Fungus or columnaris?

[hartgirl]

Today I woke up and noticed a white kind of fuzzy lump on my Denison's Barb. It wasn't there yesterday that I saw, and is right under his dorsal fin. Water parameters are all fine. I am currently treating a rainbowfish in my QT tank and can't move this guy right now! Here is a pic (he's really quick so it's the best I can do!)

Note: the rainbowfish was swimming strangely, but had no growths, and white stringy poop. This fish is acting normal except the growth.

 

[Delapool]

I can't really tell from the photo. How are they all doing? Has anything changed in the tank like temperature increase or new fish and can you list water parameters just to close out. The two sick fish together suggest to me bacterial to explain both (rather than say parasites / fungus). I've copied a link below which may help. Whichever it is, I would shift that fish to your QT as well.

Tropical Fish Disease Identification with pictures and cures.

 

[hartgirl]

Well as an update, the little fishes white lump is decreasing and he's acting totally normal. Just this morning my other fish died unfortunately and I'm cleaning out the qt but if he's getting better I'm hesitant to move him and stress him out....idk. Im going to check on him at lunch though..... Here's a better pic though...

 

[Delapool]

Is it on both sides? Good news it is going down.

 

[hartgirl]

No it's just that one lump. In that pic it's really raised and last night it looked more flat. This morning the lights were still off but I checked him out and it looks almost gone I think. I'll just have to make sure it doesn't fall off and form an open wound of some kind?

 

[hartgirl]

Also can fish get scabs? I thought maybe he could have cut himself on a rock, or since he's the smallest in his school someone picked on him possibly? I know they get crazy when the live food comes out once a week lol

 

[Caliban07]

Also can fish get scabs? I thought maybe he could have cut himself on a rock, or since he's the smallest in his school someone picked on him possibly? I know they get crazy when the live food comes out once a week lol

It could very well be that the fish has had a bump or a scrap with another barb. Fish usually only get fungus when the slime coating become damaged and opportunistic bacteria can enter. A healthy fish wouldn't usually get a fungus otherwise although most funguses a a secondary affect to another problem such as finrot or parasites that are penetrating the slime coat. Columnaris presents itself as a fungus of the mouth usually and there may be other symptoms such as lesions that extend down the body of the fish from the dorsal fin representing what look like saddles.

Good tank maintenance, stable water chemistry, and the prevention of other stress factors such as overcrowding or harassment should fend off most disease.

Remember, a happy fish is a healthy fish.

 

[hartgirl]

I feel like the tank is pretty stable in that the ph never varies and the ammonium and nitrates are always 0 (nitrates usually around 20-30). It is stocked for sure so I won't be adding anything more except maybe a plant in the future. So I'm hoping he maybe just had a small altercation or just nicked himself on a rock!! Thanks for your replies and I'll check on him again when I'm home from work

 

[Delapool]

All sounds good. Maybe it was fungal lol - just keep an eye on him, I've had columnaris wax and wane so worth checking it is all gone.

 

[hartgirl]

Ok so for whatever reason I haven't been able to post on here the last couple days. The large white spot fell off, and now it seems there are two. Still fairly flush, and the fish is acting normal, eating, playing, etc. Water is still great. What the heck is this?! It almost looks like some kind of cyst that I have seen people or animals get where they can pop up in multiple spots.....so frustrating trying to diagnose fish ailments! Also, here is a new pic...

 

[Caliban07]

I mean it could even be parasites like body flukes. If they are attached in those areas the fungus could just be a secondary effect because the skin underneath is exposed.

It may be time to QT the fish. You could give it a salt dip for 5 mins? If it is a parasite it may drop off.

 

[hartgirl]

Yes I too was thinking qt time. To start I was thinking to add salt to the qt tank and see if that helps, and I have some meds for internal/external bacterial infections someplace. I can go get more depending on what this turns out to be. Oh and I have Pimafix and Melafix as more friendly meds...

Then when setting up the QT (because it's empty right now) - how do I go about not totally stressing out this fish with a new cycle? I had to throw out my last cycled filter with the fish that died

 

[Caliban07]

Yes I too was thinking qt time. To start I was thinking to add salt to the qt tank and see if that helps, and I have some meds for internal/external bacterial infections someplace. I can go get more depending on what this turns out to be. Oh and I have Pimafix and Melafix as more friendly meds...

Then when setting up the QT (because it's empty right now) - how do I go about not totally stressing out this fish with a new cycle? I had to throw out my last cycled filter with the fish that died

I wouldn't put salt on the QT. I would do a salt dip. This is a dip for 5 mins in a small body of water. This should cover the parasite angle. Look up salt dips on google for how much aquarium salt to use per gallon.

Do a water change on your tank then after an hour just empty so of the tank water in to a bucket then transfer that water in the bucket to the QT tank.

Using the water that is the same as the tank for the QT will minimise stress 10 fold as the fish will not have to adjust to water temperature or chemistry. As for a cycled filter I wouldn't worry. Just put a fresh sponge in or transfer an ornament from the main tank over to the QT as this will have enough biological filter on it to support one tiny fish. Just monitor the QT water and don't overfeed. Don't add salt and meds at the same time and definitely don't use Pima or mela they are rubbish.

Do a salt dip then add to QT and see if things get better if not you will need to by a fungus cure medication and run a course of that in the QT.

 

[hartgirl]

Ok I'll give that a try thanks!

 

[hartgirl]

One quick question: will fungus meds kill beneficial bacteria in the main tank? I only ask in case other fish are infected for future reference- I wouldn't be able to move them ALL to a sick tank in the event that something crazy like that happened (crossing fingers it won't!)

 

[Caliban07]

One quick question: will fungus meds kill beneficial bacteria in the main tank? I only ask in case other fish are infected for future reference- I wouldn't be able to move them ALL to a sick tank in the event that something crazy like that happened (crossing fingers it won't!)

They are supposed to although I can honestly say I've never had an ammonia spike using any medications.

 

[Delapool]

Plus 1 here - never noticed a difference really. I find most meds here will have a warning if the bb will be impacted.

I have gram positive antibiotics (like Tetracycline) are more likely to upset your beneficial bacteria than gram negative.

 

[hartgirl]

Well, the little guy died today. He was on the second dose of anti fungal meds and swimming around, then all of a sudden, he was floating upside-down at the top....RIP little guy....Now to make sure my main tank doesn't have something random going on!

 

[Delapool]

Sad news

 

[hartgirl]

So far there is one gourami who looks a little thin and she hides a lot. Everyone else is fine but a few days ago there were a few with white stringy poop. That may or may not be anything and it has since not reappeared...I just worry for them and have a few meds standing by...I did raise the temp in thinking it may be a parasite of some kind...