[MyBettaJack]

Okay, friends, here goes. I DID SOMETHING VERY STUPID WITHOUT THINKING. I ADDED A PIECE OF DRIFTWOOD FROM ONE OF PETCO'S TANKS INTO MY OWN A FEW WEEKS AGO. I have ALWAYS bought and boiled the tannins out of the wood before I put it in the tank. This time I didn't. Stupid. I suspect this may have been infected with some kind of funk and I'm beating myself up about it! I noticed an area of hazy grey fuzz around the mouth of one of my orange tetra's. I had to use the flashlight to see it, almost looked like my eyes were playing tricks on me. I immediately isolated him and his 2 buddies to a 5 gallon QT tank. I also added a small amount of AQ to aid with breathing. The information below is from the tank I just took them out of. I'm unsure how to proceed as far as treatment. My mind has immediately jumped to everything contagious and fatal. I have several medications on hand but want to know what to start with. I'm assuming I will have the immense pleasure of treating BOTH tanks simultaneously. Lucky me. Any help you can offer would be appreciated. Please, pretty please, don't give me the immediate "water quality" lectures. I understand the importance of good water quality and do the best I can. Thanks in advance for your help.


1. Size of tank? 13 Gallons

2. Water parameters
a. Ammonia? less than .25
b. Nitrite? 0
c. Nitrate? 0
d. pH, KH and GH?
e. Test kit? API Master Test Kit, used daily

3. Temperature? 78

4. FW (fresh water) or BW (brackish)? FW

5. How long the aquarium has been set up? 4+ months

6. What fish do you have?
~3 Neon Tetra's
~3 Orange Tetra's
~3 guppies (temporarily)
~ and a cory catfish
How many are in your tank? Total of 10. Please note, I normally do not have the guppies in that tank. I have been cycling a five gallon for those three.
How big are they? Less than 1 inch each with exception of catfish who is approx. 1 and 1/2 in
How long have you had them? Have had guppies for approx. 7 months and tetra's for 4.

7. Were the fish placed under quarantine period (minus the first batch from the point wherein the tank is ready to accommodate the inhabitants)? They have always been in the same tank minus the guppies.

8. a. Any live plants? Fake plants? both
b. Sand, gravel, barebottom? Gravel
c. Rocks, woods, fancy decors? Any hollow decors? Treasure chest, pirate ship, driftwood (live plants attached)

9. a. Filtration? Yes
b. Heater? Yes

10. a. Lighting schedule? What lights are used? Led's on from 7am thru 7pm,
b. Any sunlight exposure? How long? Not much, no direct light

11. a. Water change schedule? Approx 2x week
b. Volume of water changed? 50% and one 25%
c. Well water, tap water, RO water? Tap
d. Water conditioner used? Prime
e. Frequency of gravel/sand (if any) vacuumed? every change

12. Foods? Omega One flakes/hikari shrimp 2x week, sinking pellets for cory
How often are they fed? 2x daily

13. a. Any abnormal signs/symptoms? YES. Clear fuzz (beard) around the mouth of one of the orange tetra's. I had to get the flashlight to see it, because it almost seems as if its a trick of light. I noticed a couple of the orange tetra's didn't seem to eat as well this morning. Tonight 2 of the three ate but one didn't eat at all...hung back from the others.
b. Appearance of poop? Normal
c. Appearance of gills? breathing seems a bit rapid, no other signs of distress. Swimming fine, not at the top or the bottom of tank.

14. a. Have you treated your fish ahead of diagnosis? No. I did use PraziPro when I first put the fish in the tank as a preventative.
b. What meds were used? None at this time

15. Insert photos of fish in question and full tank shot if necessary.




Read more: http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/...orm-read-before-you-post-61135/#ixzz2zCN4fDdo

 

[lilnaugrim]

Are you able to get pictures?

More than likely it's not the dirftwood's fault, they don't cause disease just because the driftwood can get a little fuzzy. Carrying disease though? Could be another story but I've never heard it before. Regardless though, can you get as many pictures as you can of these guys? You could scoop them out in a cup and take pictures overhead, that would really help.

 

[MyBettaJack]

Okay, I'll try to do that today. Good to know about the driftwood so perhaps there's another cause. My first instinct screams columnaris but just not sure. If so will go the Maracyn 2 and Maracyn route. Unless Kanaplex will be more effective. Hopefully I can get those pics up so you can give me some guidance. Thanks!

 

[lilnaugrim]

I agree about Columnaris but we'll have to see what the pictures say!

 

[LittleBlueFishlets]

How are your fish doing?

As you and Lilnaugrim have discussed: white, cotton-like fuzz can indicate Columnaris.

Columnaris is caused by a gram-negative bacteria called Flavobacterium columnare. It's an opportunistic disease, meaning that the bacteria that causes it is often found in aquariums, then when a fish becomes stressed, it can take hold and cause an infection.

Cooler water slows down its growth rate, so I usually recommend lowering the water temp towards the bottom of the fish's comfort range. I looked up "orange tetra" online, and it looks like the general temp range for tetras runs about 75-80F (24-27C). Therefore, you may want to lower the temp a few degrees, if the other species of fish in the tank can handle it.

If the infection is very minor, then frequent water changes along with reducing stress can sometimes allow the fish's immune system fight it off. However, Columnaris can be aggressive, so if one water change doesn't make it go away OR if other fish are beginning to display symptoms, then personally, I would opt to treat it.

If the species is able to tolerate Aquarium salt, this may be a treatment option. In Bettas, a dosage of 1 teaspoon Aquarium salt per gallon of water can be effective. However, I don't know how Tetras handle salt. (If you don't know either, let me know and I'll research this.)

For more severe or aggressive cases, I would use a gram-negative antibiotic. On Bettas, I've found the furan class (Nitrofurazone and Furazolidone) to be very effective. Products containing these furan meds include API Furan 2, Hikari Bifuran and Jungle Fungus Clear.

You mentioned three other medications: Maracyn 2, Maracyn and Kanaplex. Here are my thoughts on these three meds:

Maracyn (erithromycin) - This is a gram-positive antibiotic. It is not effective on Columnaris, which is caused by gram-negative bacteria.

Maracyn 2 (minocycline) - This is a broad spectrum medication in the tetracycline family. It is often effective against Columnaris, so it's definitely one worth considering. However, it's been around awhile, so some bacteria is now resistant to it. Also, it's somewhat harsh on the internal organs, particularly the liver and kidneys. (The liver metabolizes medications and toxic substances. The kidneys then excrete them.)

Kanaplex (Kanamycin sulfate) - This is a great antibiotic that is effective against many types of aerobic bacteria. However, it's also one of the few antibiotics that is absorbed by the body and therefore treats internal infections too. For this reason, I often don't recommend it for external issues - the more it's used, the faster bacteria will become resistant to it. So I like to leave Kanaplex for more severe (especially internal) bacterial conditions. However, if you opt to use it, it should be effective. (It's also fairly gentle on the liver and kidneys.)

 

[MyBettaJack]

How are your fish doing?

As you and Lilnaugrim have discussed: white, cotton-like fuzz can indicate Columnaris.

Columnaris is caused by a gram-negative bacteria called Flavobacterium columnare. It's an opportunistic disease, meaning that the bacteria that causes it is often found in aquariums, then when a fish becomes stressed, it can take hold and cause an infection.

Cooler water slows down its growth rate, so I usually recommend lowering the water temp towards the bottom of the fish's comfort range. I looked up "orange tetra" online, and it looks like the general temp range for tetras runs about 75-80F (24-27C). Therefore, you may want to lower the temp a few degrees, if the other species of fish in the tank can handle it.

If the infection is very minor, then frequent water changes along with reducing stress can sometimes allow the fish's immune system fight it off. However, Columnaris can be aggressive, so if one water change doesn't make it go away OR if other fish are beginning to display symptoms, then personally, I would opt to treat it.

If the species is able to tolerate Aquarium salt, this may be a treatment option. In Bettas, a dosage of 1 teaspoon Aquarium salt per gallon of water can be effective. However, I don't know how Tetras handle salt. (If you don't know either, let me know and I'll research this.)

For more severe or aggressive cases, I would use a gram-negative antibiotic. On Bettas, I've found the furan class (Nitrofurazone and Furazolidone) to be very effective. Products containing these furan meds include API Furan 2, Hikari Bifuran and Jungle Fungus Clear.

You mentioned three other medications: Maracyn 2, Maracyn and Kanaplex. Here are my thoughts on these three meds:

Maracyn (erithromycin) - This is a gram-positive antibiotic. It is not effective on Columnaris, which is caused by gram-negative bacteria.

Maracyn 2 (minocycline) - This is a broad spectrum medication in the tetracycline family. It is often effective against Columnaris, so it's definitely one worth considering. However, it's been around awhile, so some bacteria is now resistant to it. Also, it's somewhat harsh on the internal organs, particularly the liver and kidneys. (The liver metabolizes medications and toxic substances. The kidneys then excrete them.)

Kanaplex (Kanamycin sulfate) - This is a great antibiotic that is effective against many types of aerobic bacteria. However, it's also one of the few antibiotics that is absorbed by the body and therefore treats internal infections too. For this reason, I often don't recommend it for external issues - the more it's used, the faster bacteria will become resistant to it. So I like to leave Kanaplex for more severe (especially internal) bacterial conditions. However, if you opt to use it, it should be effective. (It's also fairly gentle on the liver and kidneys.)

Thanks so much! Just wanted to give you an update. I started treating the tank 2 days ago with Furan 2, along with turning the temp down. So far he seems to be the only fish outwardly affected, but there's a couple of other fish who haven't been eating as well. I decided not to wait. Thanks for breaking down the med's for me. I new it was gram negative bacteria but didn't have any personal experience with it. Thanks SO much and I'll keep you posted. Fingers crossed! Happy Easter, LBF!
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[LittleBlueFishlets]

Sounds like you've come up with a good plan of action!

I've had really good success with the Furan meds when dealing with Columnaris. I hope that everyone in the tank is feeling better soon. Keep us updated!

Happy Easter to you, too!