Columnaris?

[KathyM]

Maybe add aquarium salt to the tank if no catfish/loaches etc are in the tank as the salt will lower stress and protect the gills more...sounds like a nasty strain

I'm going to try the dips first as the medicine we've put in already contains salt, so it'd be difficult to put more in with it, if you get me. As for temperature, I'll sort that when I get back I think, when I've read more about it. Thanks very much!

 

[KathyM]

Right, I've done a salt dip on both angels (Blade, the other angel is not ill, but had a tiny speck of "fluff" on his ventral fin, so thought it wouldn't hurt to play safe). When I went to do it, Dolly looked a lot worse, I think it's touch and go now. However, once I'd done the dip she really perked up and has less fluff on her now. I'm not sure when to dip again, but I'll probably do it at least once more tonight for Dolly.

That article's funny though - it said it would take between 30 seconds and 30 minutes for her to collapse, she went in and collapsed straight away (as did Blade). Both recovered well once back in the tank, but 30 minutes my a*se!

Please keep your fingers crossed for her, we've become very attached to her and although it's not looking good, we need your good luck!

 

[KathyM]

OK I need your help to decide on something. All the articles I've read on columnaris have suggested scrupulous water quality and water changes as part of the treatment, and generally the most important part.

Considering I've already done 2 changes over the last three days, both of 1/3, but both before this treatment started, do I:

1. Leave the treatment for it's full 4 days, without doing more water changes.
2. Do water changes and allow for this with the medication by redosing the "new" water.
3. Stuff the medication and get on with water changes as often as is safe, then when I can get Myxazin start that instead (which could be days)?

Blade now has a small fluff edge to his anal fin too This is so quick, it's awful

 

[KathyM]

I know I'm talking to myself now, but can anyone tell me the difference between columnaris and "angelfish plague"? The latter sees to be an elusive disease with no scientific name (that I can find) and I've read on some sites about both being the same, both being different but one bringing the other on, plague looking like columnaris, etc, etc. I can't seem to find any proper information on how to tell the two apart. Thanks.

 

[confusion]

From everything I've heard, the medication is going to dissapate after a day or so. You're just not supposed to dose again for 4 days because of the effect on the fish. I would proceed with water changes as they are critical. Also, keep a close eye on your ammonia levels. Some medicines will wipe out your bio filter. If that happens, and I hope it doesn't, get yourself some ammolock to use while you wrap up the treatment.

 

[Captain Retardo]

I was told to do this on another fish forum, but it worked out great, and best of all I didn't have to deal with meds!:

1. I lowered temp to 72-73
2. I added Indian Almond Leaf to lower pH (mines 7.6)
3. I added the smallest dose of aquarium salt (I have Cories and Kuhli Loaches, the Kuhlis were infected with columnaris)
4. I kept a close eye on water quality
5. Kept salt, almond leaf, and temp the same for 1 month after infection was gone.

Everything worked out great, my fish were cured in 1 week, and they have are as healthy as ever!

 

[WILDER]

Kathy look under discus plague.
http/www.fish-disease.net/diseases.htm

 

[KathyM]

Thank you so much!

Well, today she's not *quite* as bad, I think the salt dips have helped a little at least. I'm going to do another big water change today, and keep up with the salt dips. I'm a bit worried about putting salt in the tank itself when the meds had it in, so I think the dips are the safest way for now, but when the water is safe to add salt to, I may do that (I have plecs, some of whom did okay last time we added salt, but we have new ones since then, one of which is tiny).

I was expecting to wake up and find her floating, so whoever's had their fingers crossed for her, thanks very much!

Edited to add - I don't think it's discus plague as there is no darkening of colour or hiding, just this terrible fluffy finrot. Thanks for the link so I could work that out!

 

[KathyM]

Bit of an update - Blade is no longer showing any signs at all. Dolly is still pretty bad, but definitely not worse. She isn't as fluffy, but she has still got a fair film on her, including over her eyes. I've kept up with the salt dips, which she isn't tolerating as well any more (which is to be expected according to the links). I still can't see her surviving this, but I keep getting told that it often looks worse than it is, so we're giving her another day to see signs of improvement before we consider euthanasia. No other fish showing signs at all now, so the meds have worked to an extent.

We've done 3 water changes over the last 4 days, all of 1/3, so water quality is tip top.

 

[WILDER]

I know kathy about columnaris and what it can do, tryed to save by sister goldfish only ended up saving one out of 4, doing 6 salt baths aday.

 

[KathyM]

I'm really sorry to hear that, but I am trying my best too. The salt baths and the meds we have used are our only option so far, alongside water changes. I can't do any more than that, if I could, I would.

 

[KathyM]

Well, things aren't looking good now - she's on her side at the top of the tank. Bit of a surprise considering how much better she looked at lunchtime.

Blade is looking fantastic, so I'm thinking the stress of being broken up from her fella (we've found out since we got her she was one of a breeding pair) has made it harder for Dolly to recover. She most likely started the probs with them anyway as she was already showing the beginning signs when she came to us, and Blade hasn't come down with it badly, whereas all the ones left at the fish shop did.

I'm gutted now as all we wanted was a nice pair of angels, and all we've succeeded in doing is breaking up a breeding pair (inadvertently), and killing one of them. Blade is swimming near her like a lost puppy, and she's probably going to have to be euthanised (if she hasn't passed away while I'm typing this) and he'll be left alone.

I don't know how we can realisticly add another now and prevent it happening - it's not our water quality or the care they receive here, it's that bloody fish shop, the stress seems to knock them over the edge. This time they knowingly sold a partially sighted man two infected fish, one of which should've been sold with her partner - I'm disgusted. And disappointed. And fed up.

 

[KathyM]

I've looked up for information on how long it will be/what it will take before we can add more fish, but I can only find information on quarantining new fish to prevent *them* bringing in columnaris, not on how long it will be before we can add more to a tank that's had an outbreak. Does anyone have any ideas on how, if we decide to get another, we can prevent this happening again?

 

[WILDER]

Qurantining is the only way to go.
I would wait a least a month before adding new fish.

 

[KathyM]

Quarantining new fish won't do anything to prevent them catching what's already in the tank. Thanks for the advice though. I've had a look at some other sites and been reassured that it's okay to add more, as it's present in all tanks and it's stress in fish that brings it on - treat the tank with newbies and you're fine apparently. Dolly died this afternoon, with a little help.