Poorly Rainbows

[garry123]

bought three rainbows sometime ago and within a week their lips started to go a little white, this gradually got worse so i quaranteened them and treated for fungus as this is exactly what seemed to be the problem. This cleared up and now they are back in the community tank and this has happened again. I left them in the hospitla tank for well over a week after the symptoms went

No other fish at all in the community tank are affected whatsoever so i am confused.

I have been looking at many fish stores and all rainbows have white mouths so i am really confused

 

[Malawi MaD]

Do you have a pic a of the fish? Certainly Something's up in your main set-up if they seem to be ok in the quarantine tank. Do they seem stressed? is any of the others stressing them out in your main set-up? If its stress this could be leading them to be susceptible to disease, are all your water stats ok?

A pic will help though

 

[garry123]

Do you have a pic a of the fish? Something must be causing this in your main set-up, do them seem stressed? is any of the others stressing them out in your main set-up? This could then be leading them to be susceptible to disease, are all your water stats ok?

i will try get a quick pic on my phone, it basically looks like a little bit of fuzz on the lips and nowhere else

water parameters are perfect

 

[Malawi MaD]

i will try get a quick pic on my phone, it basically looks like a little bit of fuzz on the lips and nowhere else

water parameters are perfect

Ok no worries. Columnaris springs to mind but id very much doubt it would clear up as fast as it did, then re-appear again. Plus it is a nightmare to treat. The pic should clear it up hopefully.

 

[garry123]

pretty sure it is not columaris as the fish have had it on and off for well over a month and i havent lost a single fish. may be cotton mouth but no little about this

here are the best i would take just a couple of minutes ago

 

[Malawi MaD]

You would of struggled to treat it to if it was columnaris, its such a pain! Just looks like their colouring to me mate, but you say it disappeared, so it could a very mild fungal infection/cotten mouth as you said. Doesn't look like its anything serious to me.

 

[garry123]

the lips are white but in places they are flapping, this is worrying me mainly

 

[garry123]

the lips are white but in places they are flapping, this is worrying me mainly

 

[Malawi MaD]

Do they flick or rub their mouth's of any ornaments/gravel?
Just to be on the safe side, I'd remove them again and treat them maybe with Myaxin/melfix etc..something quite concentrated but leave them in quarantine for a longer period of time. This will make sure that if there is an bacterial infection it will be totally cleared up.

 

[garry123]

Do they flick or rub their mouth's of any ornaments/gravel?
Just to be on the safe side, I'd remove them again and treat them maybe with Myaxin/melfix etc..something quite concentrated but leave them in quarantine for a longer period of time. This will make sure that if there is an bacterial infection it will be totally cleared up.

thank you for your help, i am not sure if it is bacterial as they are just completely normal and very happy in their environment.

is it possible that this is cause by the healed womb from previously scabbing off

i have a piece of bogwood and have never seen them rub it at all

 

[Malawi MaD]

Do they flick or rub their mouth's of any ornaments/gravel?
Just to be on the safe side, I'd remove them again and treat them maybe with Myaxin/melfix etc..something quite concentrated but leave them in quarantine for a longer period of time. This will make sure that if there is an bacterial infection it will be totally cleared up.

thank you for your help, i am not sure if it is bacterial as they are just completely normal and very happy in their environment.

is it possible that this is cause by the healed womb from previously scabbing off

i have a piece of bogwood and have never seen them rub it at all

Anytime. Sorry I meant fungus not bacterial infection.

Could be, the skin could be still healing and its the dead skin you see flapping about. To me they look fine but for your peace of mind you could remove them, monitor them and then, if need be, treat them again. Ok was just curious if they may have slightly damaged themselves by rubbing and scraping of decor.

 

[garry123]

thank you for your help, i will try and get a good pic with my digital camera tomorrow. two of the rainbows just have white lips but its just the one which is flapping about

the fish are not harassed by other fish by the way and the rainbows are in a ratio of two females to every male

 

[Malawi MaD]

thank you for your help, i will try and get a good pic with my digital camera tomorrow. two of the rainbows just have white lips but its just the one which is flapping about

the fish are not harassed by other fish by the way and the rainbows are in a ratio of two females to every male

Ok No worries.

 

[drobbyb]

How often do you do water changes in your main tank? Rainbows need CLEAN water, on the order of 50% changed weekly.

 

[garry123]

I do a 35% water change weekly. Nitrates never go over 10ppm as tank is far from being fully stocked currently