Treating A Stubborn Bacterial Problem

[borissimo]

Hi

I have posted previously about a couple of sick fish I had recently but I now think, from what has happened and from replies that I have received, that I have a bacterial problem in my tank.

Over the last couple of months, I have had a dwarf gourami die from dropsy, a penguin tetra and cory who both have mouth fungus (the cory's is on the nose but I assume it is still classed as mouth fungus), and a panda cory who died within 2 days from the onset of pop eye.
Then last night I found a bristle nose catfish dead under a log with no obvious signs of illness. These are all fish that I had for at least two years without problems (except for the dwarf gourami who was a few months' old).

So - assuming there is some sort of bad bacteria in the tank, my question is what is the best way to get rid of it? I do frequent water changes but am now treating with a combination of melafix and pimafix. However, my instinct is to keep changing lots of water but on the other hand you are not supposed to change the water whilst putting treatment in. So I am intending to treat for several days and cut down feeding drastically during that time.

Has anyone experience of what works best - treatment without water changes, or just carry on with changes and add more treatment afterwards?

 

[scooterchick]

Hi there,

Do you have any readings? I'd do a good water change, then use an anti internal bac medication and leave it for a week. See how things are then and if you think you have to redose, repeat the above. Incidentally you don't have any carbon pads do you?

 

[borissimo]

Hi there,

Do you have any readings? I'd do a good water change, then use an anti internal bac medication and leave it for a week. See how things are then and if you think you have to redose, repeat the above. Incidentally you don't have any carbon pads do you?

Thanks - I need to take more readings this evening. Everything has been within correct parameters - nitrates can rise though but I do a lot of water changes. No, no carbon pads.

 

[Tolak]

Columnaris is often misdiagnosed as a fungal problem, as the whiteness does resemble fungus, or at times fungus is a secondary problem. Popeye is bacterial, as is dropsy. You need to get an antibiotic, melafix & pimafix are no where near strong enough to knock back a bacterial problem.

 

[borissimo]

Columnaris is often misdiagnosed as a fungal problem, as the whiteness does resemble fungus, or at times fungus is a secondary problem. Popeye is bacterial, as is dropsy. You need to get an antibiotic, melafix & pimafix are no where near strong enough to knock back a bacterial problem.

Thanks - can you recommend anything? I will have to approach a vet in that case as I do not think that I can get anything that strong from the lfs - do you know which type of antibiotic I should ask for?

 

[WILDER]

If you live in the states maracyn one and two.
Uk waterlife myxazin and pimafiix.

 

[borissimo]

If you live in the states maracyn one and two.
Uk waterlife myxazin and pimafiix.

Thanks!