URGENT: Suspected Columnaris

[Thranduillion]

I just noticed this today as I was gone all day yesterday. One of my female guppies has what appears to be a white fuzzy "bump/growth" on her stomach region (I have attached pictures).

The tank is:
40 gallons, heavily planted w/weekly 30% water changes
Nitrites, nitrates and ammonia are all at 0ppm
Filters: Fluval AquaClear 70 + Finnex refugium (filled with Fluval matrix and Biohome sintered glass media)
Stock: 1 male dwarf gourami, 6 albino glowlight tetras, 6 harlequin rasboras, 2 platies, 3 guppies (1 male, 2 females), 3 ottos + ~6 dwarf shrimp and assorted snails
No new fish have been added to the tank within the last 4-5 months and I've never had any illnesses in the tank.

Am I dealing with columnaris? If so, what's the best treatment plan? Should I remove the affected guppy to a quarantine tank and medicate there or should I medicate the entire tank? (I'm concerned for my plants, inverts, and ottos)

If it's not columnaris, what might it be?

 

[brennae]

Coralbandit would be the columnaris expert. Kanamycin and Furan will treat it. Columnaris doesn't do well in cooler water or with salt either.

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[Thranduillion]

Coralbandit would be the columnaris expert. Kanamycin and Furan will treat it. Columnaris doesn't do well in cooler water or with salt either.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

So you think it does look like columnaris? Or, could it just be a fungal growth?

 

[coralbandit]

Kanamycin and Furan will treat it. Columnaris doesn't do well in cooler water or with salt either.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

^^THIS^^
Can't tell from pics...
Not a cauliflower like growth?
That could be lymphocystis.

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

and
Fish Columnaris | Fungus & Saprolegnia | Treatment & Prevention


Possibly a clearer picture?

 

[brennae]

Yeah I couldnt make out if it was either. Pic became fuzzy when I enlarged it

Brenna

 

[Thranduillion]

Here are better quality images - please let me know if a video would be more useful.

Should I move the fish?

 

[Thranduillion]

^^THIS^^
Can't tell from pics...
Not a cauliflower like growth?
That could be lymphocystis.

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

and
Fish Columnaris | Fungus & Saprolegnia | Treatment & Prevention


Possibly a clearer picture?

It doesn't seem like a cauliflower. It's like a fuzzy lump but only in that location. And its fully white throughout, even to the edges. The fish doesn't seem to be struggling to breathe and swims fine. There are no other lacerations or growths anywhere else along the fish. The only other sign of stress I see is that it's keeping its dorsal fin down, but otherwise no clamped or ragged fins.

 

[Thranduillion]

Also, my water is at 78F, would bringing that down help? Say to 75F?

 

[brennae]

Also, my water is at 78F, would bringing that down help? Say to 75F?

It won't hurt at any rate. I just am not sure what it is. Livebearers can take a lower temp than 78 just fine usually.

Brenna

 

[coralbandit]

Lower to 75 is safe.
I would start doing salt baths till the fish looks better.
If you want to treat the whole tank it should not hurt the bacteria or plants IMO but I can't speak for shrimp or snails..
The meds should not mess with your filter as I have used them myself without issue.
Caught early(you seem on time) 3 treatments of the kanaplex and nitrofurazone done every other day for a 7 day treatment then water change to remove meds should work.

 

[Delapool]

I was thinking bacterial infection (but not very certain) and something like salt or something else to try knocking the infection down a bit.

 

[Thranduillion]

Lower to 75 is safe.
I would start doing salt baths till the fish looks better.
If you want to treat the whole tank it should not hurt the bacteria or plants IMO but I can't speak for shrimp or snails..
The meds should not mess with your filter as I have used them myself without issue.
Caught early(you seem on time) 3 treatments of the kanaplex and nitrofurazone done every other day for a 7 day treatment then water change to remove meds should work.

I'll try googling the meds effect on shrimp and snails. Are there any other symptoms that would lead me to columnaris or a bacterial infection?

 

[Delapool]

Redness on scales and other fish becoming sick would be two thoughts to watch on.

 

[Matt68005]

This is not columnaris.....
My guess would be a wound or lymocisits.

 

[Matt68005]

I'll try googling the meds effect on shrimp and snails. Are there any other symptoms that would lead me to columnaris or a bacterial infection?

Columnaris is one of several bacteria that can kill a fish.
Why dont you google it?
They get skin lesions on the tops near their dorsals, or on the cadual pendecule of their bodies and sometimes rotting tails.

 

[Thranduillion]

Well, the fish in question didn't make it through the night. I'll be highly vigilant of the others but for now is there anything else I should do? Medicate the whole tank? Wait and see what happens?

 

[coralbandit]

Sorry about your gup.
I would just observe the tank...
If one more fish goes in the same direction then you will need to treat the whole tank.
Going to hope that wasn't columnaris...

 

[brennae]

Sorry about your gup.
I would just observe the tank...
If one more fish goes in the same direction then you will need to treat the whole tank.
Going to hope that wasn't columnaris...

I'm hoping too. I have a tank of fish that could have been columnaris. I never sent a fish sample to the vet school because they recovered etc BUT I still will never sell fish from that tank. Every once in awhile they still have issues. My other tanks dont. It's very strange. I wanted to euth them all but my mother has begged me not to. So I'm stuck for now.

Brenna

 

[Delapool]

I'm hoping too. I have a tank of fish that could have been columnaris. I never sent a fish sample to the vet school because they recovered etc BUT I still will never sell fish from that tank. Every once in awhile they still have issues. My other tanks dont. It's very strange. I wanted to euth them all but my mother has begged me not to. So I'm stuck for now.

Brenna

I've got a catfish that recovered from columnaris and has never been good since. Just too cantankerous to realise I think.

I'd try just observing as well. Decent water change and just keep an eye on the fish.

 

[coralbandit]

I'm hoping too. I have a tank of fish that could have been columnaris. I never sent a fish sample to the vet school because they recovered etc BUT I still will never sell fish from that tank. Every once in awhile they still have issues. My other tanks dont. It's very strange. I wanted to euth them all but my mother has begged me not to. So I'm stuck for now.

Brenna

I've got a catfish that recovered from columnaris and has never been good since. Just too cantankerous to realise I think.

I'd try just observing as well. Decent water change and just keep an eye on the fish.

Columnaris was a 6-9 month long end to me breeding swordtails....My own created showas...
Thought it might be TB at first as the deaths were random,far apart and fast...
I had not added new stock to these tanks in YEARS!
Months of research ,reading and re reading led me to conclusion...
Through euthanizing clearly effected and several potassium permaganate treatments I cured it...
I kept the infected sword tank for 9 more months without a loss before feeding all to my lionfish...
I could never sell any of the fish I had then, just out of pride in my product.

I know I am the 'columnaris kid', but with the amount of studying I did on this particular issue as it presents itself in our hobby and agriculture I really do feel VERY confident everytime I say it...