Help! Fungus Growth On Corydora -cotton Wool Or Something Else?

[adamtaylor180]

Hi everyone - I am after some advice on treating a fish for what appears to be fungus.

I'm new to tropical aquariums and have just a 25Litre slimline tank with, x-ray and neon tetras, a couple of guppies, 2 panda corydoras and recently 2 leopard coated corydoras.

The tank is nicely matured and I've had no problems with it so far. All of the water parameters are fine, no detectable ammonia, pH 6.8-7, I do a weekly 10% water change.

The fish in question is one of the recently introduced leopard corydoras (now 3 weeks old to me). It is the larger of the two at approx 4-4.5cm long. About a week after it's introduction I noticed a white patch on the side of it's body near to its head (level with the top of it's gills but not encroaching onto the gills). This patch was approximately 3mm in diameter and I immediately dosed the water with Interpet No.8, antifungus and finrot on the basis I believed it to be cotton wool fungus (diagnosed by reading the booklet the medication comes with).

However despite this and another treatment 1 week later the growth seems to be getting bigger - now about 5-6mm. It is bright white and with strand like projections spanning out from it (will try and get a picture to post but am currently at work). The fish is still swimming around and eating, although less than its healthy counterpart. The growth is getting closer to the gills which is a worry. Is there anything else I can try - like some kind of topical medication I can dab directly onto the infected site? I pressume that this situation arose from the fish already having some skin damage at that site when I bought it and that has allowed this fungus to establish. On close inspection the white patch looks to receed at the edges slightly - does that sound more like an ulcer in which case should I try something different?

Thank you for any help you may have

Adam

 

[Inchworm]

Hi adamtaylor180

Welcome to the forum!

If you're absolutely sure the other fish in your tank are showing no symptoms of any illness, you might want to try treating this fish by giving it old fashioned salt baths.

To do this, add a measuring teaspoon of aquarium salt to 2 cups of tank water in a small container. Add the cory and cover the container so he cannot jump out. This is not a comfortable treatment for him, but it is usually effective.

Leave the fish in the container for up to 20 minutes or until he passes out. Don't be alarmed if this happens; just net him out an return him to the tank. He'll revive immediately. Corys are not used to swimming in salted water and the first few treatments might not last long, but as you go along he'll probably be able to tolerate longer periods of time in there. Throw the salt solution away after each treatment and prepare fresh when you are ready to do the next one.

You can repeat this treatment up to 6 times a day until he recovers. You should see some improvement within the first day or two, but if condition is severe, it will take longer than that to clear it up.

Please let me know if this helps.

Let me suggest that you do bigger water changes and vacuum the bottom too. A weekly water change of 25% will do more to keep the water quality up and the fish healthy. BTW, Did you check nitrates and nitrites too?

 

[adamtaylor180]

Hi Inchworm,

I've seen a number of commercial treatments claim to work better with the addition of aquarium salt and wondered why. I will get some and try your method out, thank you very much for the help.

I already 'hoover' the gravel when I change the water and have a home made small bore syphon for getting any bits of uneaten food out on a daily basis since it enevitably falls to the bottom out of reach of the net. I will try changing a higher than 10% volume in future. I did check nitrates and nitrites and they too were below a detectable level.

Thanks again ,

I'll let you know how I get on,

Adam

 

[nmonks]

The salt dip treatment works very well, so don't dismiss it out of hand. I've used it to deal with nasty external infections on fish that I couldn't identify. Usually after a couple of dips, the problem goes away.

Yes, it's scary the first time you do it. But salt works very well by stressing external parasites and pathogens severely, and more quickly that it stresses the host (i.e., the fish). It's basically the same thing as chemotherapy, just using osmotic shock instead of radiation.

I suspect Inchworm and I are just "old school" in using salt. I don't believe in adding salt casually to a freshwater tank ("tonic salt" is pointless) but as a therapy, salt water is very useful. And obviously it is something most folks have lying around, so you can treat the fish immediately instead of worrying about getting to the fish shop tomorrow or whenever. Just use non-iodinised salt (apparently, not sure why). I happen to use sea salt for cooking, and that's non-iodinised.

Cheers,

Neale

 

[adamtaylor180]

Thanks Guys,

I bought some Aquariumsalt (Interpet) and used 1 measuring teaspoon into 470mls tank water (I approximated that volume to 2 US cups). I netted the fish and immediately transferred it in, and it was conscious throughout its 20minute bath. I think it went a little groggy but cheered up a little once back into my tank. Does the fact that it didn't pass out even though it was it's first time in salt water mean anything - do I need to up the dose? Also is it best to use sea salt over the aquarium salt I've bought??

Unfortunately when I was treating I also noticed a small hole underneath the fish between it's pectoral fins and it's gill on the side of the fungus appeared a little blood stained, so it is worse off than I originally thought. If it gets any worse and I think it's time is up do either of you reccommend a particular method to humanely kill a small fish like this?

I will otherwise persevere with the salt treatments, it makes perfect sense that such a tried and tested method could do the trick - it's stood the test of time so why dismiss it?

Best Wishes and thanks again
Adam

 

[paulf]

That tanks about as big as my corys tanks, if I get a problem like this I use alder cones in the water, four of them for this sized tank, works well an they are also good for putting in tubs with corys eggs in to stop the eggs getting fungussed

 

[Inchworm]

Does the fact that it didn't pass out even though it was it's first time in salt water mean anything - do I need to up the dose? Also is it best to use sea salt over the aquarium salt I've bought??

Hi adamtaylor180

I think it's a good sign that your cory tolerated his treatment well. I would think that it's a sign he is still strong.

Aquarium salt is intended for this purpose and is fine. I buy it to be sure I always have a supply to use for the fish that is not iodized or contain anti-caking additives like my regular table salt does.

Unfortunately when I was treating I also noticed a small hole underneath the fish between it's pectoral fins and it's gill on the side of the fungus appeared a little blood stained, so it is worse off than I originally thought. If it gets any worse and I think it's time is up do either of you reccommend a particular method to humanely kill a small fish like this?

The little hole might be the fish's anus. Sometimes it's more noticeable than at others, but I don't like the sound of the red on his gill. However, it's too soon after the start of his treatments to tell what will happen. As long as he appears to have strength, please just continue on doing it the same way for a few days and let me know how it is going.

 

[adamtaylor180]

Hi Guys,

Thank you all for your help - unfortunately I got home from work (early to do another treatment) to discover the fish had died

In a better place now though - had I known this treatment before I dare say it could have been prevented, but we all live and learn. Can this procedure be carried out for all or most tropical fish? All of the others are absolutely fine but it's handy to know.

Looks like I'll be shopping for a friend for the other cory this weekend,

Kind Regards
Adam

 

[colin1325]

can you use ordinary salt