are breathing heavy. Now i noticed my balloon moolie is showing signs of the same white spots this time on his eye, mouth and his fins. i hope maracyn 1 and 2 will fix them 
20gal tank
25 fish
aquaclear 200 filter (runing for 1 year)
aeration stone system for 60gals tank
nitrate 0
nitrite 0
ammonia 0
ph 7.5
temp 7.6-8.0F
20gal tank
25 fish
aquaclear 200 filter (runing for 1 year)
aeration stone system for 60gals tank
nitrate 0
nitrite 0
ammonia 0
ph 7.5
temp 7.6-8.0F
I think Maracyn is for bacterial infections. The fish might have a bacterial infection but usually this shows up as red patching on the body or fins. Parasitic protozoans will cause the fish to scratch, have clamped fins and breathe heavily. White spot is one of these but costia & trichodina will cause similar symptoms.
White spot does not normally appear on the fish's eyes. A creamy white lump on the eye could be bacterial or excess mucous. However, your water seems fine so it is unlikely to be poor water quality causing excess mucous.
Depending on what is in Maracyn will depend on what it treats. But if it has Malachite green or copper in it then it will treat protozoan infections like whitespot. Malachite green also kills bacteria.
White spot does not normally appear on the fish's eyes. A creamy white lump on the eye could be bacterial or excess mucous. However, your water seems fine so it is unlikely to be poor water quality causing excess mucous.
Depending on what is in Maracyn will depend on what it treats. But if it has Malachite green or copper in it then it will treat protozoan infections like whitespot. Malachite green also kills bacteria.
How big are the spots on the fish as you can get columnaris spots, they will be a greyish white with a circling of red around the outside of the spot, or sometimes a red centre.
The spots on the eye are they spots of specs.
http
/www.aquatic-hobbyist.com/profiles/d...columnaris.html
The spots on the eye are they spots of specs.
http
/www.aquatic-hobbyist.com/profiles/d...columnaris.htmli just purchased two packages of Mardel Maracyn 1 (didnt see 2)
It is hard for me to explain what they spots look like, but they aren't all over the body like Ich. These are whiteish, some on the fin are long not round and the one on the eye is growing out fluff like a ball, the one on the mouth is not round but fluffy looking. I know these aren't worms tho it's more of a fluffly or smooth rounded shape.
my medication says.
"columnaris body fongus, fin & tail rot, popey, gill disease
200mg erythromcin activity"
and i will start the treatment now.
It is hard for me to explain what they spots look like, but they aren't all over the body like Ich. These are whiteish, some on the fin are long not round and the one on the eye is growing out fluff like a ball, the one on the mouth is not round but fluffy looking. I know these aren't worms tho it's more of a fluffly or smooth rounded shape.
my medication says.
"columnaris body fongus, fin & tail rot, popey, gill disease
200mg erythromcin activity"
and i will start the treatment now.
The same company who makes Maracyn (for bacterial infections) also makes a product called Maracide which is effective for ich and parasites. I would try the maracyn first, but you might want to figure out where you can get maracide just in case or have it on hand anyways.
I just went through a bout of columnaris with my fish and lost quite a few. They had fluffy white bits on them and fin rot. Half of them made it through though so it's definetely worth treating them.
I just went through a bout of columnaris with my fish and lost quite a few. They had fluffy white bits on them and fin rot. Half of them made it through though so it's definetely worth treating them.
LauraFrog
Fish Gatherer
I have seen a lot of different forms of columnaris, it's very variable. It often causes 'receding white line' finrot. The mouth lesions are most commonly seen, along with the body patches. Another typical form is 'saddleback' where you get the white patch usually with red edges that spread from in front of the dorsal fin. There was a post in the betta section recently showing the worst case I have ever seen, half the betta's back involved and several mm of flesh eaten away, but he had it for weeks. I've seen strains that kill in under 18 hours and strains that take days or weeks. Fast acting strains are usually obviously dying by the time you notice anything wrong at all. Slow acting strains will be cured by maracyn. Usually a combination of 1 and 2 is recommended. If maracyn 1 doesn't work most other antibiotics will (kanamycin/streptomycin/erythromycin family, tetracycline/oxytet, chloramphenicol)
Ich looks like the fish has been sprinkled with salt and causes flicking and rubbing. Fish with columnaris don't scratch, they look uncomfortable and very sick, refuse food, hang at the surface or rest at the bottom, clamp fins and are lethargic.
Ich looks like the fish has been sprinkled with salt and causes flicking and rubbing. Fish with columnaris don't scratch, they look uncomfortable and very sick, refuse food, hang at the surface or rest at the bottom, clamp fins and are lethargic.
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