Mouth Fungus

[This Old Spouse]

and now at least one other one has it. My params are 0/0/5ppm. All I have is Melafix and Ich-X. Doing a massive water change now. Please help.

 

[KezJona]

I got told from my LFS that Melafix was a good treatment to use as long as the active carbon in your filter was removed during the treatment process. However, I saw today on a thread, can't remember which, that Melafix wasn't great to use on diseases and anything tea tree oil based was poor to use. I don't know so I am sorry I can't help much, but I used Melafix when I first got my tank on a Swordtail who had fin rot and it didn't help at all, but maybe it was too late.

Kez

 

[This Old Spouse]

Thanks, Kez. I put the sickest trili in a Q tank last night and added Melafix, and this morning he was dead. So I'm trying to find a source for some antibacterial medication. My next stop is the vet's office, but what do I tell them? Has anyone ever tried liquid antibiotic to add to a tank that wasn't specifically for the aquarium? I'm desperate. I have another trili close to death now.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Mouth fungus is actually a bacterial illness and Melafix is useless for treating it.

Mouth Fungus
Symptoms: White cottony patches around the mouth. 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

 

[This Old Spouse]

I just got some Baytril from my vet. It's the only thing I could get my hands on to try to save the *gulp* 7 trilis I have left.

Does anyone know if this will kill my filter media too?

 

[Caprichoso]

I just got some Baytril from my vet. It's the only thing I could get my hands on to try to save the *gulp* 7 trilis I have left.

Does anyone know if this will kill my filter media too?

Isn't that the stuff that you have to inject into the fish? With any antibiotic you run into the issue of killing off all bacteria, good and bad. It depends on how heavy the dose is. I think you're supposed to go with the fish's weight? Though goodness only knows how you will calculate that out....I'm so sad for you and your cories! Best of luck, I hope they can be saved.

 

[Tizer]

Pimafix would be better to use no?

 

[This Old Spouse]

I just got some Baytril from my vet. It's the only thing I could get my hands on to try to save the *gulp* 7 trilis I have left.

Does anyone know if this will kill my filter media too?

Isn't that the stuff that you have to inject into the fish? With any antibiotic you run into the issue of killing off all bacteria, good and bad. It depends on how heavy the dose is. I think you're supposed to go with the fish's weight? Though goodness only knows how you will calculate that out....I'm so sad for you and your cories! Best of luck, I hope they can be saved.

No, you don't have to inject it into the fish. I just put it in the tank. And my vet calculated the dosage.

Pimafix would be better to use no?

I'm sure it would. But Baytril is all I have!! I need to know if anyone has had any experience with it or knows what effect it will have on my filter media.

I'm proceeding by dosing once a day, with a major water change just beforehand. It's a 10g tank with 7 trili cories, so hopefully they'll get better.

My next question is, should I leave them in the tank after the regimen is over? I'm planning to do a final water change, use charcoal in the filter for a day, another water change and then supply mature filter media to the tank until their barbels grow out again. Does this sound reasonable?

 

[Tizer]

Can you not get next day delivery on items where you live then?

 

[This Old Spouse]

Sure I can. But I needed treatment immediately. My veterinarian was incredible by giving me the Baytril, after he'd researched the best antibiotic and dosage on the Internet.

Next time I'll be equipped with the best antibiotic.

 

[ZoddyZod]

This Old Spouse

Does the mouth fungus look anything like this?

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/368301-possible-mouth-fungus-on-angel/

 

[This Old Spouse]

Nope. It's all around the mouth.

I'm down to 5 trilis.

 

[Zyden]

Have you double-checked the vet's dosage? The impulse is to over-dose, but this can be a killer and vets do make mistakes.
When doing your water change be really careful of the temperature. It can really push a sick fish over the edge.