Zedd Posted November 8, 2005 Report Share Posted November 8, 2005 I have a Red Flame Gourami that has mouth fungus (I think), have been on the net, and can't see anything else it could be. She has a pink mouth with white stuff on it, her bite marks are looking a bit pink too. We had a golden gourami who killed off the red flame male, and striped male too, then he started atacking the red flame female. We had to empty the tank to catch the golden and gave him to the local fish store. We have moved the female into hospital tank and have been treating with melafix for 4 nights now. She isn't looking much better although she is still eating. No other fish in big tank are showing any signs of this. Is there anything else I can do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted November 8, 2005 Report Share Posted November 8, 2005 I'm not sure Melafix is the right thing. You need to use a fungus remedy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted November 8, 2005 Report Share Posted November 8, 2005 Mouth fungus is a bacteria and needs to be treated with an antibiotic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluetom Posted November 8, 2005 Report Share Posted November 8, 2005 would mouth fungus not be a fungus??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted November 9, 2005 Report Share Posted November 9, 2005 Found this on The Tropical Tank site... Columnaris (mouth rot, mouth fungus, 'flex') Symptoms Early signs of this disease are greyish-white marks or patches around the mouth, or on the body or fins of the fish. These may appear thread-like, particularly around the mouth, giving rise to the incorrect name of 'mouth fungus'. Fins will deteriorate and sores may appear on the body. The gills may be affected, giving rise to bacterial gill disease. It may cause 'shimmying' behaviour in fishes like livebearers. Causes The disease is caused by the bacteria Flavobacterium colmnare, formerly known as Flexibacter columnaris. It has been refered to as 'mouth fungus' (even though the cause is bacterial), due to the whitish strands which may appear fungus-like. These are Gram-negative, rod shaped bacteria, which move by gliding across a surface. As with many bacterial diseases, poor water quality is a major factor in triggering the disease. Sudden changes in conditions may also trigger it, and the disease is common in newly imported fish. Possible cures Anti-bacterial medications should cure this disease if used promptly. At later stages, the bacteria may invade internal organs, in which case only antibiotics may be effective. Several strains exist which vary in their virulence (how 'aggressively' they cause disease).. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zedd Posted November 9, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 9, 2005 Thanks for the advice - will look into an antibiotic, although the melafix label says that it cures mouth fungus. Mind you I'm not totally sure thats what it is. It looked more like cotton wool than string like. And it isn't grey, more pink and white. Will have to catch her again now, we sprung a leak in cichlid tank this morning so she had to go back to community tank, and cichlids lived in hospital tank for the day! Have sorted leak and they back in their own tank, but the gourami is hiding now, she's very uninterested in moving again. Hopefully I will be able to catch her tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted November 9, 2005 Report Share Posted November 9, 2005 It sounds like mouth fungus (columnaris). Blue green algae can be red and is also a bacteria. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted November 10, 2005 Report Share Posted November 10, 2005 I am advised that the easiest cure is Furan 2 from the pet shop. Follow the instructions you will need to treat more than once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zedd Posted November 21, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 21, 2005 Thanks for all the advice, unfortunately we lost the gourami, I thought we would as we had left it too late. But now my favorite clown loach has a patch just above his mouth, it doesn't quite look the same, but we have bought Furan 2 and have dosed the tank tonight, will move him into hospital tank soon but want to treat whole tank first. I will be devestated if I loose him, he's the friendly show off out of the three of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted November 21, 2005 Report Share Posted November 21, 2005 It's pretty virulent and can manifest in other ways such as saddle back and invasion through lesions so it would pay to treat the whole tank and retreat in 3 days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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