Columnaris question

[philipraposo198]

I have been doing a fair bit of reading on this bacteria and have a question.

Alot of what I read States that this rod shaped bacteria exists in almost all of our systems. Is this in fact true? Does this mean that a stressed free, healthy, well fed fish with quality water can reject/fight off this bacteria?

If this is not the case and it doesn't exist in most systems, does this mean that once it's in the tank all fish will certainly die from it if left untreated?

Is it possible that a healthy fish can fight the bacteria and prevent it from taking over and kill the fish?

Also, once the host aka fish are removed from the system but snails remain, could the bacteria still live? What about if all snails gone and fish but plants remain?

Anyone who has some info on this please share. Thanks

 

[Autumnsky]

There was a post I linked awhile back and it was really useful. I will see if I can find it again, it was available on the interweb but really detailed and insightful. My awareness of the details have faded in the time since I last read through it all.

 

[Autumnsky]

This looked interesting in case you didn't see it yet. You had a nasty case of this long ago, I found when I was trying to dig up that article, brought back to memory. Mine was persistent not the ravaging kills everything an 3 days one.

Also saw a note in one post from CoralBandit about lasting 23? days if I recall it, with no host.
Columnaris disease in fish: a review with emphasis on bacterium-host interactions

 

[coralbandit]

Hello philip ,
it may possibly be in all water?
It is documented and believed to live easily 32 days without a host.
This;
Finally, since Columnaris is an opportunistic aerobic infection even a well maintained aquarium can suffer from a Columnaris infection with even a slight opportunity for infection (assuming this bacterial pathogen is present). A common portal for a Columnaris infection is simply an older and weaker fish. Old age allows many opportunistic infections to get a foothold in at least the fish in question.


Taken from
Fish Columnaris | Fungus & Saprolegnia | Treatment & Prevention
must read!
and this if you have not read
http://www.myaquariumclub.com/columnaris-and-what-i-have-learned...-1689.html


Search agricultural links as catfish farmers are getting crushed by columnaris and it would seem some may consider this an annual issue?

 

[Matt68005]

There are several diffrent types of deadly bacteria that can infect fish that are always present in aquariums.
Columnaris is just one of many.........
normally a fish is healthy with its slime coat and immune system they have blood and hemoglobin, but a stressed fish with wounds would surely succomb to bacterial infections, just like humans and all animals will/ or would/ did......ect.
there is nothing special aout columnaris, with quick diagnosis and propter antiiotic and treatment, a fish can overcome it, even with skin lesions and fungus hanging off of it. Ive seen it and done it, cured it, its not "impossile" or even that hard with the correct treatment.