This sucks!

[FishEnthusiast]

Hi,

I figured out what my girls are afflicted by. It is the dreaded columnaris. One of my girls had been hiding a lot, I saw her today when I did their water change. She has a grey patch that is spreading on her back. Almost like the scales are dying and falling off. Some of the other girls are showing signs too. Not nearly as bad though.

I isolated Sky, the one with the patch, but it is too late for me to go get medication tonight. I don't think Sky is going to make it through the night, it seems to be progressing rather rapidly.

What I want to know is what is the best medication to treat this, and where can I find it? I am going to treat the entire tank as I am pretty sure all the girls have it, and I don't have enough hospital tanks to isolate the ones that are showing signs. I have already lowered the temp a little. I am going to drop it a few degrees every six hours or so. How low should I take it? Thanks and sorry for the long post.

 

[Kiarra]

Tetracycline is highly recommended for Columnaris, if you can get it. It should be available at some chain stores, but also at smaller fish stores. I don't know if medicines are as common in Canada as they are in the U.S., though.

I'd take the temperature all the way down to room temperature, personally.

 

[FishEnthusiast]

Ok, I will drop the temp to room temperature. I have looked for tetracycline before and never found it. I will go to Big Al's tomorrow and see if they have anything. Is there a specific name brand that works better than another, or will any tetracyline work?

EDIT: I just checked Big Al's online and they have something called Fungus Clear from Jungle Labs, it says it treats bacteria and fungus. They also have something called Triple Sulfa and E.M. Tablets, both by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals. One is 4.99 the other is 34.99 and E.M. Tablets are 64.99. Which one is better? I don't know that I will be able to find tetracycline. I really don't want to spend 70 dollars on medication if I can avoid it.

 

[Kiarra]

Can you find any of the following?:

Kanacyn (Kanamycin sulfate)
Spectrogram (Kanamycin sulfate and Nitrofurazone)
Furan 2 (Nitrofurazone)
Copper sulfate
Acriflavine
Furan
Terramycin

I've heard of more success stories using Tetracycline than anything else, but all of these are supposed to be useful in the treatment of Columnaris.

 

[FishEnthusiast]

I think I will try the tri sulfa pills, they have sulfa in them which is an antibiotic. I will keep up the hunt for tetracycline. I think I may have seen some at Big Al's or possibly my lfs. Thanks

 

[BettaMomma]

Hi! My female betta tank just had a bout with this.
3 of the 6 girls wound up with it - it started with a grey patch between their eyes on their head and REALLY fast spread all the way across their heads - and progressed backward from there onto their bodies.

I quarantined each of them separately for 10 days - and treated them all with very frequent fresh water changes, salt and maracyn. All of them have made a complete recovery. No one else in the tank ever got it - I did a pretty massive gravel vacuum before I put them all back in, and added a good amount of colloidal silver, and everyone seems to be doing just fine.

I am keeping a very close eye on all of them for a recurrence, but haven't seen anything.

Good luck to you!

 

[FishEnthusiast]

Amazingly Sky made it through the night. I have her isolated in my 5 quart crock pot. I really had no where else to put her. She is having the stringy white poo as well as the grey patch that is growing on her back. This leads me to believe it is external and internal. I doubt it is internal parasites, as the white stringy poo is a sign of internal flexbactor infection and the grey skin is a sign of an external infection. I know I am going to need medicated food. Do I have to buy the food already medicated, or do I have to medicate it myself. If I medicate it myself, how do I do it? I am going to drop my daughter off at preschool, then I am going to go on a hunt for tetracycline.

If Maracyn works, I can get that here. Should I use Maracyn one or Maracyn 2, or does it make a difference? I have used Maracide in the past and I found it to be very effective. I would trust using meds from Mardel because of this. Thanks guys, I really appreciate your help and patience with me.