Re-Occurance of Columnaris

stormywendyann

stormywendyann

AC Members
Apr 21, 2012
672
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Westchester, CA
Real Name
Wendy Lubianetsky
I had a case of columnaris on three of my fish. I used API's Melafix and Pimafix and API's medication for Cotton Mouth. I finished the dose of API's Medication and continued with the Melafix and Pimafix for a few days. When I thought it was gone, I stopped the Melafix and Pimafix. It went for 3 days okay, and I noticed it is back just a little bit this morning. :nutkick: Should I retreat with medication or just restart the Mela and Pima? This morning I caught the two infected fish and wiped the infected area really good with hydrogen peroxide as recommended by someone on this website.

The API medication started my cycle all over again so I am doing 50% water changes everyday (100 gallon tank) and cleaing the substrate everyday. Before that I was doing water changes every 3 days (because one of my fish is an Oscar, not infected). This was not caused by bad water quality, I keep my water pristine and I check the water parameters everyday. I am kinda anal about keeping my tanks clean.
:cry:
Any ideas out there?
 
:feedback:
 
You've been treating the whole 100g tank? No Q tank?
I'm no expert on this but I would retreat again. I would hate
to treat the whole tank though. Try and get a cheap 10g and run a
small hob on your tank for things like this(unfortunately there'll always be a next time). I do that now and it's alot
better. I just used it for a gourami that got into a fight and one of my bolivian
rams that seems to have his tail fin partially bitten off.
 
Thanks, that is what I am doing now. I should have done it a long time ago. And yes, I have been treating the whole 100 gallon tank. The two fish that have it would never fit into any other tank I have, maybe one of them, and I am afraid it will break out on the other fish.
 
Hi Wendy - If you're sure it's Columnaris, it needs to be treated with gram-negative antibiotics, so it would help to know exactly which one you tried.

Water bath treatments don't always work because some drugs recommended like Tetracycline are ineffective with a pH above 7.2-something. If the fish are still eating, medicated food is a far more reliable method. It gets into them quickly without killing your filter (not to mention your wallet!).

If you have any of the API powder left, it should have directions on how to mix it into their food. Stirring in a little crushed garlic or garlic oil will help it adhere to the food and disguises the taste.
 
Are you positive its columnaris? When I had an outbreak the fish affected died within 24-48 hrs of.showing signs amd I lost pretty much a fish a day until treatment. Maracyn 1 and 2 are what I read is most effective ( though I only used maracyn 2) once I started maracyn 2 the deaths stopped instantly.

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