Fish Fungus?

Question

I have a 55 gallon tank with two large African Cichlids (a Red Devil and a Buttikorphori), a 16 inch albino Channel Catfish, and a few others. The Red Devil is always stressed and he has contracted a horrible fungus as a result. I have dosed the tank with Ich-Rid time and time again and have now even quarantined him. Now whats happening is my small cory cats and pangatius cat have all died off from the fungus, pretty horribly...their attenae go limp, their eyes coat with cotton like fungus, they go blind and die. Now my Albino Channel is sick and I need a solution...the rid-ich isnt working, my fish are in trouble, and I need help. Oddly enough, the Buttikorphori has never shown signs of illness. What do i do?

Answer 1

you need to do a 50-75% water change and add meds to the water try Melafix works great on fungus

Answer 2

First you want to check your water parameters, if these are off all treatments ill be less effective or even more poisonous:

*Ammonia -0
*Nitrites- 0
*kH - a minimum of 80 ppm for these fish, this is important! If you do not have at least minor amounts of calcium, your fish will have poor osmotic function.

First note that you may not have true fungus but instead have Columnaris (Flavobacterium columnare), which is a gram negative bacterial infection in which many remedies will not be effective.

Remedies:
*Start with water changes, a 25% water change before each treatment is very useful.

*Proper electrolytes: one tablespoon of pure salt will supply some sodium chloride electrolytes; a Wonder Shell will supply calcium and magnesium electrolytes.

* A medicated bath for 30 minutes in a solution of 1/2 gallon and methylene blue will help with gill infections as well as kill most fungus and many bacterium and parasites.

* In tank treatment, for a true fungus MarOxy along with treatments that have Malachite Green, copper, and methylene blue are also effective (such as Medicated Wonder Shells).
If you are not sure if this is a true fungus, Pimafix is a useful gram negative treatment (not Melafix which is gram positive and totally useless against gram negative infections). For even stronger treatments for columnaris, Kanamycin and/or Nitrofurazone are good antibiotic choices. Triple sulfa also can work in mild bacterial infections and mild to strong fungal infections.

For more information about Columnaris, please read my article here (including pictures): http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Columnaris.html

For more treatment information, please see this article:
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquarium_Medication.html

Answer 3

I have been in the same boat as you!! I have two red belly piranha, and I have had them since they were 1 and half inches long. I search the web and found that they have Saprolegnia Fungas, its not ich, So therefor you need a different med. I used Mardel "brand name" MAROXY, it is for true fungal infections. My fish had the same things going on as yours, I was very scared I would loose them since it is hard to raise piranhas, and they have reached 4 to 5 inches, I treated them twice in two days and did not feed for four days, They seemed to be perking up and the cotton stuff is gone. I lost a pleco who was in the tank with them, So, go to a good site on the web and look up that fungas, they say copper based treatments will do but I had great results with this treatment. Good luck!!!

Answer 4

Do a large water change. 50%. Vacuum the gravel (this will help take out most of that water) Add aquarium salt. And treat the fungus with Melafix. You can get it at any fish store or walmart. Make sure you de-chlorinate the new water.

Answer 5

looks like your fish have Ick, and that's one among those fungus. visit the puppy shop and visit the fish section and are available across a bottle of drugs that works on Ick and in case you won't be in a position to hit upon it there then visit a fish distinctiveness shop and that they could desire to have what you go with. you place a number of drops on your tank over a quantity of time and that could desire to eliminate the subject. do no longer neglect to speak with a revenues guy or woman who knows approximately treating this affliction and study the bottle closely and shop on with the learning. sturdy success!

Answer 6

did you try putting some salt in the water or changing it.

Answer 7

just throw it away and spray it