Is this fungus?

[anibis]

Tetracycline is most effective for gram positive bacteria, columnaris is gram negative. Nitrofurazone (Furan-2), Kanamycin (Kanaplex), or Minocycline (Maracyn-2) are better options. Triple sulfa can be hit or miss, works best if used early on.

Another note, gram positive antibiotics (like Tetracycline) are more likely to upset your beneficial bacteria than gram negative.

If tetracycline is all you can find then try it, if the fish don't show any sign of improvement after a few days then discontinue use. It is MOST effective against gram positive, but it may have an effect on gram negative.

I'd test your water daily while dosing any antibiotic just to be sure.

 

[Delapool]

Tetracycline is most effective for gram positive bacteria, columnaris is gram negative. Nitrofurazone (Furan-2), Kanamycin (Kanaplex), or Minocycline (Maracyn-2) are better options. Triple sulfa can be hit or miss, works best if used early on.

Another note, gram positive antibiotics (like Tetracycline) are more likely to upset your beneficial bacteria than gram negative.

If tetracycline is all you can find then try it, if the fish don't show any sign of improvement after a few days then discontinue use. It is MOST effective against gram positive, but it may have an effect on gram negative.

I'd test your water daily while dosing any antibiotic just to be sure.

Double sigh - thanks for the info. I'll have a look online. It's hard even importing this stuff from a web store. Last time I tried getting API liquid co2 it got stopped at the state border. Finally found an option to get from east Australia. Thanks again.

 

[anibis]

Yeah I feel for you guys outside the U.S., just not any options when it comes to antibiotics for our fishy friends. You may want to try a local veterinarian, they may be able to write a script for something other than tetracycline. I remember reading a post about an aussie who needed metro and was able to get it through a vet.

Just because tetracycline may affect your bio filter doesn't mean it will. It may not affect it at all, or it may just cause a mini cycle. I've never dosed my tank with a gram positive antibiotic, so I can't speak from experience.

You could also setup a hospital tank for the sick fish just to see if the tetracycline works, if it does dose the main tank.

So you can't even order antibiotics from the U.S.? It would take too long to ship for this case, but it wouldn't be a bad idea to have some on hand.

 

[Delapool]

Yes, that's what I was thinking or even just to know where I can get it from.

A lot of the time it says cannot ship this product to your destination. Maybe I was doing something wrong as I know one guy that has imported into England.

The liquid C was really annoying as it seemed to make it into country and then got stopped at state level (just said refused entry to state). It was the same stuff I had been using so who knows what was going on.

Thanks for the tips, will do more research. Do you know of any good online sites to try buying from?

 

[anibis]

http://www.fishpond.com.au/Pets/Seachem-Laboratories-ASM881-Kanaplex-5-Gram/0000116088107

http://www.fishpond.com.au/Pets/Mars-Fishcare-Furan-2-Powder-10-Pack-70P/0317163160701

Maybe that? Says ships from a U.S. supplier.

 

[Delapool]

Thanks heaps, really appreciated - I'll give these a go and post how it goes.

 

[Delapool]

So I've ordered both and will see what makes it. It was encouraging that the address was recognized . I found out more on regulations and apparently stuff can make it into country but may not be allowed by the state (crazy). So federal quarantine may allow something and state quarantine may not (but state doesn't handle everything so it depends on how on the ball the federal quarantine are). Pretty confusing to figure out.

Anyways, thanks again. The free shipping is good and worth a try. Now I just have to figure out how to sneak it into the house....

 

[Matt68005]

Sorry for the late reply. Tetracycline will kill all gram positive bacteria in your tank/fish and make the water frothy brownish and kill the BB.
The worst fish diseases are gram negative, but some are Gram positive.
Id imagine Ampicillin would do the job for an unkown + or - bacterial infection.
I dont trust and don't like complicated medicines like furan or malachite. I have used them in the past of course, but they are not safe for the environment.
Antibiotics in general are fine and so is methylene blue.

 

[Delapool]

Thanks for the information.

I guess plants would mostly be ok with meds? I did a long course of ich treatment meds over several weeks and that seemed to knock the plants around a little (although could of been the dye in the water too as I had low lights).

I'm intending to have a QT as mainly plant grow out plus Molly fry and then for any sick fish. Something like that anyways.

 

[Matt68005]

The methylene would stain everything, plants rocks ornaments, the works

 

[Delapool]

Oops, good point - what I really need is a second QT to the QT