Discus and Angel with white fungus

[imagirlgeek]

Does it look like this? This is one of our fish who had (obviously) an odd white spot a couple of years ago. There's a thread around here somewhere. Anyway, we treated the tank with Erythromycin and it cleared up in a couple of days. We also had some flowerhorns that would occasionally get these type of spots and Erythromycin would clear it up. I never did figure out what it was, but I assume it's a bacteria since the antibiotic knocked it out pretty quick.

[mgarrido]

Re: Discus and Angel with white fungus

Just to make sure check the next list of symptoms:

-White spots on mouth, edges of scales, and fins
-Cottony growth that eats away at the mouth
-Fins disintegrate beginning at the edges
-'Saddleback' lesion near the dorsal fin
-Fungus often invades the affected skin
-Rapid gilling in cases where gills are infected

All these are columnaris symptoms, it's a very aggresive bacterial disease and you need to treat the entire tank, also bleach all your equipments. You can use formalin, salt (2 spoons per 10g), daily water changes and rinse the temp to 85-90. Please post new pictures as soon as you can.

[imagirlgeek]

Good list of symptoms, but I don't think it's columnaris. Columnaris spreads and kills really fast. She said they aren't acting sick and with columnaris, they would not be eating and they'd be producing excessive slime coat. Also, just fyi, increasing the temp with a columnaris outbreak will actually speed up the growth of the bacteria. It's better to lower the temp during treatment.

I could be wrong, I'm no doctor, just sharing my thoughts.

[imagirlgeek]

Also, to answer your question about aquarium salt vs. Epsom salt...yes, they are different. Epsom salt is actually Magnesium sulfate. It is a natural laxative and reduces inflammation, among other things. Aquarium salt is sodium chloride and can kill parasites (at a high enough dosage), improve breathing, etc.

[nacra99]

@ Aquarose

IMHO, you should start with antibiotics pretty quick.
Something broad spectrum and covers both gram negative & positive bacteria.
I too suspected columnaris but i didn't say cos i didn't want to alarm anyone, if so, girlgeek is right, increased temps will make the disease progress even faster.
But columnaris strike very fast and kills within a couple of days without treatment.

Either way, you probably have a fungal / bacterial infection......
Primafix and Melafix with salt will work, but at this point i will suggest something stronger since they've been sick for a couple of days already and you don't want treatment to drag on too long.

IMHO, I would use a combination of Maracyn 1 & 2. Maracyn 1 is Erythromycin and Maracyn 2 is a Tetracycline complex (minocycline). Or a combination of Methylene Blue + Maracyn 2.
One targets gram positive & the other one gram negative bacteria.
Using both together should take care of both columnaris & also most fungal infections and will also prevent secondary infections.

Be sure to keep dosing for a couple more days even after they seem to get better & heal up. This will make sure that any surviving bacteria will not develop an immunity to the antibiotics.
ALso make sure to keep an eye on your ammonia & nitrates. Erythromycin can affect your biofliters. If you find ammonia/ nitrites, do waterchanges.

here's a thread with my altums battling columnaris
http://www.houstonfishbox.com/vforum...olumnaris-Help!

If you are a member of finarama, there is greater detail of the above thread.

http://www.finarama.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1458

[FrontosaurusRex]

Lots of good info on this thread. I'm taking notes in case this ever happens to me.

[Darbex]

I always like Furan-2 its a gram - & + killer most others are one or the other.

[Aquarose]

WOW Thanks everybody! I did another water change and added salt (aquarium not epsom) - did not raise temp and no bleach. We'll see what tomorrow AM looks like. The Discus still has the white horn looking spots and the Angel's look like some kind of fungus. The angel's has changed form but the discus' has remained the same. I'm anxious to see what 2 50% water changes w/salt will do. If there are still there in the AM I will treat with the antibiotics.

Thank you so much!

[Aquarose]

Update - Angel found dead this morning. White horn looking things on discus much much smaller. Water a little cloudy - very unusual for that tank - NEVER cloudy. Pic attached of what she looked like.
CurrIMG_4433.jpgent temp 83, Nitrates less than 20, nitrites 0, pH between 7 adn 7.5, kH 40, and Gh 60. Still discus are not acting any different - begging for food, swimming, etc.

[imagirlgeek]

The picture is pretty blurry, but I think that's more than just some white stuff....looks like it's red around the edges. And it looks like the wound is pretty large. The cloudy water is worrisome. The cloudy water is probably from the fish excreting excess slime coat. I think it's time to start hitting with an antibiotic...the red around the edges of the wound indicates infection.