Krissie Posted July 11, 2006 Report Share Posted July 11, 2006 Can anyone tell what sort of infection this is... baterial, fungal, Viral? apparently, according to some online research, this may be what is making my inlaws Bala Shark sick. I'm currently treating with Furran 2, which is an anti-biotic eh? Is this the right treatment? Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted July 12, 2006 Report Share Posted July 12, 2006 Do you mean Costia, which is a protozoa and can be cured with quinine,mepacrine etc. Other people may have more easily obtainable cures but I don't think furan will do the trick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krissie Posted July 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2006 lol.... ooops! :lol: Yes i meant Costia! :oops: What are common brand names for treatments? Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpidersWeb Posted July 12, 2006 Report Share Posted July 12, 2006 Malachite Green and Formalin. Some fish are sensitive (e.g. death) to the Green. Not sure about Bala Sharks. Formalin makes it harder to breath, so additional air is helpful. If you dont have a hospital or quaranteene tank, then perhaps lookup the required dosage for a formalin/green bath. Just treat it like any other parasite problem. If you want to learn all you can, here is a good page http://www.fishdoc.co.uk/disease/costia.htm Good luck to ya shark! (NB: this information is based on what I've read, not on actual experience, hence the line in my signature below) Treating mild to moderate outbreaks is fairly easy, usually requiring just one treatment. Most proprietary parasite treatments will work. My own preference is malachite and formalin, provided that fish are not suffering from gill damage. Prolonged immersion with potassium permanganate is another option but again this is not advisable if gill damage is suspected. When gill damage is suspected salt offers the safest route as either a bath treatment (20 - 25g/litre for 20 - 30 minutes) or as a long-term immersion at 3-5g/litre. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krissie Posted July 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2006 Ok. cool. So Malachite Green and Formalin. Sweet. Problem.... I have Formalin (5%), and i have another product that has Malachite in it, but it also has Methylene blue @ 1.5%, Acriflavine @ 0.05%, and Quinine @ 0.04%. (Malachite @ 0.1%) It is called Wunder Tonic, from Brooklands Aquarium, New Plymouth. Can i mix the two? Keeping in mind i have been using Furran 2 in the tank for a week. Or... Can i just go out and buy Malachite Green straight, and use that with the formalin stuff? Or... do i just treat one med at a time? *sigh* Gets complicated after a while, especially when you sucked at science! lol Cheers for your help Spidersweb! I really, really appreciate it! You too alanmin! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpidersWeb Posted July 12, 2006 Report Share Posted July 12, 2006 I'd take it easy for the mean time. If the Shark is getting worse, then maybe the Formalin, make sure there is lots of surface movement (for oxygen), and do a large water change if the fish show signs of distress. Furan2 does say it can be used with other medications, and I have used it with Formalin before but kind of hesitant about recommending you do so unless its absolutely necessary as it may cause extra stress your angels. Personally I'd pass on the Wunder Tonic if you're using Formalin. Once you get through this, you'll want to work out what caused the immune systems in your fish to lower. Prevention is easier than the cure etc etc etc Good luck once again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharn Posted July 12, 2006 Report Share Posted July 12, 2006 dont mix the meds. also that 5% stuff is apparently more useless than more water :lol: i thought some fish a while back had flukes and bought some 5% formalin, i then got told this :lol: i am unsure where you could get stronger stuff from though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kazz Posted July 12, 2006 Report Share Posted July 12, 2006 You can get the stronger formalin from a chemist, but you have to be careful when handling it. Goodluck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krissie Posted July 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2006 One Angel is already back in the main tank, and the other is 99% better, so i'm guessing he may be ok to go back into the main tank in a few days. I'm rehoming two of my fish out of my main tank tomorrow, to lessen the fighting in there. ( 1 male Severum, & 1 Male Killifish ) Both are excess to what i want in my tank, so i don't mind losing them too much. My Angels will be rehomed once they are well enough, as My 'Main Man' (Full Adult Male Severum) needs different tankmates. Once the sick Angel is better, then i'll change the treatment to suit the shark. Causes?: My Angels... being hasseled, then a big water change, so Stress mainly! The Bala Shark... From my Inlaws tank which is IMO overcrowded, They overfeed, and their Kribs are breeding so probably harrasment too. Also a new fish that was put straight in that had a small 'white' patch on his dorsal fin (he's fine though of course?!) I'm going there tomorrow to check on the rest of the fish, and test the water too as they never do. :-? Thanks for the advice on the Formalin... but may still use it as the shark has regained some colour but is sitting on the bottom of the tank alot so i assume he is not recovering. Furran has helped him though, that is very obvious, love the stuff now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krissie Posted July 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 18, 2006 was not Costia, was Columnaris. He died this morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharn Posted July 19, 2006 Report Share Posted July 19, 2006 ahhh, that columanris is nasty. i think furan helps for that though? sorry for your loss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krissie Posted July 19, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2006 yes the furran is the correct meds but i stopped it when i thort it was a costia infection. By the time i realised it was Columnaris, it was too late. He died the morning i was going to start up the furran again. I was not in the best of moods over this loss, mainly because i tried so hard and still lost him. But i learnt somthing in the process, that will help in the future. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpidersWeb Posted July 19, 2006 Report Share Posted July 19, 2006 Sincere condolences on your loss Krissie. It is really hard to know what to do when you can't take your pet to the vet. As you said, learned something new, did ya best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.