Neon tetras have white stuff on their mouths

[bahamut89]

HELP! My neon tetras have a white cottony growth on their mouths. Is it ich? Only one of them had it and suddenly now 2 or 3 have them. What can I do? Is it contagious. Shall I use Melafix?


1~My tank parameters are:
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate - 25ppm
ph 7.4
Temp 27C


2~ The tank is 180l. It's a Juwel Rio and I am using the Juwel 3.0 filter that came with it






3~ The fish I have are noted in my signature here. They are all adults. The tank has been set up for 2 years


4~ I did a water change a few days ago. I usually do 25% weekly and am very disciplined in doing so.

5~ I added some new decor a few days ago but I made sure to clean them in water thoroughly before. I also added some plants. I usually add excel or flourish every 2 days.


6~ I feed the fish a variety of tubifex worms, vege pellets & two varieties of flakes


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[Delapool]

Sadly I would suspect cotton-mouth (bacterial infection). What meds can you get?


The ones infected I would shift to a hospital tank or bucket with air-stone straight away. Don't delay on that, I'd give low hopes on treating those successfully.

 

[bahamut89]

Okay. I'll do that.

What about the other fish in the tank though. They don't have symptoms . Should I dose the tank with Melafix/Primafix anyway to kill off any lingering stuff in there so they don't get infected?

 

[Delapool]

Okay. I'll do that.

What about the other fish in the tank though. They don't have symptoms . Should I dose the tank with Melafix/Primafix anyway to kill off any lingering stuff in there so they don't get infected?

You could try melafix / pimafix together. Make the first dose a half dose so the fish can adjust.

Can you get a multi-cure with acriflavine and malachite green in it? I've had partial success with that (as well as triple sulpha / potassium permanganate).

Sadly this killed off 2 schools of neons and one of rasboras over a period of weeks for me.

As soon as any fish displays symptoms in the main tank, shift to hospital tank.

Melafix/ pimafix, tetracycline, low salt dosing levels and increasing heat never worked for me.

Usually it is suggested to maintain or slightly lower heat, some sort of treatment to try and clean it off (eg high salt dip) and then into antibiotics.

http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Columnaris.html

 

[bahamut89]

Thank you. I'll look for the stuff you mentioned. Hopefully by some miracle I can save them
Thanks again


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[evil Nick]

Neons all seem to have this to me. Like every one I've ever seen. I wonder if they nip each other's mouths like some fish. Some I used to have all had deformed mouths along with it and lasted until I think my acara ate them.
My buddies have lived forever with it. I never had luck with them at all in general though I love them. Will probably get a school for my 55.
Melafix is a good idea but if it is not going away id just stop treating, keep the water clean and see what happens.
Salt may help to but again I've never seen a neon yet that didn't have it, even in stores. Someone on here told me they are a highly inbred fish


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[Matt68005]

Columnaris infection, requires an antibiotic
Oxytetracycline
Kanamyicn/furan 2
Maracyn-2 minocycline