B. Rainbow - Some kind of fungus? Help Please

[neilanh]

I started to notice this about 4 days ago, and it's been spreading. The last 2 days, she's really become less and less active. She kinda hangs out right underneath the HOB and doesn't move around much, very much unlike the other rainbows.

I've had her about 10 days or so. There were no signs of this when I got her, nor do any of the other rainbows, or any other fish for that matter, exhibit anything like this. Tonight when I just got home she was behind the outlet of the HOB, all the way at the surface hanging still, just kinda kicking in the current.

It started with a small white mark on her right side just below her dorsal fin mid-back. The "mark" has spread, and is puffy, almost looks like an elongated blister. On her right side, she's got discoloration that has spread from the top down, although this side is purely discoloration, nothing is raised or textured like the mark by her dorsal fin on the other side. Her color is also extremely diminished from what she looked like less than a week ago.

I got the best pics I could. She hangs near the back and I have a wall on the left side of the tank so I can't get back there very well.

She still eats and poops, so other than the marks and hanging out by herself in the back I have seen no other symptoms.

1) What is it?
2) Do I need to worry about the rest of the tank?

I honestly don't expect her to survive more than a day or two more based on the decline I've seen the past 4 days unless I can figure out something to do.

Help?


Edit:
I did get her a QT tank setup, so she's there now and I'm guessing I'll pick up Pimafix??????

 

[neilanh]

Noone knows?

I picked up melafix and pimafix at lunch today. I guess I'll try those.

I started thinking this might be Columnaris, but I'm not sure. It's not cottony, and doesnt have the distinct features of "saddle-bag" disease, as it's called.

Should I add salt too?

How about water temp, up or down?

 

[An t-iasg]

You can try the Melafix and Pimafix, but if there's no improvement in a day or so, then switch to a stronger antibiotic. That doesn't look like a fungus disease my fish had once.

I can't think of a reason to raise the heat or add salt - it doesn't look like a parasite.

I know it's hard to choose a medicine. I'm currently treating a betta with a Seachem medicine that says it treats bacterial, fungal, and protozoan infections. There has been no change in the betta, so I'll do a water change and try something different.

 

[WaterPond]

looks like the fungus i get on my pond fish alot. Look for meds that contain frameldahyde (i cant spell).

I agree with using pimafix and melafix together first though.

 

[neilanh]

Thanks, I just started the treatment with both Pima and mela fix.. We'll see what happens

 

[neilanh]

A week later, been dosing both Pimafix and Melafix all week. After about 2 days the stuff in the pictures slowly started to decline, but she still hasnt been acting normal. In the middle of all this I had a huge outbreak of Ich as well, so I've been treating her with temperature for that as well. As of today, the "fungus" or whatever it was appears to be completely gone, and she's back to acting normal. She has a heavy outbreak of ich right now, someone between 20 and 30 spots I would say, but I don't believe it's gotten into her gills and she's acting much better the last 12 hours or so, so I'm hoping she's going to make it.

I'm not sure if I should continue the medications at this point or not however. I'm thinking I will for a few more days, then do a PWC and continue the Ick treatment until I understand the extent of it. My main tank all has ick and is undergoing that treatment too, so I'd like to be able to get her back in the main tank to be treated with friends, instead of being isolated any longer in a bare tank. Shes still eating well and very active, swimming laps around the bottom of the 24" tank she's in right now.

Thoughts? Her tank is about a day ahead as far as the increased temperature, and she's showing much more severe signs of ich (i.e. many more spots than any other single fish at this point). Should I continue meds much longer, and is it safe to move her back to the main tank since everyone's got ick anyway?

 

[Zagz]

Sorry to have missed your post. First I would worry about the ich. Getting the heat to 87 is key and first priority. Since it is melafix and pimafix you are treating with you could continue treatment for a couple of more days. If she is still active and the spots are going away like the main tank, then I'd move her back.

 

[doctorp]

I've had that show up on several of my rainbows from time to time and have tried various treatments for it including melafix, antifungals and antibiotics. None of them really seemed to make any drastic improvement. Since rainbows are very sensitive to nitrates, test yours and do PWC's... rainbows love clean water and they seem to recover on their own.

 

[neilanh]

Thanks for the replies, Zagz and Doc. So I have the temp in both tanks hovering around 87 degrees, I spent several days upping it from 76 where my tanks are maintained. I think I will continue the meds through the weekend and see, just to be safe. And my water in both tanks is pretty good, nitrAtes at 10 or less. I can't do much better, I get 6 out of the tap.

 

[Zagz]

Your nitrates are fine. Just make sure to add extra aeration or lower the water level a bit for the fish while the temps are up. Good luck.

 

[locorosa]

Good Luck, Neilanh. That stuff stinks and I have only had to deal with it once but it contributed to my favorite fish dying.

*crossing fingers*