Columnaris

[McLumpy]

Hey, folks! I need some input on how I can wipe out Columnaris in my tank.

So far I have 2 fishes showing signs of infection. One is my Gold Dust Molly and the other one is a Silver Tip Tetra.

My GD Molly started showing signs about a week or so ago. She had a large cluster of cotton show up on her head. I treated the tank at that point w/ one treatment of Melafix/Pimafix, (I didn't have but enough to dose for 1 day). The cotton returned, but in small patches and now she has lesions on her head.

My ST Tetra began showing signs a few days ago. There is a large cluster of cotton in/on his mouth. He is no longer able to eat and he's wasting away.

Does anyone have any suggestions for treatment? I did some research and there are so many treatment methods. However, with my tank having Bamboo Shrimp, a Clown Loach, and live plants, I want to be extremely careful.

I will be stopping by the LFS tonight to pick up meds, so any immediate advice would be awesome!

Here are additional stats about my tank, (more in-depth details about stock, etc is listed in my photo album on my profile page)...

55g Community
Ammonia-0, Nitrites-0, pH-7.6, Nitrates-40
50% Weekly pwc's

New additions this month: 2 Swordtails, (1 died a few days after acclimating to tank-cause unknown). The other Swordtail is healthy and mating w/ my female Swordtail. He does have 2 "strings" hanging out one side of his torso, (below his fin) - I have NO idea what they are... but that's the least of my worries atm.

TIA for any advice!

 

[LyndaB]

When my community tank had columnaris a while back, I noticed two rummys with symptoms. I immediately culled those two fish. I did a 50% water change, scrubbing the walls of the tank, I refilled, did a half recommended dose of aquarium salt, used Prime and no other fish came down with it. I have not experienced it again.

Good luck whichever method you use. Many people don't agree with culling fish, however, when it's for the good of the tank as a whole when dealing with a highly contagious disease, I find it one of the best methods in curing the tank.

 

[jlk]

Columnaris is a gram-negative bacterial infection. It sounds like your fish have it pretty severely if they are unable to eat. Treatment with a gram-negative antibiotic (kanamycin, minocycline, or metronizadole) will be necessary but it may have an effect on your beneficial bacteria (qt is an option). Hydrogen peroxide can also be applied directly to the white growths daily but do not do this if its going to unduely stress your fish or you unsure about doing it. Good luck!!!

 

[McLumpy]

Thank you for the response, Lynda! I had considered doing that for my Tetra. He's in poor shape and I have no idea what damage is done to his mouth area due to the cotton covering that entire area. My Molly is another story though. I saved her live a few months back when she and her mom came down w/ an odd illness. Her mom passed, but she made a full recovery. It would break my heart to put her down.

I thought about moving them to a different tank for treatment, but that's currently not an option. Unfortunately, I converted my 5g from a hospital tank to a RCS/Snail/Frog tank. I had considered setting up my 10g, but I would need to buy a new filter and hood. Plus, it would take awhile to get the parameters perfect even w/ adding seeded media. Not to mention, I've read that some fish may have Columnaris and not show symptoms. With this being possible, I think treating the entire tank would be best.

I plan on doing a 50%+ pwc and lowering the temp, (slowly of course), from 78 to 75 degrees. I do have some salt, but due to my Clown Loach and my live plants, I'm hesitant to add the recommended dosage. I do have some Maracyn II, but I have Shrimp in the tank. There's always treatment w/ Melafix/Pimafix, but I don't know how effective it will be given the severity of the Columnaris.

 

[McLumpy]

Columnaris is a gram-negative bacterial infection. It sounds like your fish have it pretty severely if they are unable to eat. Treatment with a gram-negative antibiotic (kanamycin, minocycline, or metronizadole) will be necessary but it may have an effect on your beneficial bacteria (qt is an option). Hydrogen peroxide can also be applied directly to the white growths daily but do not do this if its going to unduely stress your fish or you unsure about doing it. Good luck!!!

Thanks! My Molly is still eating just fine, it's the Tetra I'm more worried about at this point. I read about the antibiotics you noted, but I'm trying to avoid interrupting my bacteria or stock. This was why I was thinking Melafix/Pimafix treatment, but I don't know if it will work or not.

 

[jlk]

Honestly? I really do not believe the melafix will have much of an effect if tetra is unable to eat. A cheap qt option would be to use a large (10+gal size) plastic storage bin with a little filter & airstone. You could get 1 cheaply (@$10) at any big chain store and then do daily pwcs to keep the water healthy. The other option would be as Lynda suggested (cull sick fish) but i would give the antibiotics a try first. Maracyn 2's active ingredient is minocycline so i would give that a try!

 

[McLumpy]

Honestly? I really do not believe the melafix will have much of an effect if tetra is unable to eat. A cheap qt option would be to use a large (10+gal size) plastic storage bin with a little filter & airstone. You could get 1 cheaply (@$10) at any big chain store and then do daily pwcs to keep the water healthy. The other option would be as Lynda suggested (cull sick fish) but i would give the antibiotics a try first. Maracyn 2's active ingredient is minocycline so i would give that a try!

I suppose I could use my 10g tank and just do pwc's every day. I do have a back-up heater, so all I would need is a filter and I can place my old UGF grates over the top. I was just concerned about my other fishes in the 55g. After I move the 2 fishes to the 10g to treat them w/ the Maracyn, do you think treating the 55g w/ Melafix/Pimafix will help prevent the spread of Columnaris?

 

[jlk]

Your best option is to keep your main tanks water super healthy & clean while keeping an eye on the rest of your guys. Keep the tank on the cooler side will also help (the bacteria multiply quicker the warmer the water is). The melafix is up to you. It wont hurt anything but im just not a fan of it. Just make sure you are using maracyn 2 (not regular maracyn-it wont work) to treat your sick guys. You can also add some aquarium salt to qt tank to help with their mucous coat. Hopefully, everyone in your main tank will be ok!

 

[McLumpy]

Your best option is to keep your main tanks water super healthy & clean while keeping an eye on the rest of your guys. Keep the tank on the cooler side will also help (the bacteria multiply quicker the warmer the water is). The melafix is up to you. It wont hurt anything but im just not a fan of it. Just make sure you are using maracyn 2 (not regular maracyn-it wont work) to treat your sick guys. You can also add some aquarium salt to qt tank to help with their mucous coat. Hopefully, everyone in your main tank will be ok!

Yep, it's the Maracyn II.

I will try my luck tonight with the treatment and just do a pwc to the 55g.

Thank you so much for the advice! I truly appreciate it!

 

[mfdrookie516]

Salt and lowering the temp 6-8 degrees will help a lot. I've treated for ich with salt in a planted tank with clown loaches... neither appeared to suffer any from it. I guess it has a lot to do with the plants, but for a short period of time... and when considering livestock over plants, I can't see a reason not to use it.

 

[McLumpy]

Salt and lowering the temp 6-8 degrees will help a lot. I've treated for ich with salt in a planted tank with clown loaches... neither appeared to suffer any from it. I guess it has a lot to do with the plants, but for a short period of time... and when considering livestock over plants, I can't see a reason not to use it.

Thanks, Jonathan! Yes, I'm definitely planning on gradually lowering the temp when I get home from work. I think my CL will be fine w/ a little salt, but I have 2 Bamboo Shrimp. Will salt hurt the Shrimp? As far as my plants, they're looking 'blah' as it is, so I'm not too worried about losing a few of them.

 

[LyndaB]

When I used salt, I had kuhli loaches and amano shrimp in my tank and they came through it fine.

 

[mfdrookie516]

That is a good question on the shrimp. One I don't know the answer to. Any other tanks you could temporarily relocate them to?

 

[McLumpy]

When I used salt, I had kuhli loaches and amano shrimp in my tank and they came through it fine.

I've used salt in the past, (not the recommended dosage though), w/ my Clown Loach and he was fine. But that was before I added my Shrimp.

That is a good question on the shrimp. One I don't know the answer to. Any other tanks you could temporarily relocate them to?

The only other tank I have is my 5g... but I have RCS babies in that tank.