what is the best med for fungus?

[FishEnthusiast]

Hi,

Yesterday I went out with a friend to get some bettas. I found three that I had to have. The first 2 are CT. Both have what looks like fungus growing at the tip of their ventral fins, and the one CT has the tips of his fins, anal and dorsal, falling off. The other CT looks like he has fungus growing at the base of his tail and caudal fin. It doesn't look like columnaris to me. The people at the store didn't even know he was a CT cause his fins are so clamped. His caudal fin has a zigzag tear in it, almost at the base. One of his ventrals has obvious fungus on it. I tried to get the store to give them to me for free, but they wouldn't do it, so my lovely friend used her birthday gift certificates so I could take them home and try to help them.

Right now they have maracyn and maracide in their tanks. I also added a pinch of salt and some betta fix. I tried to get a clear pic for you guys to see, but I didn't do a very good job. The one that has what looks like fungal growth at the base of his fins is a very light colour, so the yellowish stuff doesn't show up well. This was the best I could do.

Here is the same pic with some of the less obvious things pointed out

If you look near the base of his tail and caudal fin you can see some yellow discolouration. That is the fungus I am seeing. Does anyone have any good advice for treating it?

Both CT are gasping for air and using their gills much more than any of my other boys.

I also went to another store, and saw a red boy in a VERY dirty cup, the water was positively yellow, almost brown. It was obvious based on his size that he had been there a lot longer than the other boys. His fins are totally shredded, and he was covered in ich. I convinced the manager at that store to let me try to make him better. I was the most worried about him, but the spots are already coming off and he looks a touch better today. I did see more of his fins in the bottom of his bowl today though. I am treating him with just salt and maracide ATM.

Is there anything else I can do for them. I am most worried about the lighter coloured one like I said. I did get a discount on him, but that store was awful. Telling us that they wouldn't medicate the sick fish, that they would just die there, but NOPE we can't have them to try to make them better. GRRRRRRRR. Anyway, I swore after yesterday I would never shop there again, as they are SUPPOSED to be a great fish store. Yes, this place was not WM, Petsmart, etc....It is a FISH STORE. One that doesn't give a damn about their fish. Sorry about the mini rant, I am still a little upset about it.

 

[sandig]

Wow, poor guys...as to the fungus. Read this link and see if he could have columnaris instead of pure fungus. http/www.flippersandfins.net/flexibacter.htm
It is really, really hard to tell the difference and a LOT of fungal infections are misdiagnosed and are really columnaris. From what I understand maracyn is a gram positive antibiotic so to cover all bases you want to dose with a combo of maracyn and maracyn 2. If it is columnaris...keeping the water temp cooler around 76 will slow down the disease.

For the guy with ich, heat and salt are really good. Here is a good ich article:http/www.caloriesperhour.com/fish/notes_ich.html You will need to heat the tank up gradually so it doesn't put him into shock.

You have a lot of different meds all mixed together in the tank. Maybe someone else will know if they are compatible with each other. Maracide is for parasites. Does he show any sign of having parasites? Scratching/rubbing himself on the rocks, plants etc?

You may also want to lower the water level so they can get to the top for air easier.

If it is true fungus Maroxy is the best from past experience. I also had luck on a male that I wasn't sure which it was when I used Jungle Fungus Eliminator. It actually has a combo of fungal med and antibiotics.

I hope this helps. I have had some pretty bad bouts of columnaris and ich recently.

Sandi

 

[FishEnthusiast]

The reason for the maracide is I read that malachite green, which is maracide's main ingredient treats fungus. It has worked wonders before on my boys. He does have fungus on the tips of his fins. They are fuzzy and fungus like. I have successfully treated this same thing with maracide. Maracide, Maracyn and Maracyn 2(which I am not using) are compatible with eachother and can be used in conjunction with eachother. I am not using a heater, so I am not sure of the temp. I have seen columnaris before, this doesn't look like it. I am using the maracyn incase I am wrong. I successfully treated columnaris using maracyn.(well sorta I lost 3 girls before I beat it, but 7 survived). There is no fuzzyness around his mouth at all. The stuff on the base of his fins is not really fuzzy, but more slime like and yellow, not white. That is why I called it a fungus and not columnaris.

My first thought was columnaris as I was in the same store last week and there was a boy in there that was obviously infected with it. But now I am not so sure. I don't have maracyn 2 ATM, but I can get my hands on some. He has a plant that he beaches himself on when he wants to be at the top of the water. other than that, he lays at the bottom.

I don't know if I mentioned that I can see bits of both ct boys fins at the bottom of their tanks. The boy with ich as well, but not as bad. I am pretty sure he will make it, though when I brought them home, I thought he was the sickest of them all. Turns out I was wrong.

 

[sandig]

I am not sure what else it could be. I appreciate your knowing the meds work well together....I am always looking for that info for when some of mine get sick. I will keep my fingers crossed for you!

Sandi

 

[FishEnthusiast]

Thanks for the advice, but he didn't make it through the night. It makes me kinda sad cause the store didn't even think he was sick, but I knew I was taking the chance when I brought him home. I changed his water last night, but I guess it wasn't enough.

 

[eudielynn]

So sorry the little guy didn't make it. I'd take him back to the store where you bought him and demand a refund. It makes them more aware of the condition of thier fish when you take money out of their till.

Edit: Can't spell of.

 

[FishEnthusiast]

Want to hear the disgusting part? They don't give full refunds on dead fish. NOPE, only half price. that is why they discouraged me from buying a sick fish. Like I was going to leave him on the shelf to rot. I am really upset about this one, cause he would have been beautiful if he had gotten better. Oh well, what can you do? I will be taking him back and getting my half price refund, I after all only paid just over half price anyway. I will not purchase another fish from this store. This store, BTW, I know a lot of people buy their products online, and if Canadian, often shop there. If you would like to help me boycott, and/or campaign to improve the conditions of the store, PM me and I will give you the details. Please keep in mind that this is a fish store, they sell nothing but fish and supplies. I am too angry to type, so I will stop now.

To Eudie, they knew about the condition of the fish when I took him out of the store, we made the kid serving us change his water, then we tried to get the manager to give him to us. We made it clear that he was sick and needed help, they told us they don't medicate sick fish. Oh I am sick to my stomach, at least petcetera said they would treat the boy they gave me. He is doing great BTW.

 

[sandig]

I am so sorry he did not make it. You did everything right...and it gave him a good safe place even for a little while.

Sandi