VickyChaiTea
Fish Fanatic
Alright, so, I have been seeing this infection around for a few years... and only in bettas. I first noticed it at work on a few bettas after their bowls had gone uncleaned for too long. It looked like grey patches (not raised patches, like the scales and skin had turned grey) on their fins and a few pin holes in the fins as well. After cleaning the bowls the fish died the next day, grey had spread to their body and their fins were shredded to pieces. I thought it was very strange. I saw it a few more times, each time it spread within a day and the fish died. It is not fin rot.
One time I came into work to see this guy, huge wound on his head and the grey patches on his skin. The wound was obviously caused by some kind of trauma, it had saprolegnia feeding on the dead tissue but he also had the skin infection. I treated him with a topical application of hydrogen peroxide, aquarium salt to his water, and triple sulfa. Unfortunately the infection spread to his whole body overnight after treatment and he died.
Then there was this girl, who died a few hours after getting her home. Once again, what appears to be saprolegnia as a secondary infection.
And I've seen it in other bettas at work, too. So the question is... what is this?
Here it is in fish that are not my own, as well. Unfortunately a member Jessman lost their fish to this infection. If this picture is upsetting please let me know and I will take it down. I just want all the information about this disease out there.
And this is a different betta that belonged to someone on tumblr.
Symptoms:
Grey patches of skin and fins, not part of normal color.
Extremely fast spread of infection across the body.
Holes in fins and in advanced cases, complete fin deterioration.
Fish becomes lethargic, but not necessarily pale.
Death within days or hours.
It... reminds me of columnaris (Flavobacterium columnare), except without any cottony patches. It's obvious the grey patches are necrosis (dead tissue). Maybe it's just a different manifestation of columnaris? If anyone ever encounters this again, I think it would be very interesting to do a necropsy and examine the gills especially, since columnaris generally attacks the gills. A culture would obviously be a good idea, if possible. I wish I had the know how and resources to do a proper necropsy.
EDIT: After some reading I think it really is columnaris... just a different manifestation. So I hope this thread helps other people diagnose and attempt to treat this deadly disease.
The treatment for columnaris is varied, but the most effective method is to do a dip in methylene blue at double the strength (2 drops per gallon) and the standard dose of aquarium salt (1 tsp per gallon) for 30 minutes. Optionally, you can add Kanamycin and Furan Two to the bath as well. After that a treatment with any gram negative antibacterial medication such as Minocycline (Maracyn 2), Kanamycin, and Furan Two and medications with Acriflavin.
Source:
http
/www.americanaquariumproducts.com/columnaris.html
One time I came into work to see this guy, huge wound on his head and the grey patches on his skin. The wound was obviously caused by some kind of trauma, it had saprolegnia feeding on the dead tissue but he also had the skin infection. I treated him with a topical application of hydrogen peroxide, aquarium salt to his water, and triple sulfa. Unfortunately the infection spread to his whole body overnight after treatment and he died.
Then there was this girl, who died a few hours after getting her home. Once again, what appears to be saprolegnia as a secondary infection.
And I've seen it in other bettas at work, too. So the question is... what is this?
Here it is in fish that are not my own, as well. Unfortunately a member Jessman lost their fish to this infection. If this picture is upsetting please let me know and I will take it down. I just want all the information about this disease out there.
And this is a different betta that belonged to someone on tumblr.
Symptoms:
Grey patches of skin and fins, not part of normal color.
Extremely fast spread of infection across the body.
Holes in fins and in advanced cases, complete fin deterioration.
Fish becomes lethargic, but not necessarily pale.
Death within days or hours.
It... reminds me of columnaris (Flavobacterium columnare), except without any cottony patches. It's obvious the grey patches are necrosis (dead tissue). Maybe it's just a different manifestation of columnaris? If anyone ever encounters this again, I think it would be very interesting to do a necropsy and examine the gills especially, since columnaris generally attacks the gills. A culture would obviously be a good idea, if possible. I wish I had the know how and resources to do a proper necropsy.
EDIT: After some reading I think it really is columnaris... just a different manifestation. So I hope this thread helps other people diagnose and attempt to treat this deadly disease.
The treatment for columnaris is varied, but the most effective method is to do a dip in methylene blue at double the strength (2 drops per gallon) and the standard dose of aquarium salt (1 tsp per gallon) for 30 minutes. Optionally, you can add Kanamycin and Furan Two to the bath as well. After that a treatment with any gram negative antibacterial medication such as Minocycline (Maracyn 2), Kanamycin, and Furan Two and medications with Acriflavin.
Source:
http
/www.americanaquariumproducts.com/columnaris.html
