Deadly Columnaris

[Raechal]

All of my 10 female bettas in my 120 gallon died due to columnaris within 3 days. I medicated the tank with bacterial medicine, along with feeding them anti-internal bacteria food. I lowered the temperature to as low as I could get it at about 76F and overdosed on stress coat. All of the females didn't make it. The rest of my fish in my 120 gallon seem perfectly fine. Should I still be treating the tank or should I not worry about it anymore?

My tank looks quite empty without my little girls.

 

[Saucy]

The overdose on Stress Coat could have done them in. It IS possible to use too much. That along with all the meds and things could have just stressed them out too much. I understand how much it hurts, though. I lost 3 fish to my tap water (even though it tests fine) and 2 more to Ich. I would definitely still treat the rest of the tank unless you don't see one spot of Columnaris on any of your other fish. That and I'd give it a good gravel vaccing. Sorry about your loss... I hear ya. *hugs*

 

[Allix]

sorry to hear about your loss

10 girls, id give anything to have one!

 

[Raechal]

The overdose on Stress Coat could have done them in. It IS possible to use too much. That along with all the meds and things could have just stressed them out too much. I understand how much it hurts, though. I lost 3 fish to my tap water (even though it tests fine) and 2 more to Ich. I would definitely still treat the rest of the tank unless you don't see one spot of Columnaris on any of your other fish. That and I'd give it a good gravel vaccing. Sorry about your loss... I hear ya. *hugs*

Well I treated with stress coat before I had the medication. Then after purchasing the medication I just treated with that. I added two extra capfuls of stresscoat to the tank, but it is 120 gallon so I don't think I overdosed it.

All of my other fish seem 100% healthy. They are all swimming around fine, eating fine and have no visible signs of Columnaris. I am still treating with the internal bacteria medicated food but I quit treating the water after I did a 50% water change and cleaned the sand very well. I have clown loaches and glass catfish in the tank and I am always scared the medication may harm them.

 

[Raechal]

sorry to hear about your loss

10 girls, id give anything to have one!

I had 12 before, one died due to jumping out of the 120 gallon and the other I just found dead and I had no reason why she died.

I have one female left, she was my first female and she is in her own 10 gallon tank as she never got along with the other females.

 

[50000_tears]

please say pea princess is the one in the 10 gallon still alive

 

[BettaMomma]

I'm sorry Raech.
That sucks.

Columnaris is a completely vicious thing.
I'm sure that amount of stress coat was okay for them - I tripled the regular amount in all the hospital tanks I used, and used maracyn and they all beat it. It's supposed to help ward off the disease progression..

I would just keep an eye on everybody else for signs of the disease but it seems like you're doing what you need to be doing for the remaining ones.

 

[sandig]

I am so sorry. 10 is a lot to lose. You must be so sad. Please don't beat yourself up over this.

I just had several die to columnaris as well. I agree it was probably not the stress coat. Columnaris has 2 strains. One is very agressive and kills very quickly. The other is more drawn out because it moves slower but often with the same deadly result. I only have 1 girl that has survived it.

Swim free girls..........
Sandi

 

[Raechal]

please say pea princess is the one in the 10 gallon still alive

Yea, Pea Princess is the only female betta I have now. I tried putting her in the 120 gallon with the other females several times and she just freaks out and her fins get clamped and she doesn't eat. The other females never bothered her, but she just gets all weirded out. She does much better alone in her own tank.

 

[Raechal]

I'm sorry Raech.
That sucks.

Columnaris is a completely vicious thing.
I'm sure that amount of stress coat was okay for them - I tripled the regular amount in all the hospital tanks I used, and used maracyn and they all beat it. It's supposed to help ward off the disease progression..

I would just keep an eye on everybody else for signs of the disease but it seems like you're doing what you need to be doing for the remaining ones.

Yea, I have been constantly watching the fish in my 120 gallon for any signs at all of columnaris or any other disease for that matter. I am glad your girls beat it.

 

[Raechal]

I am so sorry. 10 is a lot to lose. You must be so sad. Please don't beat yourself up over this.

I just had several die to columnaris as well. I agree it was probably not the stress coat. Columnaris has 2 strains. One is very agressive and kills very quickly. The other is more drawn out because it moves slower but often with the same deadly result. I only have 1 girl that has survived it.

Swim free girls..........
Sandi

Like I had NO idea any of my fish were sick, and then one day I found 2 dead female bettas on the bottom of my tank. I looked at them and it looked like they were attacked at the throat/gill area so I thought the other females had attacked them. Then later that day a couple more died and I saw a saddle-like lesion on one of the bettas. I went out and bought medication and started treating the tank, but they all died.

Would there be any reason why all of the lighter colored females died before all of the darker colored ones? I thought that was kind of odd.

 

[WILDER]

Sorry for the losses it one hell of a nasty desease.

 

[sandig]

It is strange you ask about the lighter colored girls. My ones that died were also cellophane. My blue girl, Sparkalina, is the only girl to survive.

I am curious, are the cellophanes more suceptible to disease and have a harder time fighting it off? Or is it just a coincidence.

Sandi

 

[Joby]

oh Rachael how awful for you, so sorry to hear about your girls

I bought a female once from my lfs and overnight she lost colour and it spread over her body. I took her back the next morning and they exchanged her for me and said it appeared to be columnaris.

Good to hear at least Pea Princess is ok

 

[50000_tears]

im glad pea princess is ok she is so cute