Possible Fungus Or Something

[pirate monkey]

Request Help

Tank size: 350l, qt 75l
pH:~8
ammonia:0
nitrite:0
nitrate:10-20
tank temp:25 C

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior): Gibby pleco has a strange looking growth near front of left pectoral fin. We bought him 2 weeks ago, and he had a small injury and what appeared to be some fungus, so treated with melafix and pimafix. Started to clear up over the next few days. However, our Green Terror started picking at it and it quickly got lots worse. removed GT as didn't have quarantine big enough for gibby. It is about 0.5cm, circular and sort of creamy white in colour. Doesn't look fluffy. Gibby has normal beahviour - active and feeding well.

Lost a silver dollar over night, he had strange behaviour after water change yesterday. Sat hiding in a plant for ages, then kept hanging around at surface. Didn't appear to be gasping but had sort of lost his balance. He also had a strange looking circle on his side, but looked more like he'd scraped himself.

Another silver dollar has a funny looking mouth.

Today I have set up a qt for gibby and SD with funny mouth. GT is now back in main tank.

Volume and Frequency of water changes: usually 30% weekly. Since treating gibby, 10-25 % daily or every other day to keep it ultra clean!

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: Have used combi of melafix and pimafix at half doses. Past 2 days started course of Waterlife Protozin (half dose) as it treats fungus.

Tank inhabitants: in 350l: 1 severum, 1 GT, 1 male krib, 2 firemouths, 3 (now 2) large SDs and 3 small, 1 gibby. Gibby and 1 large SD moved to QT.

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration): Gibby + firemouths 2 weeks ago... Damn I wish I'd had a big QT from the beginning.

Exposure to chemicals: Medications above, also water conditioner - Interpet bioactive Tapsafe.

Digital photo (include if possible): bit dodgy I'm afraid, can't get more as the invalids are now in an opaque plastic tub!

I don't think it is columnaris as I have compared with photos on internet, am I right to say columnaris is more stringy? This looks very solid, more like soft cheese (sorry if that's put anyone off...!)

Any help much appreciated!!

 

[helterskelter]

No idea, it not fungus, well it dont look like it.

I'll try some melifix as this is great as a premeditive treatment

 

[pirate monkey]

thanks, I had been using melafix, but stopped to treat with Protozin...

I will wait for more opinions (no offence to you helterskelter!) just don't want to play havoc with changing meds...

Forgot to say in OP that both tanks well aerated, and the wound/lesions shows no signs of redess either around the outside or in the middle.

 

[WILDER]

Can you describe the mouth please does it look like its rotting away.
Stressed fish there immune system will be weak.
Soak there food in garlic juice it boost the immune system and stimulates there appetite.
Any sign of flicking and rubbing.
Forget the melafix and go in with myxazin by waterlife and pimafix.
http/www.flippersandfins.net/flexibacter.htm

 

[pirate monkey]

Wilder, it's hard to say what it looks like. It appears slightly white on the top lip, was fine day before yesterday - or at least I hadn't noticed! Doesn't look as if it is rotting, SDs have funny mouths anyway so it's hard to tell... I would say it probably looks like the beginnings of a fungus type, whatever it is I hope I've caught that early. bottom lip looks fine. It looks like someone had drawn a white outline around his top lip.

No signs of flicking or rubbing with either gibby or SD, although I did just catch my sev rubbing on the sand in the main tank I'll be keeping a close eye on him.

Garlic juice - do i just boil some garlic in some water? Thankfully gibby's appetite is normal, presently sucking on a piece of squash.

Is it ok to use pimafix and myxazin together?

thanks for reply

 

[WILDER]

Columnaris has many diguises.
I would treat for columnaris.
Yes it fine to use myxazin and pimafix together as long as there plenty of aeration in the tank.
Bad strain of columnaris can soon start to rot the mouth away.

You juice squeeze the garlic out of the clove.
Do you have a garlic press.

 

[pirate monkey]

I do have a garlic press, so I'll do that.

So now I have qt'd the sick fish, should I still treat the main tank as well? It's a big tank... those meds cost a lot!

What's the survival rate of columnaris?

thank you

 

[WILDER]

It depends on the strain as a bad strain can kill a whole tank.
I woud just preform some daily water changes on the main tank for now.
If anymore fish shows signs I would treat the whole tank.

 

[pirate monkey]

Ok I'll be off to shop for those meds tomorrow, and will continue daily water changes on main tank then.

Thanks Wilder, once again you have come to my rescue!

Will keep you updated.

 

[WILDER]

Good luck.

 

[pirate monkey]

Update:

I had to move the other large silver dollar into quarantine, 2 days ago, it had a small white lump on the top lip. no change since.

My gibby is eating well, but looks quite stressed, I can't really tell if the white lump has got better, it does look different though - less solid. The green terror picking at it was obviously compounding the problem, so I guess time will tell. The first silver dollar's mouth has got worse, it seems it is rotting away... Is there any hope for this little fishy?

I've run out of pimafix, and have to wait til pay day to get more, and I can't find myxazin - do you know where I can get some? Been carrying on with protozin, last day of treatment today... I do have interpet no9 - will this help in any way?

Have been performing daily water changes. Rest of main tank looking good though, so that's something!

 

[WILDER]

If the mouth rotting away not good usually best to end the fish life.
If you can't get myxazin anti internal bacteria med by interpet and use the pimafix aswell.

Remove the parasite med with a water change and run some black carbon.

http/www.articledepot.co.uk/article-29320.htm

 

[pirate monkey]

Thanks for reply Wilder.

poor SD have to hope other one is ok. Got the anti internal bacteria med so will treat with that tomorrow, see how it goes.

 

[WILDER]

Is his mouth a mess. Has it rotted away to much if so I would end his misery.
You have a bad strain of columnaris in your tank need to get it under control fast.
In the uk with our meds it better to lower the temp gradually so the bacteria dosn't mulitply so fast.

 

[pirate monkey]

One SD his top lip is poor, he looks really unhappy - will end his life. Don't think he's been eating (haven't seen him eat). The other looks ok - no rotting away, behaviour more normal than other one.

What temp should I aim to get down to and over how long? Quarantine is currently at 25 degrees C.