Big water changes will help, if nothing else the pristine water conditions will help her fight this.
I don't know for sure, but I would imagine the antibiotics would be hard on the fry, but the others would be alright. The thing is, it's in your tank and there's a strong probability that the others are, or will, become infected.
The use of salt is controversial, but I have read an abstract that details the use of varying degrees of salinity and its effect in tanks containing fish infected with Columnaris and fish that have been exposed but not infected yet.
Researchers studied the effect of salinities of .1%, .2% and .3% on test subjects that were infected, and those that were in the tank with infected fish, but not infected yet.
In tanks with .3% salinity there were no mortalities in fish that did not have frank infection, it prevented the bacteria from attaching to the surface of the fish, and it was believed to slow down the spread of it in those showing symptoms.
It seems that in vitro studies done by the researchers in that study show the bacteria actually worsen, but does that mean that it is absolutely in every case worse in vivo? In fish already sick with the infection? I can attach the link to the above mentioned study.
I have copied and pasted a scholarly article regarding Columnaris, documenting the use of salt in treating Discus, that seems to indicate otherwise, later in this post.
At the least I think that slowly bringing your tank up to .3% very likely will help tank occupants that are not already infected. I have maintained a .3% salinity while treating Ich for 28 days with no ill effects on Brochis, Otos, and Ramshorns, all of which are species that are sensitive to salt.
In the scholarly article written by Dougal Stewart, BSc (hons), a discus breeder, on the subject of salt dips in treating Discus with Columnaris, he and other Discus breeders have had dramatic success with very ill fish using salt dips. Not just in preventing infection in exposed fish, but in treating fish with frank Columnaris infection.
Salt dips are not for the faint of heart, as this procedure can be scary and dangerous if not done properly.
I don't see why the results documented with Discus in his article would be necessarily different for all other fish merely because of species differences, though that is not a scientific statement, I know.
I'm including the link, and here's an excerpt from Mr. Stewart's article. The full article also is very interesting and informative, going into the strains of Columnaris, symtoms, contributing factors, a lot of really good information. There are also other non-antibiotic treatments he discusses, such as Potassium Permanganate, Hydrogen Peroxide and others.
This excerpt gives a case example and discusses salt dip methodology. When you have time read the full article; the following excerpt discusses salt dips, which seem a lot easier than the other non-antibiotic methods he discusses.
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/columnaris_disease.php
Columnaris outbreak - an example
Whilst the best �cure� for columnaris is prevention; F. columnare is such a ubiquitous organism, that there is a high probability that at some point in our fish keeping lives, our stock will suffer from an outbreak. The example that follows is based on a factual occurrence and the text was provided by Davis Gailitis.
�One day I looked into my tank and noticed that one of my discus looked different� . . . �she had a spot on her left side just below the beginning of her dorsal fin. It looked like a scale had come up a bit. I now know looking back that I should have looked closer at it. I just did a casual glance and assumed that was what it was. I didn't think anything of it, except to look at it again later that day�
�Things stayed the same for several days and I was not overly concerned.�
�On the fourth day I noticed the scale that was turned up, now looked like a small pimple, all white, around 3ml in diameter and about the same in distance protruding from the body.�
�The next morning I looked at her when she was facing sideways to me all of a sudden I could see, in her slime coat, this white opaque haze, circular in form, about the size of an American dime.�
�Later that evening the opaque circle had grown t the size of an American Quarter. Up until this point, my fish had behaved normally and was eating with the rest. Tonight, she was at the back of the tank, facing the corner, and getting progressively darker.�
Following discussion with Fred Goodall and further investigation - several days of treatment were performed with the result of . . . �She is fine now and is horny as hell, she has also found a mate in the tank and is on a four day cycle with laying of eggs!�
In my experience Davis� example is very common. It is important to mention here that this is only one manifestation of columnaris. In many cases columnaris has been known to effectively wipe-out several hundred discus in a matter of weeks; with the first deaths occurring within hours of a new shipment arriving at the retailers.
Should you be unfortunate enough to experience columnaris, the disease must be brought under control as soon as practically possible.
In Davis� example, the treatment referred to, was the application of a series of salt dips, coupled with in tank temperatures of 35oC, large daily water changes using fresh conditioned water, and scrupulous tank hygiene. Below, I list a couple of methods that I have used and that have worked for me and others I have visited. If you choose to use the examples � do so with great care � remember, the onus is on you to make judgements regarding appropriate treatment and the current condition and status of your fish and tanks � if you are unsure, nervous or need help, please ask, or seek professional advice.
Discus Salt Dip Methodology
Type of salt to use:
The type of salt used should be non-iodized and contain no �free flow� or other additives (e.g. no iodine or sodium ferrocyanide etc. I have used �Freshwater Aquarium Salt�, rock salt and sea salt. If purchasing non-aquarium salt please read the packaging carefully as current trends show an increase in the use of additives even in natural products such as rock salt (UK).
If new to Salt Dipping
If new to dipping fish a good place to start would be with a 1.5-2% salt solution; for more experienced users I would suggest you start with a 3% solution immediately. The solution should be made up in a clean bucket or spare (fishless) tank. Whilst it is preferable to weigh out the correct amount of salt e.g. for a 2% solution one would use 20g of salt per litre of water, the following approximate measure are given for the sake of simplicity.
1 TABLESPOON of salt approximates to 15grams.
Therefore 1 TABLESPOON of salt per litre of water equates to a 1.5% solution
Worked examples (See Table 1 for other strengths):
� If your bucket/tank contains 10 litres of water you would add 13 tablespoons of salt to get an approximate 2% salt solution
� Or - If you place 3 US gallons of water in a 5 gallon bucket you would add 14� tablespoons of salt - to get an approximate 2% solution.
And so on
� It is important to ensure that the salt is fully dissolved before placing the fish in the bucket/tank and that the water temperature matches the tank from which the fish are taken.
As you will need to multi-dip throughout the day, place a heater in the tank, if you do not want to have to remake new salt solution each time; personally I make a fresh solution for each dip.
Before you place the fish in the solution please remember that:
� The length of time that you can leave discus in the solution varies greatly from a few seconds to 30 minutes
o 5 minutes would be a reasonable average
� The time they tolerate the dip DECREASES with the number of dips performed in a 24 hour period
� The fish MUST NOT be left unattended
� During the treatment your fish may show some interesting discolouration, do not worry this is short term.
Place the fish into the solution as quickly and as carefully as possible - then observe closely.
Initially, the respiration of the fish will increase substantially, 120 gill beats per minute is not uncommon. At some point, the fish will keel over on its side - and it is at this point that the novice should remove the fishand return it to its tank. If you are confident and experienced in dipping you may want to extend the time that the fish is exposed to the saline solution - I have found it effective to leave the fish in the solution until the gill beats have slowed to around 20 bpm - irrespective of whether the fish has keeled over or not.
Once the fish are returned to their tank they should within a few minutes regain their composure. If they appear to be in difficulty, the fish can be supported using your hands and then gently pulled backwards through the water at a slow pace - so that water is forced over the gills.
I have dipped 5 times a day for up to 7 days and there has been no lasting negative effect. It is important that the dips continue until all visible signs of infection are gone.
10
Litres
10
US Gallons
10
Imperial Gallons
10
Litres
10
US Gallons
10
Imperial Gallons
Tables 1 A & B give approximate figures for various salt solution concentrations. It must be remembered that Table B are coarse approximations only.
Important Note:
In regards to salt dipping it may be argued that returning the dipped fish to the tank from which it came is pointless � this is not the case. Ideally we would want to return the fish to a tank which had been sterilised and which contained 100% fresh (but conditioned) water, with a matured filter. It is important to remember here, that all we are doing is �knocking back� the population of a ubiquitous organism and promoting the production of copious amounts of slime layer in order that the fish immune system can regain control and management of the problem. If we must return the fish to the same tank etc. then large water changes with conditioned water, scrupulous tank hygiene and the addition of salt at a rate of 2 table spoons per 10 gallons (assuming that the tank does not contain delicate plants or salt intolerant species) can work wonders � in conjunction with correct salt dipping.
Whilst I personally prefer the use of salt - it should not be forgotten that there are several alternatives. In relation to discus, various combinations of: potassium permanganate, formalin, temperature, hydrogen peroxide, acetic acid, large water changes, and so on, have been used to help CONTROL the external infection - with the likelihood of success being dependent on the virulence of the strain involved.
scrupulous tank hygiene and appropriate stocking levels and feeding regimes. Finally, if faced with an emergency and you suspect that your fish may be suffering from a virulent form of columnaris disease, and you neither have access to a microscope or an appropriate expert, the �broad spectrum effect� on a variety of microbes, that can achieved by 2 days of repeated salt dips; coupled with large regular water changes; may have wondrous results � and is certainly worth a try.
Dougall Stewart BSc (Hons)
Personally, I would be afraid to try salt dips unless, and my treatment of choice would be a combo of antibiotics to treat the sick fish, and the increased salinity to prevent the spread of infection.
If it were late at night, with no other options, and I was positive this was Columnaris in a fish that seems to be unlikely to last the night, I would try it.
I don't know for sure, but I would imagine the antibiotics would be hard on the fry, but the others would be alright. The thing is, it's in your tank and there's a strong probability that the others are, or will, become infected.
The use of salt is controversial, but I have read an abstract that details the use of varying degrees of salinity and its effect in tanks containing fish infected with Columnaris and fish that have been exposed but not infected yet.
Researchers studied the effect of salinities of .1%, .2% and .3% on test subjects that were infected, and those that were in the tank with infected fish, but not infected yet.
In tanks with .3% salinity there were no mortalities in fish that did not have frank infection, it prevented the bacteria from attaching to the surface of the fish, and it was believed to slow down the spread of it in those showing symptoms.
It seems that in vitro studies done by the researchers in that study show the bacteria actually worsen, but does that mean that it is absolutely in every case worse in vivo? In fish already sick with the infection? I can attach the link to the above mentioned study.
I have copied and pasted a scholarly article regarding Columnaris, documenting the use of salt in treating Discus, that seems to indicate otherwise, later in this post.
At the least I think that slowly bringing your tank up to .3% very likely will help tank occupants that are not already infected. I have maintained a .3% salinity while treating Ich for 28 days with no ill effects on Brochis, Otos, and Ramshorns, all of which are species that are sensitive to salt.
In the scholarly article written by Dougal Stewart, BSc (hons), a discus breeder, on the subject of salt dips in treating Discus with Columnaris, he and other Discus breeders have had dramatic success with very ill fish using salt dips. Not just in preventing infection in exposed fish, but in treating fish with frank Columnaris infection.
Salt dips are not for the faint of heart, as this procedure can be scary and dangerous if not done properly.
I don't see why the results documented with Discus in his article would be necessarily different for all other fish merely because of species differences, though that is not a scientific statement, I know.
I'm including the link, and here's an excerpt from Mr. Stewart's article. The full article also is very interesting and informative, going into the strains of Columnaris, symtoms, contributing factors, a lot of really good information. There are also other non-antibiotic treatments he discusses, such as Potassium Permanganate, Hydrogen Peroxide and others.
This excerpt gives a case example and discusses salt dip methodology. When you have time read the full article; the following excerpt discusses salt dips, which seem a lot easier than the other non-antibiotic methods he discusses.
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/columnaris_disease.php
Columnaris outbreak - an example
Whilst the best �cure� for columnaris is prevention; F. columnare is such a ubiquitous organism, that there is a high probability that at some point in our fish keeping lives, our stock will suffer from an outbreak. The example that follows is based on a factual occurrence and the text was provided by Davis Gailitis.
�One day I looked into my tank and noticed that one of my discus looked different� . . . �she had a spot on her left side just below the beginning of her dorsal fin. It looked like a scale had come up a bit. I now know looking back that I should have looked closer at it. I just did a casual glance and assumed that was what it was. I didn't think anything of it, except to look at it again later that day�
�Things stayed the same for several days and I was not overly concerned.�
�On the fourth day I noticed the scale that was turned up, now looked like a small pimple, all white, around 3ml in diameter and about the same in distance protruding from the body.�
�The next morning I looked at her when she was facing sideways to me all of a sudden I could see, in her slime coat, this white opaque haze, circular in form, about the size of an American dime.�
�Later that evening the opaque circle had grown t the size of an American Quarter. Up until this point, my fish had behaved normally and was eating with the rest. Tonight, she was at the back of the tank, facing the corner, and getting progressively darker.�
Following discussion with Fred Goodall and further investigation - several days of treatment were performed with the result of . . . �She is fine now and is horny as hell, she has also found a mate in the tank and is on a four day cycle with laying of eggs!�
Davis Gailitis
In my experience Davis� example is very common. It is important to mention here that this is only one manifestation of columnaris. In many cases columnaris has been known to effectively wipe-out several hundred discus in a matter of weeks; with the first deaths occurring within hours of a new shipment arriving at the retailers.
Should you be unfortunate enough to experience columnaris, the disease must be brought under control as soon as practically possible.
In Davis� example, the treatment referred to, was the application of a series of salt dips, coupled with in tank temperatures of 35oC, large daily water changes using fresh conditioned water, and scrupulous tank hygiene. Below, I list a couple of methods that I have used and that have worked for me and others I have visited. If you choose to use the examples � do so with great care � remember, the onus is on you to make judgements regarding appropriate treatment and the current condition and status of your fish and tanks � if you are unsure, nervous or need help, please ask, or seek professional advice.
Discus Salt Dip Methodology
Type of salt to use:
The type of salt used should be non-iodized and contain no �free flow� or other additives (e.g. no iodine or sodium ferrocyanide etc. I have used �Freshwater Aquarium Salt�, rock salt and sea salt. If purchasing non-aquarium salt please read the packaging carefully as current trends show an increase in the use of additives even in natural products such as rock salt (UK).
If new to Salt Dipping
If new to dipping fish a good place to start would be with a 1.5-2% salt solution; for more experienced users I would suggest you start with a 3% solution immediately. The solution should be made up in a clean bucket or spare (fishless) tank. Whilst it is preferable to weigh out the correct amount of salt e.g. for a 2% solution one would use 20g of salt per litre of water, the following approximate measure are given for the sake of simplicity.
1 TABLESPOON of salt approximates to 15grams.
Therefore 1 TABLESPOON of salt per litre of water equates to a 1.5% solution
Worked examples (See Table 1 for other strengths):
� If your bucket/tank contains 10 litres of water you would add 13 tablespoons of salt to get an approximate 2% salt solution
� Or - If you place 3 US gallons of water in a 5 gallon bucket you would add 14� tablespoons of salt - to get an approximate 2% solution.
And so on
� It is important to ensure that the salt is fully dissolved before placing the fish in the bucket/tank and that the water temperature matches the tank from which the fish are taken.
As you will need to multi-dip throughout the day, place a heater in the tank, if you do not want to have to remake new salt solution each time; personally I make a fresh solution for each dip.
Before you place the fish in the solution please remember that:
� The length of time that you can leave discus in the solution varies greatly from a few seconds to 30 minutes
o 5 minutes would be a reasonable average
� The time they tolerate the dip DECREASES with the number of dips performed in a 24 hour period
� The fish MUST NOT be left unattended
� During the treatment your fish may show some interesting discolouration, do not worry this is short term.
Place the fish into the solution as quickly and as carefully as possible - then observe closely.
Initially, the respiration of the fish will increase substantially, 120 gill beats per minute is not uncommon. At some point, the fish will keel over on its side - and it is at this point that the novice should remove the fishand return it to its tank. If you are confident and experienced in dipping you may want to extend the time that the fish is exposed to the saline solution - I have found it effective to leave the fish in the solution until the gill beats have slowed to around 20 bpm - irrespective of whether the fish has keeled over or not.
Once the fish are returned to their tank they should within a few minutes regain their composure. If they appear to be in difficulty, the fish can be supported using your hands and then gently pulled backwards through the water at a slow pace - so that water is forced over the gills.
I have dipped 5 times a day for up to 7 days and there has been no lasting negative effect. It is important that the dips continue until all visible signs of infection are gone.
Salt Solution
0.1%
0.2%
0.3%
1%
2%
3%
Litres
1
2
3
100
200
300
salt
in grams
in grams
US Gallons
3.8
7.6
11.4
379
757
1136
Imperial Gallons
4.6
9.1
13.6
455
909
1364
TABLE 1A
Salt Solution
0.1%
0.2%
0.3%
1%
2%
3%
Litres
0.07
0.13
0.2
6.7
13
20
salt
in table-spoons
in table-spoons
US Gallons
0.25
0.5
0.76
25
50
75.7
Imperial Gallons
0.3
0.61
0.91
30
61
90.9
TABLE 1B
Tables 1 A & B give approximate figures for various salt solution concentrations. It must be remembered that Table B are coarse approximations only.
Important Note:
In regards to salt dipping it may be argued that returning the dipped fish to the tank from which it came is pointless � this is not the case. Ideally we would want to return the fish to a tank which had been sterilised and which contained 100% fresh (but conditioned) water, with a matured filter. It is important to remember here, that all we are doing is �knocking back� the population of a ubiquitous organism and promoting the production of copious amounts of slime layer in order that the fish immune system can regain control and management of the problem. If we must return the fish to the same tank etc. then large water changes with conditioned water, scrupulous tank hygiene and the addition of salt at a rate of 2 table spoons per 10 gallons (assuming that the tank does not contain delicate plants or salt intolerant species) can work wonders � in conjunction with correct salt dipping.
Whilst I personally prefer the use of salt - it should not be forgotten that there are several alternatives. In relation to discus, various combinations of: potassium permanganate, formalin, temperature, hydrogen peroxide, acetic acid, large water changes, and so on, have been used to help CONTROL the external infection - with the likelihood of success being dependent on the virulence of the strain involved.
scrupulous tank hygiene and appropriate stocking levels and feeding regimes. Finally, if faced with an emergency and you suspect that your fish may be suffering from a virulent form of columnaris disease, and you neither have access to a microscope or an appropriate expert, the �broad spectrum effect� on a variety of microbes, that can achieved by 2 days of repeated salt dips; coupled with large regular water changes; may have wondrous results � and is certainly worth a try.
Dougall Stewart BSc (Hons)
Personally, I would be afraid to try salt dips unless, and my treatment of choice would be a combo of antibiotics to treat the sick fish, and the increased salinity to prevent the spread of infection.
If it were late at night, with no other options, and I was positive this was Columnaris in a fish that seems to be unlikely to last the night, I would try it.
Last edited:
