Columnaris or Body Fungus?

I'm at a loss on that one, I haven't seen pineconing without bloating, or only on one side.

I'm still wondering about his reaction to the salt bath as well. You are using aquarium salt? What kind of ratio?

I'd suspend further treatment at this point, just concentrate on keeping good water quality. Hopefully someone who has seen one-sided pineconing w/out bloating will have better advice to offer.

The ratio was 3tsp to 1 gallon for the salt dips. He didn’t get the white spot until after I stopped the dips and he was put in the main tank.

As long as he’s still active and eating I’m going to try to save the little guy! I’m wondering if he got an infection secondary to the columnaris.

The part that’s throwing me is that he’s not scratching on anything, and any time I’ve seen a sick fish they are scratching constantly! I always get the weird problems...

Maybe I bomb the QT with kanaplex metroplex and focus like I did before.

Looks like people call Furan, metro and kana the “trifecta”. If it doesn’t work and he dies well.... at least I tried. And it’s not in my main tank.

 

I wouldn't; I'd stick with the Kanaplex/Furan. Everything I'm finding about pineconing w/out bloating is still recommending treating with Kanaplex.

Making sure that you were using aquarium salt or sea salt, not table salt? Maybe use less or spend less time in it, because it sounds like it stressed him and it shouldn't, especially not livebearers.

For now I'd discontinue salt baths, and try an Epsom salt bath instead (just basic plain drugstore Epsom salt, with no additives; 1 tablespoon per gallon, 15-30 mins, remove him sooner if showing distress. Or you can add a smaller amount directly to the QT, recommended is 1/8 teaspoon to 5 gallons. Exactness matters a bit less for livebearers because they prefer higher gh/kh anyway.) Epsom is not just for constipation, it also helps with fluid retention; which is the usual cause of pineconing scales.

 

I wouldn't; I'd stick with the Kanaplex/Furan. Everything I'm finding about pineconing w/out bloating is still recommending treating with Kanaplex.

Making sure that you were using aquarium salt or sea salt, not table salt? Maybe use less or spend less time in it, because it sounds like it stressed him and it shouldn't, especially not livebearers.

For now I'd discontinue salt baths, and try an Epsom salt bath instead (just basic plain drugstore Epsom salt, with no additives; 1 tablespoon per gallon, 15-30 mins, remove him sooner if showing distress. Or you can add a smaller amount directly to the QT, recommended is 1/8 teaspoon to 5 gallons. Exactness matters a bit less for livebearers because they prefer higher gh/kh anyway.) Epsom is not just for constipation, it also helps with fluid retention; which is the usual cause of pineconing scales.

It was aquarium salt, I've used it before when my platy had fin rot from a fake plant cutting her (since removed) and it healed fine. He never acted stressed at all, he was in the dips with the new female and was flirting with her the whole time; female is fine and in the main tank now.

I had discontinued the salt dips since Thursday last week, he went in the main tank Friday night, and was removed due to this issue on Saturday night.

I can go grab some Epsom salt if you think he should get dipped again.

 

It may help and can't hurt. I'd probably do the lesser amount in the QT rather than removing him for a more concentrated bath, since he's not looking swollen to you.

Epsom can be used to raise gh for livebearers (or cichlids, etc) under normal circumstances as well, so there is a benefit for him even if it doesn't specifically help with this.

 

Okay. 1/8 teaspoon seems like a VERY small amount

 

It's the difference in exposure. Best analogy I can think of would be the difference between taking a penicillin shot and taking oral penicillin for 10 days. A shot is a bigger amount with shorter duration, the oral medicine is lesser amount with longer duration.

The 1 tablespoon/gallon @15-30 mins is the recommended dosage for constipation or severe dropsy - where you don't really have time for a longer duration option.

But, being a livebearer, he can tolerate more than a soft-water fish would. The measurement doesn't need to be exact; a pinch for 3 gallons should not be too much.