What Is This?

[TF Keeper UK]

Hi, my female swordtail has a strange growth/mould round her mouth. I've isolated her and carried out a 30% water change on my tank. The params before the change were ammonia & nitrite 0ppm, nitrate 10ppm, pH 7.6 and water temp 26 degrees celsius.

Any help would be grateful.

 

[Disco]

Could be the first signs of a bacterial infection best treated to make sure rather than take any risks. Treat both the fish showing syptoms and the tank you have taken it out of.

 

[TF Keeper UK]

The swordtail is in another tank and i've dosed it's home tank with Interpet No9.

 

[WILDER]

If you have issolated her, you could try adding a bit more internal bacteria med say another half dose for a stronger dose, does the mouth look like it's rotting away.
http/www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/hdcolumn.htm

 

[TF Keeper UK]

She died 15mins ago

The mouth looked like the pics. Reading your link, I think ony antibiotics may have saved her.

 

[WILDER]

Sorry bless her R.I.P. Columnaris is nasty and it sounds like you have a bad case of it in your tank.
I bought some honey gourmamis and they were in bad condition they had columnaris but i'm using an antibiotic, they put weight or there colour is coming along nicely, plus the columanris has gone.
I hate lfs sometimes through neglect, but managed to save 5 out of 6 of them.

 

[TF Keeper UK]

Now I've just a sunset platy (George), a black molly (Sooty) and 3 swordtail fry plus my catfish left.

I've no plans on getting anymore until March.

White Spot, Coumnaris, Dropsy, Shimmy, Ammonia/Nitrate poisoning, bacterial infections my tank has had them all!

Blind Bob is the only original fish left from when I started this hobby last year. Sooty and Mad Max II are 2nd generation.

 

[WILDER]

I think I would invest in a quarantine tank, that's the problem never no what fish are fetching with them, that's why it so important.Good luck anyway.

 

[tttnjfttt]

Also, i've also noticed that i seem to have fewere encounters with disease now that my tank is older and more established. I many probs when i first started out, but now have almost none. I jsut get to sit back and enjoy.

When you do get new fish, be picky and be ready to walk out if the fish don't look healthy. Spend some time getting to know the LPS employees to see if they really know their stuff. My current trick is to get them talking about their aquariums or ask them some tricky questions. When you find an employee dreaming of a large tank to put a specific large fish in, you are probably safe. Also, ask about the filtration they have. If the store ahs a UV stearalizer, that means you can buy fish from any tank that is not immediatly sharing water with the one you want.

 

[Disco]

Why March? Are you getting a new tank?

 

[WILDER]

Also did you no you can ask the lfs to test there tank water.

 

[TF Keeper UK]

Wilder - Thanks. Would invest in a quaratine tank, but have no where to put one!

Disco - I wish! Just gonna let things settle with this tank. See if any of the remaining inhabitants develop any problems.

Tttnjfttt - My lfs is The Goldfish Bowl. The staff there know there stuff! How long does it take before a tank becomes established? What is the definition of established?

 

[tttnjfttt]

Usually i consider a tank established when it has been up and running for atleast 3 months without any water quality issues.

 

[Kopix Nation]

Interesting names... Sorry about the death of your beloved fishy.... You can always get another one though... Thats the great thing about live-bearers you won't ever run out!!

claire

 

[TF Keeper UK]

Mine did have water quality issues to start with, but now seems to have settled down. I have 3 fry in the tank at moment, and my corys regularly lay eggs! So I'd say mine is established!

I have 3 swordtail fry (Jesus, Mary & Joseph) ) Born around xmas and named by my partner! 3 out of 5 guppies are pregnant along with a platy in my bedroom tank.