Columnaris Outbreak......Need Guidance

I have a 36 gallon tank with a banjo catfish, 5 cherry barbs, a dwarf gourami, a long finned ancistrus, and I had 5 harlequin rasboras. Yesterday morning one rasbora was dead, stuck to the filter. I removed him and noticed that the other 4 rasboras looked like they had white lipstick and one's mouth looked like a piranha (without the teeth). I quarantined the rasboras, but they were all dead by this morning.

I initially thought it was fungal and started treating with primafix. Now I think I had a Columnaris outbreak. No other fish is showing outward symptoms currently. I have a weird cherry barb that swims weird and looks like he's "sitting" on the bottom or he swims perpendicular in place, but he's always been weird like that. I'm slowly lowering the temperature today. I usually keep it between 79-80. This morning I mixed some Kanaplex with the fish food, but I'm worried about my banjo catfish and ancistrus. I did a 30% water change yesterday. My water conditions: Am:0 Nitrite:0 and Nitrate between 5-10. btw, I do a 25% water change weekly.

Should I do another water change today? Should I treat the entire tank with the kanaplex or will it hurt my catfish and ancistrus? I've used primafix and melafix before with the ancistrus and banjo catfish with no problems. What temp should I lower my tank to? I know Columnaris thrives in warmer water. Wish I had gotten a pic of my rasboras before they died, but they went quick. Also, I'm worried about the kanaplex wiping out my BB, so if I treat the entire tank, how do I deal with that? Any guidance will be appreciated!

 

I just did another check of my water parameters, since yesterday's water change. My ammonia is 0.25, so I'm going to do another water change. Also, one of my cherry barbs (the weird one) is just sitting on the bottom of my tank.

 

Good news..........no fish loss this morning. Still not sure if I should dose with kanaplex or just check the water conditions today after work and do another water change. Should I continue with primafix? Again, I started using primafix when I initially thought I had a fungal situation. I'm pretty sure my five rasboras died from coulmnaris (see 1st post). I do not want to over medicate and I have a banjo catfish and long finned ancistrus (pleco).

 

Weird............my ammonia is still at 0.25, so I'm going to do another 30% water change. No more fish deaths. That weird cherry barb is ok, I think. He's always had strange behavior. No other symptoms on the fish. I haven't treated the tank today with primafix. Notsure if I should continue that, since I'm sure it won't take care of the columnaris. Should I treat the tank with melafix as a precaution or just "water change" it away? I'm feeding the fish the kanaplex-treated food. How long should I continue that? Not sure if the banjo catfish eats any of that food. I feed him bottom feeder food at night right before I turn off the light.

 

No melafix/primafix save your money!
Kanaplex treated food will work great, don't overdose it.
Dont cycle fish in unless your prepared for sick fish, daily backbreaking water changes, and a cycle that last twice as long.
I just finished cycling mine in 2 weeks, when I did it fish in, it took a month because of daily reduction of the ammonia slows it down
Use prime and add tetrasafestart or stability next time and it will cycle in 2 weeks and work great. A pinch of food a day and 78 degrees, plenty of aeration

 

Back breaking water changes is right! When I do my water change, I use prime and stability. The tank has been cycled for over a year. All was well until columnaris rapidly wiped out my 5 rasboras. So no more daily water changes, even if the ammonia is over 0? My plan was to water change this problem away and use as little chemicals as possible. All over fish are still currently ok as of this morning.

 

I hear you on as little meds as possible. I use almost all my meds in flake food nowadays. angelsplus.com has a wide variety of medicated flake.