A couple links for Newcomers on topics ive heard alot of questions lately

[Matt68005]

There is no such thing as "internal" parasites. Other than worms. They are protozoans and they are killed by heat and salt and chemical dyes. (Salt does not have a significant effect on Hardness or PH.)

Fungus/ Parasites http://www.pond-life.me.uk/fishhealth/fungal.php
Treatment: Methylene Blue and or Malachite green + heat and Salt (Sea salt not aquarium salt which lacks many Minerals)

"Columnaris"
as many call it can actualy be one of several bacterium, Flexibacter, Pusedomonas, aerononas, Fish Columnaris | Fungus & Saprolegnia | Treatment & Prevention
Treatment: Terramycin, Kanamycin, Minocycline
My favorite is terramycin... TERRAMYCIN 200 FOR FISH (OXYTETRACYCLINE QUARTENARY SALT) POWDER [PHIBRO ANIMAL HEALTH]
Of course with all antibiotic medicines, it is more effective if given 3x daily via feed. Skin absorbtion is less effective than going directly into the fish!
Fish can also get Gram positive infections such as dropsy, they can get tumors, and they can get virus. Best thing to do is keep a QT tank for new shipped or bought fish, or at least a hospital tank. Methylene blue is safe and can be used to sterilize nets and siphons, Or more approiately sterilize new fish so they don't get sick or the rest of your tank sick. Don't add methylene blue to a established tank because it will destroy all bacteria good and bad.

[Exteremecheddar123]

Hey thanks this helped me a lot. I had an oscar in my tank and he started to get some white stuff around his scales and his mouth and his fins started turning white. I had no idea what to treat him with because I never knew what he had. I just threw in salt and raised the heat he still died but I still don't know what disease/diseases he had. I never knew if it was something fungal or a bacteria because I have no experience with diseases besides ich. If you know what it is, can you tell me so if it happens again that I can treat it

[Kelly5978]

Great info! I'm not exactly a newbie....but diagnosis is difficult with angelfish! I didn't know I could use m. Blue versus net soak to sterilize equipment! Will oxytetracycline in a medicated food also work for non-lethal strains of columnarus...or something like it? Really helpful....thanks!

[Matt68005]

Yes the terramycin will work for most bacterial problems, aeromonas, pusedomonas, and Flexicater columnaris. Just wanted to help people, because a lot of times people that aren't exactly new but aren't exactly experienced mistake simple fungus for columnaris and treat with expensive antibiotics only to loose their fish...... when a $6 bottle of meth. blue, some marine or Epsom salt, heat, and if your still not sure the terramycin in food which is cheap, and most problems like this will be cured up in less than a week with miminal loss.

[Kelly5978]

Well...you just described ME! Been doing this a year, I know SOMETHING is wrong, but I don't know what....and my constant water changes and care keep "whatever" at bay so no fish dies, or gets sick enough to 100% diagnose. Your links were helpful. Thanks
(And the internet is sometimes too much info. I thought actual fungus was extremely rare. This site has really helped me see through the fog of conflicting info out there!)

[Matt68005]

Yes! I know what you mean.....I went thru that phase too. One person says this, another person says that, the pet store gives you some wrong imformation, online searches turn up 1000 possibilities, and in the end you have dead fish and no clue what exactly the problem was...... hopefully this puts an end to it for awhile.

Also, everytime someone new to the hobby looses a tankful of fish, they usually give up. Im not here to make money or push my liberal agenda on people, I just want to keep people in the hobby, if its one tank for enjoyment or 20, its suppose to be fun and enjoyable, not make you mad and want to give up and cost a fortune!

[Kelly5978]

Funny you said that...I won't even mention how much money and energy I've wasted! I have every buffer, conditioner, medication, medicated food, many different tubes, filters, test kits, etc! I don't use 1/4 of it! Luckily, my fish haven't died of anything....but I would have been better off just listening to the experienced people here. I'm shutting up now! Thanks again.