Which is it?

[Anna94]

I keep getting conflicting answers. For columnaris and/or fin rot do I use both furan-2 and kanaplex or one or the other?

 

[Delapool]

Commonly suggested together and fine / safe to do so. Especially for serious cases where trying to save the tank.

Are funds an issue or outside US?

 

[Anna94]

Commonly suggested together and fine / safe to do so. Especially for serious cases where trying to save the tank.

Are funds an issue or outside US?

I was waiting until I got my check as I had a negative in my account. I ordered the medicines yesterday and will be starting treatment when they get delivered tomorrow.

 

[Anna94]

So as not to combine the medications can I alternate? For example, dose one medication one day and the other the next day?

 

[coralbandit]

The furan is installed daily for 4 days and the kanna is installed every other day for 4 doses .
Both meds 4 doses minimum.Every other day you will add both together for first 4 days then you will only add the kanna as the furan treatment will be 'complete' .
These are not my ideas or recommendations ..These are found in the most recent and accurate links on columnaris .It is [or has already] become a serious issue in the fish trade with a life span of well over 30 days[possibly it is even annual now for some ]..
IMO it is comparable to marine ich which is often a also a death sentence for those who can't fight it hard and properly...
These are the 2 best links on columnaris ,take from them what you will.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...ts-1689.html&usg=AOvVaw31CC_glS6hh4rAe5K3QSC0

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...umnaris.html&usg=AOvVaw1Z4zRnhpufHCA84p_l_L7g
I have fought this issue before and lost tanks FULL of fish..
I no longer hesitate to move quickly if I think columnaris is an option.
For what it is worth the treatment recommended here works very well for many issues and IMO that is a bonus.
You see 'accurate /proven' diagnosis require scraping or necropsy of the fish so in our own way we are all guessing...I don't have a microscope , training or IMO the time to do all that ? I do have over 30 years with a 6 foot aquarium in my living room at least though....So I at least know when my fish are in trouble...I don't win them all and I do euthanize very sick looking fish..When a fish dies if the issue has not already spread in the aquarium the most effective way of transmitting the disease is when the 'healthy' fish eat the dead one ..It happens all too often and is honestly why besides poor recovery possibility euthanizing is acceptable . I don't keep fish to kill them...
My remarks are directly in agreement with the two links posted both of which are a must read for players in the columnaris game IMO .

 

[Delapool]

As above - medicated antibiotics feed is possibly the only other road (even then most of the time combining triple sulpha and a tetracycline type or one other which I’ve forgotten - the furan 2 is easily the best I’ve had limited experience with).

Erm, a second course can be needed so imo it might be a balance between keeping checking book in the black and saving fish that look saveable. Had same situation of trying to save fish for weeks. Now I look at the damage on fish - really sick looking fish I would put down straight away in order to try saving the better looking ones. Just a thought, see what you think - it’s a pretty unpleasant experience all round.

Also as above - it stays in your tank way past 30 days so make sure tank is going very well and stable before getting new fish (so they might be fine from a quarantine tank but could ‘set off’ another episode).

(Feel like burning phone even just posting on it lol).

 

[Anna94]

Do I follow the directions on the medications as far as water changes go?

 

[coralbandit]

Do I follow the directions on the medications as far as water changes go?

Yes .
Even if one says on day 1 and other says day 3 you do both IMO..
Keep your temperature down 75 or under if possible.
The water changes are for removing dead/dying bacteria in and around the tank along with promoting the next dose of meds working better as water quality increases.
My thoughts are the meds are tested by companies in tanks that are basically newly set up hospital tanks that with no cycled filter or the bacteria. The meds can be used up just killing the bacteria and fighting dissolved organics and possibly pollute water changes didn't happen . But meds do much better in clean water..If you don't note improvement after 2 or third dose of kanna I would prepare to do a second round while you are on top of the hill...

 

[Anna94]

So the fish that was affected died sometime in the night, but now I can’t find him anywhere. The rest of the fish seem to be doing fine and aren’t showing any signs of columnaris, but I’m going to continue treatment until it’s completed. Also, is it normal for my tank water to turn a yellowish-green color when dosing medicine? Will Purigen take the color away?

 

[coralbandit]

The yellow is the furan .
Remove purigen and carbon during treatment.
It is kind of important to find the dead fish .....and remove it now ....

 

[Anna94]

The yellow is the furan .
Remove purigen and carbon during treatment.
It is kind of important to find the dead fish .....and remove it now ....

I’m gonna do a water change tomorrow and move stuff around so hopefully it pop up.