Male Panda Cichlid ~ Columnaris Or What?

[RCA]

Tank size: 180L
pH: *can confirm later if required
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrate: *
kH: *
gH: *
tank temp: 78

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior):
Previously looked like a small hole in dorsal fin. Lying on bottom of tank, lethargic, heavy breathing, weak, now isolated. See photo.

Volume and Frequency of water changes: 20% weekly

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: Prime water conditioner

Tank inhabitants: Female Panda Cichlid, Pencil Fish, Betta Male, Bristlenose Red Pair, Aldolfi Cories, Rabbit Snails, Amano Shrimp.
Heavily planted.

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration): New small piece of mopani wood.

Exposure to chemicals: none

Any ideas what has happened to my male or what maybe wrong?

I thought it maybe Columnaris, as I have lost fish a long time ago from this. I understand it cannot survive in salt and gave this male a 5 min salt bath. Has he been attacked, or saddleback disease?

Not started any further treatment until I get further ideas.

 

[RCA]

Any ideas anyone?
He is still with us, only just this morning. Just done a change on his water, really need to begin treatment, so any help welcomed.
Thanks

 

[WILDER]

Bless Him.
Can't make much out in the picture. Sorry.
Is there any cotton wool patches on him?
He sounds in a bad way to me. The only thing is adding a medication could make his breathing worse
so it's a bit of a risk i'm afraid.
How big is the hole on his fin?
 
Do you have any internal bacteria medications at hand?

 

[RCA]

Thanks Wilder for your reply, not feeling so alone now, however sadly he has lost his fight. He had no cotton wool patches, just the grey patch along his dorsal fin. I would say he asphyxiated by the state of his gills, bless him. I agree with you re: the risk with meds when he was already struggling, hence was waiting for any further advice. I believe that sometimes by the time we see and are able to isolate a fish it is often too late. There are some dreadful diseases that can take our fish from us, and we are at a loss at times, despite experience to save them.

I am still open to any further thoughts as we never stop learning, and it may save another.

 

[WILDER]

Bless Him.

 
I agree with you it was to late for him.
Was the hole in the fin caused by an injury, pecking.
Hole in fins can be caused by pecking, injury, bacterial, parasites, bad water quality.
 
They grey along the back could of been columnaris as it can start on there back and then
go down the sides to form a saddle shape. It can start off as a grey colour and then turn into a cotton wool appearance.
 
Just make sure the rest of the fish are not showing signs of flicking and rubbing.
 
Some diseases progress so fast you don't always have a chance to save the fish. So Sad. Bless Him.

 

[RCA]

Thanks Wilder, at this stage I have a Cory in isolation, he looked like he was on his last fins, yet I have treated him with a Waterlife product for the past three days and so far so good