GIRL TROUBLES

[Kentuckycatfish]

All of our female bettas seem to be coming down with fungus. We've lost 3 in the past month. I'm familiar with all of the medications and sterilizations necessary, but we cannot seem to stop this problem. Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[LifeBear]

No advice from me, unfortunately. I always loose fish after the fuzz hits, meds or no. Now I just try like the dickens to never have them get it.

 

[AlexsDaddy]

Lower the temp to the low to mid 70's F. It will slow the growth and give more time for the treatments to try and work.

 

[Kentuckycatfish]

Tried that Alex, but it really didn't help much with the other three. This is a very rapid fungus that shows no signs, and then its there and the next day they die despite our efforts to medicate, do water changes, or lower temps. Also tried raising temps with one saw no change in the end results.

 

[AlexsDaddy]

Dang. Sorry to hear that. If they are all in one tank, sounds like you are going to have to seperate them all, break down the tank and steralize everything, then start all over again from scratch not putting them back in till the problem is resolved. Good luck with them. Wish I could help more.

 

[AlexsDaddy]

Do you have any Colloidal Silver on hand? That seems to be a merical med and a lot of people on here have had great success treating almost everything with it.

Colloidal Silver info

 

[eudielynn]

Sounds like columnaris to hit that fast and kill that quickly. I've lost one that I rescued from the LFS, but the other one I got at the same place made it with heavy doses of Maracyn. Unfortunately it is very contagious and very hard to treat. Some have had luck with tetracycline. If your females are all in the same tank, I would go ahead and dose it regardless of any signs, just to be on the safe side. It's some nasty stuff. There are several others on here that have delt with it as well. Hopefully, they can offer more help.

 

[Kentuckycatfish]

Thank you all for the suggestions, but I've tried all of those including the meds. Not all on each fish for fear of over medication, but when the problem became an epidemic we began experimenting with the different medications to see if one worked better than the other. Unfortunately none have worked at all. I should have stated earlier that each of these girls have been individually housed.

 

[SRC]

You may already know all this...but I thought I'd post it up anyways.

Fungus; Body Fungus (True Fungus)
Saprolegnia

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Description:
This is the most common type of fungus, and it will kill quickly so it's important to medicate as soon as possible. Fungal spores are always present in a tank. Fish are commonly infected with fungus as a secondary disease due to becoming weak and susceptible following some other disease or problem (such as physical damage).

Diagnosis:
The fish will have fuzzy patches of white or gray matter on its body or gills, usually grayish to white in color, or sometimes darker. A white slimy, flattish patch can appear which will seem to have replaced a part of the fish's skin.

Fungus is easy to confuse with Columnaris. Note that when examined very closely, fungus has distinct hair-like filaments which shoot out, whereas columnaris is more like fuzz or lint.

Treatments include:
Place affected fish in an isolated tank for treatment; it is not necessary to treat the entire tank. This is because spores like these are always present... and only when there is something causing the fish to be susceptible will it contract this or any other problem. You can treat with malachite green, salt, increased heat, methylene blue, formalin, or even hydrogen peroxide (when applied directly to area, be *very* careful that this does not touch the gills as can be deadly).

Most importantly, identify the cause of stress to the fish and remedy the situation. Whatever it is should explain the fish's loss of immune system to allow the disease to take control. This may be physical stress caused by poor water conditions, elevated levels of ammonia or others, or maybe even aggressive fish bullying others.

Columnaris: Mouth Fungus; Fin Rot disease; Cotton Mouth disease (False Fungus)
Flavobacterium colmnare, Flexibacter columnaris; Bacillus columnaris, Chondrococcus columnaris; Cytophaga columnaris

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Description:
Despite one of the disease's names, Fungus, this is actually a gram-negative rod bacterial disease. Columnaris bacteria will typically attach themselves to a fish's head, mouth, lips, or inside the mouth. Columnaris has different possible appearances:


The mouth "fungus" is commonly called cotton-mouth because the fish's mouth seems to be covered with a thread-like cottonish substance. Since the initial leisions look somewhat like cotton, columnaris is often confused with true fungus. Note that when examined very closely, fungus has distinct hair-like filaments which shoot out, whereas columnaris is more like fuzz or lint.


Columnaris usually affects the mouth area but can also appear as yellowish-brown, white, or grayish-white spots on some part of the head, fins, gills, or body which are usually surrounded by a reddish area. This type commonly takes what is known as a saddleback pattern on the fish's body.
Labyrinth fish and Apistogrammas are highly susceptible to this disease. Prevention includes keeping the water very clean by performing frequent water changes. As with any disease the fish is more susceptible to contract columnaris following stress. Also keep in mind that bacteria bloom in higher temperatures.

Treatments include:
Malachite green (except for fry), salt, Melafix, or antibiotics as a last recourse (such as Spectrogram, Furanace, or Sulfa-based products).

Medications

Notes to mention:
Biological filtration systems are not affected by Mardel products.

Please be sure to use all antibiotics properly: do not stop treatment any sooner than 5 days to prevent bacterial mutations, preferrably 7 or more.

Some fish are intolorant of certain medications; research before using. Especially (these are just examples, there are more): scaleless fish like catfish, invertebrates/snails, fry, and don't forget about the plants. Some instances will be noted below, but not all.

Since many antibiotics kill gram-negative bacteria and the biological nitrifying bacteria of an aquarium are also gram-negative, it is better to quarantine the affected fish instead of treating an entire tank.

Simply choosing an antibiotic, unfortunately, isn't enough. Some bacteria are naturally resistant to specific medications, and some are mutated and will only respond to increased doseages. Often it's not possible to even determine what type of bacteria you're dealing with. Or maybe it's both! If the fish doesn't improve within a few days, switch medications. Or try a broad-spectrum one that kills both gram-negative and positive bacteria, such as neomycin, chloramphenicol, nitrofurazone based products, skin absorbed kanamycin sulfate based antibiotics such as Kanacyn/K-Mycin, or tetracycline. Products such as Spectrogram by Aquatronics is an ultra-wide spectrum antibiotic blend of nitrofurazone and kanamycin that's useful for such purposes.

Gram-positive bacteria are often unaffected by tetracycline and streptomycin.
Gram-negative bacteria may be unaffected by ampicillin, penicillin, erythromycin and sulfa
Some bacteria may be unaffected by the usual dose, but are susceptible to a higher dose.
Sulfa based drugs are quite effective against Gram negative bacteria.

Antibacterial
Manufacturer: Aquarium Pharmaceuticals


Bettamax
Manufacturer: Aquatronics
Antibiotic capsules for treating listlessness, poor appetite, damage fins, poor color, vitamin deficiency, bacterial and fungal infections. For freshwater use only. Specific for Bettas, Guppies, and all fancy-finned fish.
Contains: 250 mg nitrofurazone, methylene blue, pvp, vitamins, NaCl sulfas, methazine, diazine, and merazine.


Erythromycin
Bacterial medication that treats gram positive & some gram negative bacteria, including those that cause fin and tail rot, Gill Disease and Molly Disease.


Spectrogram
Ultra-wide spectrum antibiotic for treating: red body patches, hemorrhage, white body slime, protruding scales, bacterial infections, Furunculosis, Columnaris and fungal infections. For use in fresh and marine aquariums. Do not use with invertebrates. Great for quarantine tanks and baths.
Active Ingredients: nitrofurazone, kanamycin.


Tetracycline
Manufacturer: Aquatronics
A broad-spectrum antibiotic used in the treatment of gram-positive and some gram-negative bacterial infections. For infections of fin and tail rot, frayed fins, popeye, inflamed gills, mouth and body open sores/ulcers, livebearer disease, dropsy, Columnaris, and secondary infections such as fungal. Specific for livebearers and goldfish. Aerate the aquarium well when using. Useful for the control of some common bacterial diseases, including Aeromonias and Pseudomonas Genera and the Mysobacterial group.


Maracyn
Manufacturer: Mardel
A broad-spectrum antibiotic for gram-positive bacterial infections. For infections of columnaris (body fungus), fin and tail rot, popeye, gill disease, and secondary infections.
Active ingredient: Erythromycin.


Maracyn–Two
Manufacturer: Mardel
A broad-spectrum antibiotic for internal or external gram negative bacterial infections which can even be absorbed through the skin. Effective treatment of fin and tail rot, popeye, gill disease, dropsy (swollen body, protruding scales), septicemia (bleeding or red streaks on the body), secondary and internal infections. Effective even when fish won't eat.
Active ingredient: Mincycline hydrochlor.


Coppersafe
Manufacturer: Mardel
Chelated copper treatment recommended for the treatment of ick, flukes, anchor worms, velvet, protozoan diseases and other external parasites.


Aquarisol
Manufacturer: Aquarium Products
Mild, effective treatment for curing Ich and other parasite infestations. Contains soluble copper salts.


Methylene Blue
Treats superficial fungal infections of fish. Helps prevent fungal infections on fish eggs; effective against superficial fungal infections. Treats ich. May adversly affect the biological system; quarantine and treat sick fish when possible. Use as an alternative to Malachite Green for the control of fungus when it is known that the fish to be treated are sensitive.


Malachite Green
For treatment of external parasites as well as external fungal infections of fishes and eggs which include Achlya and Saprolegnia.


Clout
Manufacturer: Aquarium Products
A very strong and effective medication for parasitic and protozoan infestations. Treats: Ich, Hydra, leeches, Planaria, Epistylis, Trichodina, Hexamita,Tetrahy-mena, body fungus, digenetic flukes, parasitic copepods, monogenetic flukes and anchor worms.


Maracide
Controls Ich and other common parasites


TriSulfa
For the prevention and control of common bacterial diseases


Maroxy
Anti-fungal for true fungus; also effective against bacteria


Triple Sulfa
Manufacturer: Aquarium Pharmaceuticals
A broad spectrum antibacterial medication that treats fungal infections, furunculosis (aeromonas), fin and tail rot, columnaris, body slime/white body and fin blotches, cloudy eyes, molly disease, and bacterial hemorrhagic septicemia.
Active Ingredients: sulfamethazine, sulfacetamide, and sulfathiazole.


Kanacyn
Manufacturer: Aquatronics
A gram positive and gram negative bacteria treatment for red streaks or hemorrhaging, dropsy, fin and tail rot, inflamed gills, protruding or loss of scales, fungal infections, vibrio, tuberculosis, wasting away and body ulcers.


Super Sulfa
Manufacturer: Aquatronics
Anti-fungal/anti-bacterial medication for treating cottony patches, fin and tail rot, white body and fin blotches, fungal infections, molly disease and bacterial infections.


Furanace
Manufacturer: Aquarium Products
Antibiotic which treats fin and tail rot, mouth and eye sores, cloudy eyes, wasting away, bacterial infections, fungal infections, pop eye, and molly/tetra disease. Do not use with inverts!
Active Ingredient: erythromycin


Myacin
Manufacturer: Aquatronics
Anti-fungal/anti-bacterial medication for treating cottony patches, fin and tail rot, white body and fin blotches, fungal infections, molly disease and bacterial infections.

 

[sandig]

What meds have you tried for columnaris? I have had luck with Jungle Fungus Eliminator (saved my male Flappy). I had mixed luck with using a combo of Maracyn and Maracyn 2 (1 of 3 girls survived).

This is the best article I have found to date on it:
http/www.flippersandfins.net/flexibacter.htm

Good luck
Sandi

 

[Kentuckycatfish]

Jungle Fungus Eliminator has been our primary medication for many years now.

 

[sandig]

If the Jungle Fungus is not working I would first try to find the Kanamcyn. If you can't then start on the Maracyn and Maracyn 2 combo. It could be your fish have a resistance to the meds in Jungle Fungus if you have used it before.

Sandi

 

[WILDER]

For columnaris you need tetacycline and plenty of salt baths and salt in the tank as well, as the desease hates salt.

 

[seffieuk]

i successfully treated my fav. girlie with salt baths.........she hated them but it worked