Out of Ideas :(

[Leopardess]

Here goes:

I have had four harlequin rasboras that have a columnaris (cotton mouth) infection. I have treated them with Jungle Fungus Eliminator, then Jungle Fungus Clear, Marycin plus and now Melafix and neither of those have worked. I have added salt to the tank also. I really don't want them sick anymore because it's just not good, but it is also a pain because I can't put the betta and frog back in until they are better. However, I do not want to kill them because otherwise they act fine (three have it, one does not show signs). They eat fine and are constantly swimming about. Please help , I don't know what else I can do and I am getting INCREDIBLY FRUSTRATED. I don't really think a salt bath will help all that much...

 

[Fishman_2000]

Look on the packages the medicine came in. See what the expiration date is. A lot of fish and pet shops keep the stuff on the shelf even after it has expired. In my experience the expired medicine hasn't worked and the fish ended up dieing. I didn't catch it at the time when I was buying the meds. Did you remove the carbon from your filter also when medicating? Carbon will remove the medicine. Maracyn is supposed to be really good at curing fish diseases. Or something else called Copper plus I think.

 

[Somonas]

I would recommend moving them into a hospital tank and continuing treatment there... that way you can add carbon to the main tank and do a large waterchange and move on with your life.

oh I just read your sig and realized the 4 fish are already in their own q tank.
if they are eating fine and swimming I wouldn't kill them. did you let each medicine do it's job ? perhaps we just need more time... I imagine the fungus will go away eventually...

on the other hand...
it probably is costing you more to medicate than to replace the fish... As heartless as it sounds, I consider this when I have sick fish... and I have put down fish. (it is not hard to do and is painless)

 

[Leopardess]

(sigh) Yeah, i let each medicine go twice its duration in hopes of treating it. I guess I'll just keep waiting and waiting. I don't care about the money, I mean, its too late to care, I've spent like 70 bucks on medicine so far, why stop now? I just want the darn things to get better! Are there any tricks/tips that anyone has???? They've had this for MONTHS and it gets bettter, then comes back...then gets worse, then looks like its gone, then comes back. It isn't killing them, its just preventing me from really using that tank. Help!

Btw. All the dates are fine, and yes the filter has been removed which means constant water changes...according to the directions...

Thanks so far guys...

 

[colesea]

Hmm, well, sometimes what looks like a fungus may actually be bacterial.

Try this combination:

Buy the packets of Maracyn I and Maracyn II. Use them at the recommended doses togeter at the same time. Three times a week add Erythromyacin at the dosage level recommended on the package. Treat them like this for seven days in a row.

Water change 25% of the tank once a week.

You must treat them every day like this for four weeks.

What usually happens is that either:
1) You are not medicating the tank long enough to eliminate the illness. Medications do not occure magically overnight, and usually you have to treat a fish twice as long as what it tells you to treat on the package.

2) You are not reaching the proper concentrations. You can put medication in the tank all you want, but if you don't reach the proper concentrations, the medication is going to be ineffective. That's why it is recommended to take the carbon from the filters because carbon will remove medication from the water, as well as to treat for seven days without doing a water change. Chaning the water once a week will help reduce medications from possible overdose as well as keep ammonia/nitrites in check.

3) You are using the wrong meds. Antifungus medication is not going to be effective against bacterial infections, and vice versa. Nor are all antibacterials created equal either. The medications I recommended work on gram negitive and gram positive bacteria, as well as act as a bacterial growth inhibitor so both those bases are covered.

Good luck, have patience, and persevere.
~~COlesea

 

[Leopardess]

Thanks, however:

I KNOW columnaris is bacterial, which is why i tried using Fungus Clear and Fungus eliminator, they say that they also treat cotton mouth, which is a bacteria...


also, The marycin plus i used is like a combo of marycin one and two and was also good for cotton mouth....

then i bought melafix, which i have heard works wonders.

Also, I am incredibly careful about the dosing, and have been performing water chagnes and yes, my carbon has been removed.

As far as not treating long enough, i used everything for twice the suggested time duration.

My nitrates/ ammonia are perfectly fine.


So, the only thing would be to try the Erythromyacin you mentioned, so maybe i'll check for that.

Does anyone else have any help to offer???

 

[Somonas]

Don't worry about overdosing. It is better to overdose than do the treatment longer.

for example if the treatment calls for 10 so and so's of something, for 5 days, put 15 in for 6 days... the problem with bacteria infections is that if you don't hit it hard enough it will become resisant to the meds.

it is the same reason when you get an Ear Infection, the doctor tells you never miss a dose ! and keep taking it until it's all gone.

 

[Leopardess]

okay, let me rephrase.... when i mean "careful" with dosing, it means that i have been careful so as not to underdose, i.e. using a bunch more to make sure that there is PLENTY in there! I KNOW it CANNOT be a lack of medication, trust me. So, I guess I'm just screwed because I've already done evertying that is being suggested Seriously, I have put everything in it that I have mentioned in high doses for long periods of time. I'm getting sort of discouraged here...

 

[Slacker]

I was told a brand called MelaFix was good. Its cheap and natural, I am treating my tank with it right now.

 

[Slacker]

By the way, mixing medications can sometimes nullify them.

 

[Leopardess]

Thanks for the ideas, slacker. But in my original post I put that I have used melafix (im still using it) and I only did the medicines back to back...But thanks anyway

 

[Slacker]

Im sorry. Im having fish problems too. If you read the post "Whats up with my molly?". Hope everything works out for you!

 

[Orion]

I have always been under the impresion that columnaris is different from cotton mouth. I had a pacu several years ago that came down with columnaris, and after many weeks of treatment he died. His death I belive was more due to the fact that he stoped eating more then the bacteria itself, but it never did clear up.

 

[Leopardess]

from everything that I have found, they are the same thing..but I'll check yet again. Mine are still eating like hogs, but I have it in check, I simply cannot get rid of it!Off the top of my head, I think the real name for cotton mouth is columnaris flexibacter...but I think the second half of that name has been "updated". I'm sorry about your fishy !!!

 

[Leopardess]

hey, everything i'm finding still suggests its the same thing, but whatever it is truly called, cotton mouth is what i have. i wish i had my digital camera here, i'd post pictures. here's a neat site that has some pictures of various diseases although some pictures are lacking in the clarity department:

http://www.2cah.com/pandora/Disease.html#External


I've heard cotton mouth referred to as Mouth Fungus...
Mouth Fungus (Columnaris)
Although Columnaris resembles fungus it is in fact a Bacterium. It is usually found just around the mouth area, rarely spreading. The first signs are a thin white line around the lips, which then grows into white or grey short tufts that resemble fungus. Early treatment is needed if you are going to save the fish's life, due to the toxins released and the fact that the fish cannot feed. The best and most effective cure is to use Anti-Biotic. Penicillin is very effective at 10.000 units/L, with a second dose after two days. Remember to remove all filtration whilst dosing to avoid killing the beneficial bacteria.