HELP!!!!! Betta+Columnaris

[jugiearmstrong]

First of all, I'd like to preface this by saying I don't know what I'm doing. My mother bought my son a Betta fish earlier this summer, this is my first experience with fish keeping. "Leafy" (my son named him) lived in a bowl with a pretty centerpiece at first. I left him with a neighbor one weekend, and came home to find him in a 2.5 gallon AquaFin (I think) tank, with filter (size 2.5 in?). My neighbor explained that Leafy needed more room. I did some research and confirmed. He eats basic Petco Betta pellets. I put him in conditioned tap water with a few plants here and there. Everything was going well... until it wasn't. I diagnosed Columnaris easily - he meets all symptoms.

Last bowl change was 2 weeks ago. I always do 100% water change (mistake #1 upon further research). When I changed the water I guess I removed the filter. I forgot about this, and realized I never replaced it. Leafy went into his tank, filter-less. He stayed in that water for 2 weeks. I noticed Friday night while feeding him that his water was gross. I panicked when I noticed the little white patch on his head. I immediately changed his water (100%) and put him back in. I researched all night. I went to Petco in the morning and got some aquarium salt and put 1 rounded teaspoon in his water (took him out first). I have ordered Kanaplax and Furan-2, which I plan to used combined.

My questions are:

-When the Kanaplax+Furan-2 arrives, what should I do? Just follow instructions and add at the same time? Anyone with experience?
-Should I change water 100% before adding medicine?
-If not, how should I change water?
-Should I get water from the store?
-Should I invest in bloodworms+soaked in kanaplex?

I appreciate any help. Like I said, I'm new at this and (like most fish owners) did not expect a $7 fish to be so complex. I'm trying to learn and teach my son a lesson here too - just bc he is sick does not mean we let him suffer and die. I understand he might be too far gone, and given my amateur level experience he might be doomed. But any help greatly appreciated.

 

[subliminalme]

Yes just follow the instructions when it arrives ? also, welcome to fish keeping

Have you changed the water since you noticed it had been running without any kind of filter? If not, I would change the water before medicating. You want the most pristine water conditions when treating sick fish. If he had a water change after that I wouldn't do a complete water change. Maybe 20% daily until he starts showing signs of improvements or as the medication instructs. Some are specific when to do water changes. I also give my sickly bettas salt baths when needed. A little more complex than a little salt in their bowl. Lemme see if I cam grab a link:

http://bettasplendid.weebly.com/salt-baths.html

I've never tried to soak the bloodworms so someone else with experience will have to answer this one for you. Good luck!

 

[jugiearmstrong]

Yes just follow the instructions when it arrives ? also, welcome to fish keeping

Have you changed the water since you noticed it had been running without any kind of filter? If not, I would change the water before medicating. You want the most pristine water conditions when treating sick fish. If he had a water change after that I wouldn't do a complete water change. Maybe 20% daily until he starts showing signs of improvements or as the medication instructs. Some are specific when to do water changes. I also give my sickly bettas salt baths when needed. A little more complex than a little salt in their bowl. Lemme see if I cam grab a link:

Salt Baths - Betta Splendid

I've never tried to soak the bloodworms so someone else with experience will have to answer this one for you. Good luck!

Thanks for the response!! I changed the water on Friday after noticing that there was no filter (for two weeks). I bought a new filter and put it in on Saturday morning. He has been running with filter+salt since Saturday morning. The meds get in tomorrow. Are you saying that I should just add the medication without changing water again? Or do the 20% water change and THEN add meds? And what does a "%" water change mean? Just empty a certain amount then condition new water and add?

 

[subliminalme]

Thanks for the response!! I changed the water on Friday after noticing that there was no filter (for two weeks). I bought a new filter and put it in on Saturday morning. He has been running with filter+salt since Saturday morning. The meds get in tomorrow. Are you saying that I should just add the medication without changing water again? Or do the 20% water change and THEN add meds? And what does a "%" water change mean? Just empty a certain amount then condition new water and add?

Yes I usually do small water changes (20%) about once a week and a big water change (50%) monthly or so.

I wouldn't do a water change before medicating if you already did a 100% this week. Most medications need you to take out the carbon filter before medication because the activated carbon filter will pull the medications out so I would just use as directed. I haven't used this particular medication, but the ones I have used it said something along the lines of "do a 20%water change at the end of medicating" or something like that.

The salt bath is more concentrated that just a little salt in the aquarium. I've had fantastic results with them but if you're using aquarium salt instead of Epsom be very vigilant and don't take your eyes off him. Its more stressful on them and need less time in them. One of mine showed signs of stress within 4 minutes. Epsom IMHO is the better choice. Less abrasive. Make sure you follow all directions accordingly ❤ hope this helps

 

[jugiearmstrong]

Also- per the link you provided instructions:

Fill your gallon container very fully with clean, treated water. Make sure the water is the same temperature as the water the fish came from in its tank via the thermometer. This prevents temperature shock.
Add the salt per recommendation and stir it until it is fully dissolved.
Get a second container with 1/4 salted water like your 1 gallon tank, and the rest (3/4) with tank water (this is the "reviving station").

*What I'm reading:

-Remove Leafy from his home
-place in "gallon" tank
-let him stay for 5-7 minutes
-remove and place in reviving station

I'm having trouble understanding the reviving station. Can anyone break it down in layman's terms?

 

[subliminalme]

Also- per the link you provided instructions:

Fill your gallon container very fully with clean, treated water. Make sure the water is the same temperature as the water the fish came from in its tank via the thermometer. This prevents temperature shock.
Add the salt per recommendation and stir it until it is fully dissolved.
Get a second container with 1/4 salted water like your 1 gallon tank, and the rest (3/4) with tank water (this is the "reviving station").

*What I'm reading:

-Remove Leafy from his home
-place in "gallon" tank
-let him stay for 5-7 minutes
-remove and place in reviving station

I'm having trouble understanding the reviving station. Can anyone break it down in layman's terms?

https://youtu.be/mkRJAMxNVZY

 

[jugiearmstrong]

https://youtu.be/mkRJAMxNVZY

Hey Sublimalme,

Did a salt bath, thanks for the tip. Not sure how it went. Was really stressful. I have one more question. I read that I shouldn't run the carbon filter with the meds. Does this mean just remove the filter all together? And leave the aerator (I think thats what it is) running? Or do I have to go and buy some special filter?

 

[nirbhao]

Hi Jugie,

We started out thinking a couple dollars for fish and a bowl would be the extent. Got into planted, set up multiple tanks... A few hundred dollars later we had a columnaris outbreak.

Throw out all of your filter media and bleach the living ef out of the filter itself. Throw away or bleach everything in the tank. I understand the desire to keep your beneficial bacteria, but protecting it protects the bacteria you want to kill. The Kanaplex and Furan 2 treatment was successful for us. While the medication is in the tank, use mechanical filtration only (i.e. a sponge).

See if your friend would be willing to share some established media.

Sorry you're going through this.

 

[subliminalme]

Hey Sublimalme,

Did a salt bath, thanks for the tip. Not sure how it went. Was really stressful. I have one more question. I read that I shouldn't run the carbon filter with the meds. Does this mean just remove the filter all together? And leave the aerator (I think thats what it is) running? Or do I have to go and buy some special filter?

I just take the carbon out of mine and run it that way but mine already has a sponge to catch the debris.

I've personally never dealt with this but would definitely take the precautions mentioned above and clean the filter. Shouldn't have to buy another filter. Just clean it as mentioned and put a new carbon pack (rinsed of course ?) after the meds run its course.
I'm so sorry you're having to go through this!

 

[subliminalme]

First of all, I'd like to preface this by saying I don't know what I'm doing. My mother bought my son a Betta fish earlier this summer, this is my first experience with fish keeping. "Leafy" (my son named him) lived in a bowl with a pretty centerpiece at first. I left him with a neighbor one weekend, and came home to find him in a 2.5 gallon AquaFin (I think) tank, with filter (size 2.5 in?). My neighbor explained that Leafy needed more room. I did some research and confirmed. He eats basic Petco Betta pellets. I put him in conditioned tap water with a few plants here and there. Everything was going well... until it wasn't. I diagnosed Columnaris easily - he meets all symptoms.

Last bowl change was 2 weeks ago. I always do 100% water change (mistake #1 upon further research). When I changed the water I guess I removed the filter. I forgot about this, and realized I never replaced it. Leafy went into his tank, filter-less. He stayed in that water for 2 weeks. I noticed Friday night while feeding him that his water was gross. I panicked when I noticed the little white patch on his head. I immediately changed his water (100%) and put him back in. I researched all night. I went to Petco in the morning and got some aquarium salt and put 1 rounded teaspoon in his water (took him out first). I have ordered Kanaplax and Furan-2, which I plan to used combined.

My questions are:

-When the Kanaplax+Furan-2 arrives, what should I do? Just follow instructions and add at the same time? Anyone with experience?
-Should I change water 100% before adding medicine?
-If not, how should I change water?
-Should I get water from the store?
-Should I invest in bloodworms+soaked in kanaplex?

I appreciate any help. Like I said, I'm new at this and (like most fish owners) did not expect a $7 fish to be so complex. I'm trying to learn and teach my son a lesson here too - just bc he is sick does not mean we let him suffer and die. I understand he might be too far gone, and given my amateur level experience he might be doomed. But any help greatly appreciated.

Any improvement? I found a nice little breakdown article. Like most articles I find online, this is someone's personal account with how they beat it. Except this one explains about the infection more than any others I have found, if you wanna take a gander.

http://www.myaquariumclub.com/columnaris-and-what-i-have-learned...-1689.html

 

[nirbhao]

That article was my instruction manual.

 

[subliminalme]

That article was my instruction manual.

Great article! I had never even heard of it before!

 

[jugiearmstrong]

Any improvement? I found a nice little breakdown article. Like most articles I find online, this is someone's personal account with how they beat it. Except this one explains about the infection more than any others I have found, if you wanna take a gander.

http://www.myaquariumclub.com/columnaris-and-what-i-have-learned...-1689.html

I can't believe it. Leafy has made a pretty full recovery. He finished his Kanaplex, and the sores on his head are basically healed. He's still doing Furan-2. I removed the filter and put in a foam sponge thing (one you can buy at Petco and cut to fit). I did 25% water change every OTHER (*EDIT*) day, I just bought the store Betta fish water bc I honestly had no idea how to do the math and dechlorinate and add 25% more water back. I figured 25% of 2.5 gallons is about 7 cups so I would just take 7 cups out and put 7 cups back in. Easy. Kept aerator running. Only did 1 salt dip, it was so stressful I haven't attempted another.

Any suggestions on what to do with tank after he's done treating? Should I clean and disinfect everything? 100% water change?

Thank you so much for your help. I really can't believe my eyes. I feel great about his progress, and I'm so happy I didn't just flush him. THANK YOU CONSCIENCE!

 

[Autumnsky]

After this is all said and done, you will be doing a fish-in cycle.
This will help
Fish-in Cycling: Step over into the dark side - Aquarium Advice

Also read the article in my signature and get some great info and basics for fish keeping.

Happy to hear Leafy is doing much better!

 

[nirbhao]

Any suggestions on what to do with tank after he's done treating? Should I clean and disinfect everything? 100% water change?

Bleach everything. If you can't bleach it, throw it away. The worst possible thing to do would be allow only the bacteria that survived the medication repopulate the tank.

We got an Angels Plus active sponge after treating for colmunaris. It was definitely worth the money.

I'm so glad your fish is doing better. Columnaris is a nightmare.