mcmillanm Posted September 10, 2011 Report Share Posted September 10, 2011 Hi, I haven't heard any ideas on what to do re flashing, cotton prob on tetras and lethargic fish so think I will try another water change and adding some salt as a start?? I've got tetras, sterbais and loaches so want to be fairly careful with it. Can anyone tell me ordirect me to info on how much? I've also added some primafix this morning and have some emergency Furan-2 tabs but would this be panicking? I just want happy fish LOL! thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted September 10, 2011 Report Share Posted September 10, 2011 You say they have a cotton problem? Can you explain that further.. Salt can be added as much as 1TBS per 4L or I will chuck 1 handful in a 2ft tank and go up from there, obviously observing the fish to ensure that none stress out too much because some fish are supposed to be sensitive to salt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcmillanm Posted September 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2011 Hi, Just a tiny bit of cotton and fin damage on a couple of tetras and one tetra which died this morning had a lump on it's side. Quite a few fish, even the rummy noses are flashing a bit though. I added primafix over the last few days which I think has helped the tetras a bit but not the flashing of other fish. BTW is primafix or melafix better for that kind of Thing? Thanks for yr help. Also, do U use salt with yr loaches, corys? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted September 10, 2011 Report Share Posted September 10, 2011 Sounds like columnaris. Salt etc will not work try Furan2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted September 10, 2011 Report Share Posted September 10, 2011 Sounds like columnaris. Salt etc will not work try Furan2 Yeah that was what I was thinking.. There is a good article here that goes through all sorts of stuff.. http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/columnaris_disease.php But generally if it is columnaris then your pretty stuffed for getting rid of it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted September 10, 2011 Report Share Posted September 10, 2011 The other thing could be finrot from fin damage and an oportunistic fungal infection over the top. Furan will fix that as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcmillanm Posted September 10, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2011 Will columnaris cause lethargy and flashing in fish too? I underdosed with Furan-2 a few months ago as I was worried about my loaches but will do proper dose this time. BTW there is only minimum fin freying on the neons and a tiny bit of white near mouth. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted September 10, 2011 Report Share Posted September 10, 2011 Columnaris is a bacteria and is also known as saddleback (where it causes a patch over the back that looks like fungus), and also can cause a growth around the mouth that looks like and is called mouth fungus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcmillanm Posted September 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2011 Except for the neon which died and had some sort of sore on it's body there is very little 'white' on the other fish's mouths & fins seem a bit better too since adding primafix over last few days. I also lost a platy (which has looked lethargic with fins clamped for quite a while) and a rummy nose this week though. Sorry to keep on at it but will columnaris cause fish to often hang at bottom of tank with fins clamped and fish such as rummy nose, loaches, mollies and platies to flash on bottom and items in tank? Fish do seem a bit happier after a water change though. Dilemmas bit I just want to do what is best for fish... Shall I start with salt? Thanks everyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted September 11, 2011 Report Share Posted September 11, 2011 Flashing, lethargy and clamped fins are all signs of external parasites or bacterial infection. If there are no salt like white spots (whitespot) or pepper like spots (velvet) I would go with columnaris and salt will not do it. You need an antibiotic and furan is the easiest to get without a prescription. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcmillanm Posted September 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2011 Thanks for clearing that up:)) I started Furan yesterday. For those that have used it before and because it is so hard to get (I bought some for an emergency a few weeks ago) how important is it to do 4 doses? Would it be a waste of time to just do 2 (yesterday and today)? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted September 12, 2011 Report Share Posted September 12, 2011 With all antibiotics it is important to give the full dose as per the instructions or you can end up with resistant bacteria. Even more important with columnaris as it sometimes can be difficult to cure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcmillanm Posted September 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2011 That's what I thought U would say LOL. Anyone know where to get more Furan-2 from if needed? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted September 12, 2011 Report Share Posted September 12, 2011 Have you tried your petshop? Did you read any of the article I posted above? It has tons of info on treatment and symptoms and various other things.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcmillanm Posted September 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2011 Hi, yes I have read that article briefly a few times and just reread it again. It sounds like adding a little salt is beneficial so will do that after treatment and will also do some plant trimming and clearing up re the organic matter as some of my fish seem to enjoy chewing on plants and making a mess... I already do 2 water changes a week as I think tank is a little overstocked, have two filters and a UV filter. I feed them twice a day, maybe I need to cut back on this too or not feed at all one night a week - does anyone else do and recommend that? I really enjoy my fish & just want them happy so any ideas welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcmillanm Posted September 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2011 BTW - I've checked quite a few pet shops & Google re Furan-2 so woils like to know if anyone knows of any that still have it. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#!CrunchBang Posted September 12, 2011 Report Share Posted September 12, 2011 I bought mine here, for $2 per capsule. (One capsule treats 40L) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcmillanm Posted September 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2011 Thanks, that's where I got my last lot from. I was hoping someone more local had them but they seem to be the last ones. I'll see if they still have any. One capsule doses 40L but you need to dose 4 times so they soon add up LOL. cheers for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted September 12, 2011 Report Share Posted September 12, 2011 Thanks, that's where I got my last lot from. I was hoping someone more local had them but they seem to be the last ones. I'll see if they still have any. One capsule doses 40L but you need to dose 4 times so they soon add up LOL. cheers for that. To save money and meds you can always lower your water level enough that your filter and heater are still underwater.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcmillanm Posted September 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2011 Good thinking - sometimes the answer is so simple it stares right at you without you seeing it LOL! Will do that for the last dose. :thup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcmillanm Posted September 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2011 Well I finished dosing with Furan and fish are still flashing and some platies and a Molly still mainly sitting at bottom of tank with fins clamped. These are mainly pregnant females (the boy doing it died last week) so whatever it is is effecting fish with slightly weaker immune systems more which makes sense. A lot of fish still flashing though. I wondered about flukes??I rang HFF and was told it sounds like some sort of parasite bothering them but not flukes as fish not skinny and he recommended Formalin (at 1/3 dose due to my loaches and catfish). Has anyone had any success with this and found it safe with scaleless fish? Thanks :cofn: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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