Columnaris? Or Another Round Of Worms? (Big Pictures)

[LyraGuppi]

Left big to see the detail.
 
One of my female mollies has started to get a swim bladder problem. She's been acting fairly normal other than that (trying to feed, swimming around, chasing away the male), but her swimming is completely erratic. She seems to want to put her head down and swim.
 
I was reading up and caught eye of columnaris. One of the symptoms is fungus-like marks on the fish. She's gotten a white/grey-ish film on her gravid spot, which doesn't protrude. Her anus is slightly stretched, and before all this she was pregnant.
 
Ebony was the little black molly that carried in callamamus worms. She had these same symptoms (stretched anus, white area by the gravid spot) before dying, and the worms exiting her. The only thing new is the swim bladder problem.
 
So, when I was trying to diagnose Ebony, I thought it was columnaris also, but it turned out to be callamamus worms. All the other fish in the tank are acting as usual, showing no spots, film, worms, or erratic swimming. Tomorrow is water change day.
 
Could this be a stuck fry? Paling around the gravid happened to one of my pregnant guppies, who got frybound. Perhaps the fry are pushing on her swim bladder?
Columnaris? The swim bladder problem and film kinda point to this.
Callamamus worms? No new fish have been brought into the tank...but the symptoms point to it.
Or something different? She is a large molly, and we don't know how old she is.

 

[LyraGuppi]

Her poop is green. I suppose she ate alot of algae?

 

[LyraGuppi]

She acts completely normal, picking at moss balls and eating food, pooping big molly poops, etc.

 

[LyraGuppi]

Nope, as soon as I post that she shows me a white, fungus-like spot on her dorsal fin, and psychotic flicking to get it off. I'm calling columnaris. I have powder form tetracycline, would this work? How much? The QT is 2.5 gallons.

 

[mark4785]

Fish usually swim with their head down if they are generally unwell; they won't necessarily have a swim bladder issue. If the fish does have damage or an infection to the swim bladder it will typically swim upside down or sidewards and will have no control over which direction it wants to swim in. 
 
I would be more inclined to believe that the fish has Columnaris disease. This disease can be treated by adding aquarium salt to the water since the columnaris bacteria is not able to survive in salt water. Having read into this particular fish, it would appear that they do require saline water to flourish otherwise they will succumb to illness.

 

[LyraGuppi]

Ah, ok.
I have half a tablespoon of salt in my 2.5 Quarantine tank, and the fungus looks like it might be getting smaller. I may up the salt a tad.

 

[NickAu]

 
Having read into this particular fish, it would appear that they do require saline water to flourish otherwise they will succumb to illness.

 
In regards to Mollies.

 
  Livebearers, specifically mollies, guppies, swords, and platies, do very well in hard water systems with no salt added.  None of them 'require' salt.

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/438487-flashing/
 
Still confused, is it yes or no on the salt for mollies?

 

[Byron]

Nick, I don't know where the quotes you cite came from, but the first quote does not apply to any "fresh water" fish.  And livebearers, including mollies, are fresh water fish.  The second quote is absolutely correct; livebearers need the "hard" minerals in the water, and mollies are the most sensitive when it comes to this.  Mineral salts refers to calcium, magnesium, and some others, and these are essential for mollies and other livebearers to remain healthy.
 
It is well known that mollies maintained in soft or acidic water will develop swimming problems and skin issues such as fungus and others, and they usually do not linger long before dying.  Moderately hard to hard water will prevent this (though obviously other factors can cause illness too).  They can tolerate salt and thus manage in saline water, and they are sometimes maintained in brackish systems, but they do not need it to be in good health.
 
The above pertains to permanent maintenance.  Using salt to treat specific diseases is a very different matter.  But once "cured," freshwater fish do not require salt to be added, and many species will be the worse for having it in the water.
 
Byron.

 

[LyraGuppi]

Had to put her down today.

 

[NickAu]

Sorry to here that Lyra.
 
 
 
Byron.
 

 
Nick, I don't know where the quotes you cite came from

 

 
Having read into this particular fish, it would appear that they do require saline water to flourish otherwise they will succumb to illness.

Comes from post 5 by mark4785 in this thread. Last 2 sentences.
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/438590-columnaris-or-another-round-of-worms-big-pictures/?p=3714616
 

 
Livebearers, specifically mollies, guppies, swords, and platies, do very well in hard water systems with no salt added.  None of them 'require' salt.

Was said  by eaglesaquarium
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/438487-flashing/?p=3713424
 
Like I said see my confusion,
I mean no disrespect but somebody is wrong here.
I know adding salt for a short term to fix things is ok but quite often I hear mollies = salt.

 

[Byron]

I am agreeing with eaglesaquarium on this issue of salt, as I already said.  I see I actually posted at the end of that linked thread.
 
There are often differing opinions on many issues in this hobby.  There are also many myths that have arisen decades ago but been dispelled by better knowledge through scientific discovery or experiments.  A few years ago, I authored an article for another forum on salt in freshwater aquaria, and I did extensive research for weeks.  I found no reliable source advocating regular use of salt in any freshwater aquarium, including those containing livebearers and mollies in particular.  When one finds a consensus of opinion from accepted authorities in the field, it is best to accept that position.
 
In some situations, it is not a matter of one opinion being correct and another incorrect.  But there are times when some of these long-held opinions can have detrimental impact on the fish or the aquarium.  I don't mind differing opinions, but when it comes to scientific fact on which the authorities agree, there is little point in belabouring it.  One must always know the source of information gleaned from the internet; these days, anyone can set up a website and give the appearance of being knowledgeable.
 
Byron.