Help please.Cardinals with white spot on mouth, in planted tank.

W

whoa

Registered Member
Feb 16, 2009
4
0
0
I know that my cardinal tetras do not have ich, however a have developed a small white spot on the corners of their mouth. All the water conditions are doing great. It is not overpopulated, and it is a planted 55g tank. The spots don't really look like fungus. We are leaning towards cotton mouth. How hard is it to treat? Can I treat them in a holistic way without medications? I am scared that my plants will die if I use meds. I have only one 10g quarintine tank, and if i move them, then they will be over crowded for sure.
There is also platies, neon tetras, and 3 catfish. I am worried about harming the bottom dwellers.

Advice greatly needed. Thanks in advance.
 
It may be "cotton mouth", also known as columnaris, which is a bacterial infection. It can be treated, but the earlier the better.

I have heard of some people treating with Melafix and pristine water in their tank, but I believe in using antibiotics.

Maracyn and Maracyn II are good to use together, as they treat both gram negative and gram positive infections.

Please click on this link and read a post I just made to help someone that I believe may have columnaris in his tank as well. There are pics in the post that will help you know what columnaris looks like.

If you can, post pics of your fish for us as soon as you can. Hope this info in the following link will be helpful. I would type it all here again, but it's late and I'm about to go to bed.

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=201071

Your fish may not have columnaris, but it sounds like they may. Update us as soon as you can after you compare your fish to the pics in my post.

Post pictures of your own fish as soon as you can.

Hope your fish will be OK.
 
I am thrilled that you were able to catch this early, and that your fish are well. Keep a close eye on your parameters since your successful treatment of your tank.

Mardel states that those two do not impact your filter, but I believe it is possible, so you want to monitor for any levels of ammonia and nitrites, especially, and do needed water changes to keep their water pristine.

In case you are using strips, you will be much better able to know accurately what the prameters are if you use a liquid test kit. The strips give false readings and you can't rely on them. I may be preaching to the choir, if you already are using liquid testing equipment then you are doing great.

Just remember, water quality issues are usually behind the outbreak of any bacterial infection, or parasitic, or fungal as well. Fish in pristine water conditions have healthier immune systems and can usually fight off many pathogens, not that they can't contract something from newly introduced fish, which is why quarantining new fish is so important.

Again, I'm so glad your fish are better, and thanks, so much, for posting the update with that good news.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom