If columnaris, Kanamycin in not the choice of med. My choice would be Oxytetracycline (Terramycin). But before treating with OxyTC, I would try to correct the water condition/provide ideal condition for Gymno. I guess you could keep fish in question in Q/T but in ideal water condition (if their main tank water is not most ideal condition) and observe, if and when possible.
I don't know if it's a good idea for me to setup another tank, and stress them more buy pulling them out and putting them in another tank. I have been treating with melafix for 2 days, but I'm gonna grab a better antiobiotic tonight at the LFS.
Good move Pappy, I'm sure that link helped very much.
Excellent information by Flaringshutter. I think everyone should copy and paste that link to their personal files on FW diseases. I have it saved in a folder on my desktop.
Another good bit of information is this excerpt from article by Dr. Barb, veterinarian, of Flippers 'n' Fins website. I've attached a link to a slideshow that has good photos of Columnaris, which btw is caused by the bacterium that was formerly more commonly known as Flexibacter, but now is more accurately known as Flavobacterium columnare. Nevertheless... an excellent article and photos that are helpful, as well.
"...The treatment of Flexibacter is best accomplished by feeding medicated food, containing oxytetracycline, tetracycline or kanamycin. Other antibiotic-laced foods may contain antibiotics, to which Flexibacter is resistant, such as ormetoprim and sulfadimethoxine, so, substitutes are not acceptable.
The unfortunate problem with this disease is that the infected fish rapidly becomes ill and stops eating, especially if it has “Mouth Fungus”, therefore, treating with medicated food may not be an option.
Antibiotics in the water would be the next treatment option. It is best to perform this type of antibiotic treatment in a separate “hospital” tank as this removes the sick fish from the healthy ones in the main tank, does not unnecessarily expose the healthy fish to antibiotics and medication costs will be lower when treating in a smaller tank. However, if multiple fish are infected in the main tank, then it may need to be treated.
Kanamycin (Kanaplex, Kanacyn) daily in the water is a great first choice for treating Flexibacter and it usually does not harm the biological filter (the “good guy” bacteria). As an alternative, erythromycin (plain Maracyn) or tetracycline can be used. When using either erythromycin or tetracycline in an established (“cycled”) tank, be sure to watch your water parameters, as these two antibiotics may harm the biological filter.
Likewise, nitrofurazone (Fungus Eliminator) works well against Flexibacter but can harm the bio filter. Cephalexin (Keflex, Velosef) can be used at the rate of 250 mg per 10 gallons daily preceded by a 25% water change but this cephalosporin antibiotic is harmful to the biological filter.
For those fishkeepers living outside of the United States, who are unable to obtain the antibiotics mentioned, then either Waterlife’s Myxazin or Interpet’s Anti-Fungus and Finrot would be the best treatment to choose.
Other antibiotics, which may be effective against Flexibacter are nifurpirinol, acriflavine, chloramphenicol and malachite green. Disinfectant dips, such as with quaternary ammonium, and prolonged immersion in potassium permanganate or copper sulfate have been advocated.
Aeromonas, another gram-negative bacterium ubiquitous to one’s tank, often infects a Flexibacter-infected fish at the same time (secondary bacterial infection) and is thought to be the cause of death in many cases of Flexibacter infection. Therefore, treatment should also be aimed at this bacterium. If you are already using kanamycin (Kanacyn) in the water to treat the Flexibacter, it will also treat the Aeromonas. If you are alternatively using either erythromycin (plain Maracyn) or tetracycline, then treat simultaneously with minocycline (Maracyn-Two) for the Aeromonas.
Both kanamycin and minocycline are antibiotics, which are considered not to be harmful to the biological filter, but at high dosages, kanamycin can harm the bio filter.
Be sure to remove all activated carbon when treating with antibiotics in the water. All antibiotic treatment should be continued for a minimum of 10 days and the decision for treatment beyond 10 days will depend upon how well one’s fish is recovering.
Bring the water temperature down in the main tank until it is at 75-76ºF (24ºC), to slow the growth of Flexibacter. The water temperature in the hospital tank must not go above 76ºF (24ºC) for the duration of treatment.
In short, treatment for a Flexibacter infection in a hospital tank would look like the following…
Feed medicated food containing oxytetracycline, tetracycline or kanamycin.
Kanamycin (Kanaplex or Kanamycin) daily in the water for both Flexibacter and Aeromonas. As an alternate choice, Maracyn (erythromycin) for Flexibacter and Maracyn-Two (minocycline) for Aeromonas can be used in the water. Overseas fishkeepers can use either Waterlife’s Myxazin or Interpet’s AntiFungus and Finrot.
Decrease the temperature to 75-76ºF and no higher.
Increase aeration. (to aid in the comfort of the fish)
While care should always take place when treating sick fish, this strain of Flexibacter cannot be transmitted to humans.
A recent study from the Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures at Auburn University in Alabama showed that keeping some freshwater fish in water with salt of increasing concentrations can prevent Flexibacter infections, presumably by preventing adhesion of the Flexibacter to the fish’s body. When fish were exposed to Flexibacter, those kept at a 0.1% salinity (one teaspoon salt per gallon) had mortality rates reduced by one third, while those at a 0.3% salinity (one tablespoon salt per gallon), experienced no deaths. In the freshwater control group (salinity= 0.03%), there was virtually a 100% mortality (except goldfish, which had a 67% mortality). Whether the findings of this study hold true for aquarium fish is unknown, but it suggests that salt at concentrations that are commonly used in the hobby may help to prevent a Flexibacter infection. Please feel free to ask for help when treating a Flexibacter infection in the Flippers 'n' Fins' Emergency Room!
References: Bacterial Fish Pathogens: Disease of Farmed and Wild Fish: Dr. Brian Austin & Dr. Dawn Austin, Praxis Publishing Ltd., 1999. Effects of Low Salinities on Columnaris Disease of Channel Catfish, Goldfish, Striped Bass and Gulf Sturgeon: I. Altinok and J.M. Grizzle, Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama; American Fisheries Society, Fish Health Meeting, April 2001. Fish Disease: Diagnosis and Treatment: Dr. Edward J. Noga, Iowa State University Press, 2000. Fish Medicine: Dr. Michael Stoskopf, W.B. Saunders Company, 1993. Handbook of Fish Diseases: Dr. Dieter Untergasser, T.F.H. Publications, Inc., 1989. The Manual of Fish Health: Dr. Chris Andrews, Adrian Exell & Dr. Neville Carrington, Tetra Press, 1988.
The use of salt is controversial, but I have saved a scholarly article on the use of salt in the treatment of Discus with Columnaris, both in bath and dip protocols, not only in prevention, but in treatment of fish with frank Columnaris infection.
I think the use of Maracy and Maracyn II has been useful, but there are signs of resistant strains that are not as sensitive to those two.
I favor Kanaplex as it treats aeromonas as well as Columnaris, but if you use Maracyn then you really do need to add Maracyn II to the treatment regimen so you are hitting the Columnaris and the aeromonas.
Never found Kanamycin or another aminoglycosides such as Neomycin effective against Columnaris.
Like I said I found OxyTC yielded best results for me at early stages and sulfa based med as alternatives.
I really cant say if this is bacterial infection (Columnaris) though. Another possibility maybe primarily external parasitic infestation (Chilo) and possible secondary bacterial infection (fins dont look as clean as they should be from pics).
It is not easy task to properly diagnose the problems thus google for Chilodenella for its symptoms and compare.
At least you can make the better judgement call.
The concept of Gram Pos & Neg Bact is important criteria when determining and choosing med but Not all Gram Postivie Antibiotic works on all Gram Pos Bacteria or vice versa. If so, we only need two antibiotics, one for Gram Pos and one for Gram Neg. It not that simple.
It took me quite a while to learn what works better for cetain diseases regardless of what one might read just from literatures plus further experiemnts done with assistance from appropriate and qualified researcher.
Try googling for images of symptoms on fish diseases thru some magnificent websites (I am sure our members do know some) before determining what course action you want to take.
Agreed, Cerianthus... and I second the notion on the possibility of Chilodonella.
Another member, Biomajorstudent, had a tragic loss of all her gudgeons because it seemed that she had Columnaris when in fact it was Chilodonella. The excessive slime production produced a filminess and a patchiness that looked like Columnaris.
It's very hard to tell what's going on from photos, especiall if they aren't of the high resolution and stunning quality of someone like Rich311K or some of the others that have fantastic cameras and excellent skills. (I'm not in that group, lol)
