I think we're not giving up on rainbowfish yet...

[Queen of Thorns]

Well, it looks like we have Columnaris again. We bought three Boesemani rainbows on 6/10 and two more on 6/17. The fish seemed happy and healthy until last Tuesday when I noticed my favorite female shimmying. The next day, she had a faint grayish patch on her back near her dorsal fin. Since I have had the misfortune of a previous experience with Columnaris, I began treatment with Melafix that very day. Three days later, the female doesn't look any better and I have one male with the same grayish patch on his back and another male with cottony tufts on his lips. I'll continue to treat with Melafix for the recommended seven days. If the fish are still alive and aren't looking any better, I will try Maracyn. Please let me know if anyone has any additional recommendations.

Tank Specs
29 gallon
Aquaclear 300
pH: 7.0
KH: 35.8 ppm
Ammonia: 0 ppm
Nitrites: 0 ppm
Nitrates: <5 ppm
Temperature: 80

Inhabitants
5 Boesemani rainbowfish
1 rubbernose pleco
1 bronze cory (soon to be transferred to cycling 35 gallon)
5 miscellaneous swords
2 microswords
4 java ferns
wisteria
bacopa
hornwort
anacharis

 

[Guest]

Re: I think we're giving up on rainbowfish...

A UV would solve your problems if its in your budget.

 

[greenmaji]

35.8ppm is very soft water.. do you have PH fluxuations.. I would assume you do unless you do large frequent pwc's.. you might need some CC in your filter or add a little baking soda to bring your KH up to at least.. 52ppm

 

[Queen of Thorns]

I do daily 25 to 30 percent PWCs to keep the pH at a constant 7.0. I haven't had a pH reading of anything other than 7.0 since May. Do you think that such frequent water changes was a bad idea?

 

[Guest]

I do daily 25 to 30 percent PWCs to keep the pH at a constant 7.0. I haven't had a pH reading of anything other than 7.0 since May. Do you think that such frequent water changes was a bad idea?

I don't know if its necessarily bad, but it is way more than you need to do. It could be stressing the fish out some too.

 

[greenmaji]

there really isnt such a thing as too many or too big water changes but it would be alot easier to buffer the water up some..
exception..
more then 80% per day could become a problem with your nitrogen cycle..

 

[Andos99]

I've had extremely good luck with my rainbows and I have considerably harder water then you do. I need to pick up a new hardness test kit, so I don't have my exact numbers, but I would have to agree with Magi on this one.

 

[Queen of Thorns]

Just a brief update... I have moved two of our rainbows to our hospital tank for a Maracyn and Maracyn-II treatment. Our other three rainbows continue to receive Melafix in the 29 gallon tank. I moved our cory into our recently cycled 35 gallon a few days ago -- he seems to be doing just fine. Everybody is being fed Jungle Anti-Bacterial Medicated Fish Food for the next five to ten days. Despite these set-backs, I still want more tanks. Oh, I almost forgot. I'm doing PWCs every *other* day now instead of every day and I'm going to get some crushed coral for the 29 gallon tank.

 

[Mazdaman]

be sure the carbon has been removed form the filters as it will prevent the meds from working. I have treated my rainbows with melafix for culmanaris and all went well with a 7 day treatment. Hope it turns out for you.

 

[Queen of Thorns]

So far everyone is doing well. The biggest problem has been crushing up the medicated fish food since the pellets are too large for my poor rainbows.

*sigh* I want a bigger tank. And more fish...

 

[greenmaji]

Have you buffered up the water any(baking soda is advised)?? whats your KH now?

 

[Queen of Thorns]

We lost one male rainbowfish, but the other four fish have been columnaris-free for about five days thanks to Melafix and/or Maracyn. They've regained their former brilliant color and they are all eating like voracious little sharks. Our KH is 53.7 ppm. I have one question... we now have one male Boesemani rainbowfish, three females, and one rubbernose pleco in our 29 gallon aquarium. Most books on rainbowfish recommend keeping a school of six, but I'm worried about keeping them in such a small aquarium. We can purchase a larger aquarium at any time, but we're hesitant to do so because we will probably be buying a new house within the year. So, should we add two more rainbowfish and hope that they don't outgrow their aquarium before we move, or should we stick with our current number? Thanks in advance!

 

[megladonsharky]

I have only three preacox rainbows and they are fine ... you do relize that your rainbows can get 4 inches ... so if my math skills are on tonight .. you will have 16 inches of rainbows and 5 inches of plecos ... that is 21 inches of fish so I think 2 more rainbows in okay providing it is not a bowfront tank..or a corner tank :?

 

[greenmaji]

A year is way too long to hope for your new fish to not outgrow the tank... Im not sure how big of a tank you would need (rainbows were super rare when I was last active in the hobby so I dont know alot about them) but the larger aquarium would be a much better solution.. by the way I need a 29 gallon...LOL

 

[TankGirl]

I think you should not get any more rainbows for that size tank. Boesemanis are large fish and are stout as well as long, so they tax your biofilter more. Plus, they like to "zoom" around and mine seem to barely be able to contain their zooming to my 55.

Keep in mind also that poor genetics has made this columnaris-type problem a very common one in Boesemanis. It may not be anything that you are or are not doing that is causing them to come down with this. I'd seriously consider, if you get a larger tank and more rainbows, to find a reputable breeder, say on ebay or aquabid, or at least find a different LFS to purchase your fish. Inspect them very carefully for signs of irregular scales and whitish lips before you buy, and quarrantine them with Melafix as a prophylactic measure.

Good luck - these are a true favorite of mine!

 

[Queen of Thorns]

What are your thoughts about adding a pair of Apistogramma cacatuoides to the tank with the four Boesemani and rubbernose pleco?

 

[TankGirl]

I think that would be just fine - the apistos and the rainbows are not really going to be using the same space in the tank so there should not be conflict. If you are talking about a breeding pair of apistos then things could get stressful at spawning time, but rainbows are fast and you might be able to do it in a 29gal.

 

[Queen of Thorns]

YAY! Thank you so much for the advice. My rainbows are still doing very well -- no trace of Columnaris to be seen. I'll continue to mull over the idea of adding two cockatoos to the tank for the next three weeks while my lemon tetras (for the 35 gallon) are in quarantine.

 

[greenmaji]

YAY! Thank you so much for the advice. My rainbows are still doing very well -- no trace of Columnaris to be seen. I'll continue to mull over the idea of adding two cockatoos to the tank for the next three weeks while my lemon tetras (for the 35 gallon) are in quarantine.

Your alot more brave then me.. 8) I wouldnt even think of adding fish after having troble...LOL Im chicken like that..

 

[TankGirl]

Well, Queen did say "mull over the idea" and refers to the prudent use of quarrantine, so obviously there is some appropriate caution in place. At some point you just have to soldier on.