Columnaris outbreak

I’d be careful with adding salt if ou do. The meds say to add until signs clear so I’d add until then. I recently had the same problem and lost half my stocking sadly. But three treatments and all clear.

 

I've been treating my columnaris outbreak for 3 days with furan 2 and kanaplex. I just had another fish die today from it. Does that mean I need to start treatment again?

You can treat up to 3 times. I always have to do 3.

 

You can treat up to 3 times. I always have to do 3.

Thank you!

 

Hello everyone,

I have a new tank setup just over a month in now and my nitrite levels just starting to come down. I never got above .25, kept up with water changes etc.

We started with fish (I know I know), and live plants (amazon sword, java fern, java moss, hornwort, micro sword). pH has been around 7.2-7.8, been changing water every 3 days, 0 ammonia for the last week and a bit now, nitrites like I said are coming down now, below .25. Nitrates are 10. Tank is 38 gallon. In the process of setting up a 5 gallon QT (we are sticking to smaller tropical fish). Startup was 5 cherry barbs - 3 male, 3 female. 2 weeks ago we put in a nice piece of manzanita driftwood that was recommended, and it was giving off a slime (but read that was all normal) the slime is almost gone now only a little bit remains and it finally sank a few days ago.

I have done lots of research here and on other websites as well. All was good until last week when one of the male cherry barb's mouth appeared to be stuck open. Nothing stuck in his mouth that I could see. It then developed like fungus looking so started researching and that's columnaris correct? Cottony looking type fungus. I witnessed his death and so was able to get him out of the tank promptly. I started using Pimafix as unfortunately this is the only thing available at my local shop... Doing water changes still every 3 days. Next cherry fin looks like it rotted away same kinda fungus looking, but also destroyed fin. He died. Next was a female (her dorsal fin flattened out, never appeared to get the fungus just flattened out and didn't pop up when she stopped swimming and such like the others. her fins also were orange - much more so then the other 2?). She died. Still using Pimafix, I am on day 5. All seemed okay last 2 days, now the last male's mouth is open and starting to go white.

I have been reading about Furan-2 and Kanaplex treatments. I read the forum post here:
Columnaris Symptoms And Treatment

Local pet store said salt, but I don't want to risk my plants since I do not have QT setup yet (still waiting on a part to arrive in the mail). I also read salt isn't bad for plants in low concentration but you need 1% to kill columnaris?

I live in Canada so I have to order Furan and Kanaplex from Amazon.

What do you all think? I also made mistake when acclimating these cherry barbs and didn't do it long enough sadly. I apologize. I am trying, and doing lots of reading. There is just so many mixed opinions it is really hard to figure out what "the best" thing to do is.

I have adequate filtration, and 2 air diffusers with nice surface agitation. Feeding good quality flake, also had some brine shrimp. Been very careful to feed sparingly, etc like I said I have read all your beginner guides here and mistakes not to make, etc.

How should I proceed?

I have also been dealing with poor information from PetSmart such as the Cherry barbs being communal when in fact are semi-aggressive. We are going for communal tank with tetras, etc. so I mean not the end of the world if I lose these other Cherry barbs, but I have a heart and want to help them and care about them still. I have clove oil now as of today too and read your euthanization guide as well.

Please help, and understand I am doing my best to learn now as I take it as a serious hobby, not like when I was an ignorant kid.

I was unable to get any pictures worth posting as they are all blurry and you can't make out anything sadly

Thank you in advance for any advice and help.

 

Hello. Hard to keep losing finbabies. I know. Definitely get either **** Spectrogram or kanaplex/furan2. **** Spectrogram is kanamycin and nitrofurazone already mixed in proper dosage.
Pictures would definitely help.
I’m so sorry you’re having to deal with this.
I’d only recommend using aquarium salt with plants if you’re familiar with using it. Every tank is different. Just like individual fish react differently to salt, so do different plants. If you don’t know how yours will react I wouldn’t use it.
How long before you can get the meds?

 

Okay. Can't seem to find the spectrogram here. Meds would be a week or so away on Amazon

 

So the last male cherry barb died. I have 2 females left. The water is now 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 5 nitrate. First 0 nitrite reading since spike almost 2 weeks ago. It was up to 0.25 ppm. The 2 females seem to be doing okay.

Should I still treat the tank with Furan and Kanaplex?

 

I know you’d not want to mess with your cycle. But it’s hard to say for sure whether it’s columnaris or not. Pics would help but I know how hard that can be. If it was me, I’d treat. I’d do what I could to save the last two. I’m not good at losing fish. Heartbreaking. Mine or not. I’m sorry you’ve had to go through this.

 

If I don't treat then the columnaris could remain in the tank even through water changes, and infect new fish I introduce in the future yes? Or no?

 

If I don't treat then the columnaris could remain in the tank even through water changes, and infect new fish I introduce in the future yes? Or no?

Yes. Unfortunately it’s one of those pesky little things that like to hang around.

 

Okay, fair enough. Thank you for your responses.

 

Okay, fair enough. Thank you for your responses.

Wish I had more air. Seems my responses sound short. I’m sorry. Have to talk to type. Hoping your last two will be ok.

 

Oh no, all is good. Thank you.

 

Hello everyone.

So there is a postal strike right now and I do not yet have the kanaplex or furan-2. That being said everything is doing great. 5 days 0 ammonia/nitrite, 5 nitrate.

The 2 female cherry barbs are still alive and showing no signs of infection. We actually discovered 4 fry in the tank last week and they too are doing well. 2 of them are over 1cm now. The females swim among them and do not seem to want to eat them or anything.

Would you say I am safe now since all is good? I finished the Pimafix treatment a few days ago (not sure if that did anything or not) regardless as I can't get the kanaplex/furan.

 

bump. All is still good. Still have not received medication. Am I good?

 

With any ouch at all, your deaths are behind you for a while. But I’m glad you’ll have the meds on hand just in case. And I’m betting the Pimafix helped. It’s just a first line of defense but it still has some benefits. Limited I’ll grant. Keep us posted ok?

 

Thank you so much I will. I tried to get Melafix, but apparently it is hard to import into Canada right now lol...

To our surprise there are now 7 confirmed cherry barb fry that are 1cm and above in length in the tank right now. I made another post about this but I will also comment here, but we are also experiencing a very tiny white worm issue on the glass and in the filter media. They are very hard to see, not in huge numbers but still concerning. This is the thread: Tiny White Worms On Glass And In Filter

Thank you again so much for your advice everyone.

 

Thank you so much I will. I tried to get Melafix, but apparently it is hard to import into Canada right now lol...

To our surprise there are now 7 confirmed cherry barb fry that are 1cm and above in length in the tank right now. I made another post about this but I will also comment here, but we are also experiencing a very tiny white worm issue on the glass and in the filter media. They are very hard to see, not in huge numbers but still concerning. This is the thread: Tiny White Worms On Glass And In Filter

Thank you again so much for your advice everyone.

Just for your info, Pimafix is actually the better of the two as far as first lines of defense are concerned. Still a bandaid but a slightly better bandaid.

Yep. Sounds like detritus worms. Just extra food for your fishes. Completely harmless.

 

Hello guys. I need your expert advice. My tank have a columnaris outbreak which is killing my fishies within 24 hours. A group of 6 rummy nose dropped like flies within a day along with gouramis and other fishies like angel, cardinals, rainbows and swordtail has a white cotton fungus like in fins and body.

I started to look for the right meds. Here in Canada antibiotics are limited. I have read Kanamycin combined with Nitrofurazone is the best shot for this disease. I can only get Kanaplex, no Furan 2 nor Jungle Fungus Clear nor tetra fungus whatever... the only medication I found with Nitrofurazone is in Seachem Polyguard at .14% . Is it okay to dose Kanaplex and polyguard mixed together in water column? Won’t they interact to each other? Polyguard has sufathiozole, nitrofurantoin, nitrofural, and malachite green.

I don’t want to loose more fish specially my rainbows. Any advice will help!

Tank condition and setup:
Water parameters: OK no Ammonia nor Nitrates
Temp: 82 F
40 gallon community tank.

 

It lists nitrofurantoin (0.14%) and nitrofural (0.14%). I don't know if they act the same as nitrofurazone but with those small quantities I wouldn't bother.

You can try just the Kanaplex. It's good medicine.

Have you called around local shops to see if they carry it? I see it available on Amazon.ca if you want to order it.

 

It lists nitrofurantoin (0.14%) and nitrofural (0.14%). I don't know if they act the same as nitrofurazone but with those small quantities I wouldn't bother.

You can try just the Kanaplex. It's good medicine.

Have you called around local shops to see if they carry it? I see it available on Amazon.ca if you want to order it.

Most of the meds are not even available in amazon.ca I think they are banned here in canada or probably a prescription drug. LFS here don’t even have them in stock, even ich -x is hard to find. ApI gen cure is banned also erythromycin. Marycin are not available too. Though Fungus cure and tripple sulfa are available.

I treated the tank with paraguard and kanaplex with metroplex in food. Then I found Polyguard, so I thought that could help save my fishies when combined with Kanaplex.

Furan 2 is available in amazon.ca though I think by the time I got the meds after a week the fish will be all dead.

 

https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfishforum/threads/peroxide-how-to.382067/#post-3926127

https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfishforum/threads/using-potassium-permanganate.397208/
These are 2 treatments that are available and quite effective.

 

https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfishforum/threads/peroxide-how-to.382067/#post-3926127

https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfishforum/threads/using-potassium-permanganate.397208/
These are 2 treatments that are available and quite effective.

Thanks I will look on to it and see if I can find the ingredients here in town.

 

Hydrogen peroxide can be bought about any were. Possibly even in your medicine cabinet.

 

Hydrogen peroxide can be bought about any were. Possibly even in your medicine cabinet.

I will just have to go through with the procedure how to do it. It was a really long discussion though but I think it helps! Thanks!

Hydrogen peroxide can be bought about any were. Possibly even in your medicine cabinet.

HI david1978 too many things going on in the thread you gave me. May I ask a favor if you can simplify for me what to do to treat columnaris using hydrogen peroxide? Anything to consider that my distablize my tank when using this? Thank you.

 

Turn down the temperature as much as possible.

Kanamycin isn't the best treatment. It's just the best of the readily available and familiar treatments.

As someone pointed out in the past, there's actually no scientific evidence of a synergistic effect between kanamycin and nitrofurazone. You don't absolutely need both. Columnaris doesn't demonstrate that much antibiotic resistance. It kills with speed.

Large ulcers will allow water to move into the fish faster than normal and overload the kidneys. This is where hard water and salt can help.

Edit: I forgot to mention that Kanaplex is only 30.7% pure and you need a minimum of 50 mg/L. That's 6 grams for every 10 gal.

 

Turn down the temperature as much as possible.

Kanamycin isn't the best treatment. It's just the best of the readily available and familiar treatments.

As someone pointed out in the past, there's actually no scientific evidence of a synergistic effect between kanamycin and nitrofurazone. You don't absolutely need both. Columnaris doesn't demonstrate that much antibiotic resistance. It kills with speed.

Large ulcers will allow water to move into the fish faster than normal and overload the kidneys. This is where hard water and salt can help.

Edit: I forgot to mention that Kanaplex is only 30.7% pure and you need a minimum of 50 mg/L. That's 6 grams for every 10 gal.

Thanks for the reply. Since kansplex is the only med available that I have right now. What should I do? I am now confused but I will turn down the temp. I have also dosed 1tbsp per 5 gallon of aquarium salt.

 

Thanks for the reply. Since kansplex is the only med available that I have right now. What should I do? I am now confused but I will turn down the temp. I have also dosed 1tbsp per 5 gallon of aquarium salt.

Do you have enough Kanaplex for the first dose? It's every 3 days.

Salt should be added gradually. Water changes that remove it should be done gradually as well. Or pre-dose to the same salinity.

 

Do you have enough Kanaplex for the first dose? It's every 3 days.

Salt should be added gradually. Water changes that remove it should be done gradually as well. Or pre-dose to the same salinity.

I did 1st dose in water yesterday with Polyguard. I will do 2nd dose Saturday as per Seachem Kanaplex instruction. I only have one bottle though. Since I have an outbreak in my main 40gal DT I know it will be expensive and a lot of amount needed. Would you give me an advice how much shoul I really dose the DT? Should I follow the seachem dosage?

Did I dosed the salt right? And when should I dose again based from what you said gradually. Should it be daily?

 

Thanks for the help. Would this mean I should do baths to all my fish or apply it on the tank and do WC on the 3rd day? WC by how much 30-50% or 75%?

 

Treat the whole tank since every fish could be effected. Dose 1 ml per gallon of water. 50% water change before each treatment. Treat every other day for a total of 3 treatments.

 

Treat the whole tank since every fish could be effected. Dose 1 ml per gallon of water. 50% water change before each treatment. Treat every other day for a total of 3 treatments.

Thanks for the detailed info. I forgot to ask if it is safe to all species I have in my tank? Molly, sword, rainbows, rasboras, cardinals, angel, honey gourami and corys? My rummy noses are all gone though

 

Yea its fish, snail and shrimp safe. If you have delicate plants you may see a little die back but not much.

 

Yea its fish, snail and shrimp safe. If you have delicate plants you may see a little die back but not much.

Do I need to remove dosed kanaplex and polyguard before doing this?

 

The 50% water change before the first treatment should dilute it enough.

 

The 50% water change before the first treatment should dilute it enough.

Sounds good. I will have to buy one in store. Sorry to ask, have you tried doing this?

 

Twice actually. I thought I treated a fungus thing at first but looking back I believe it was columnaris.

 

Twice actually. I thought I treated a fungus thing at first but looking back I believe it was columnaris.

What percentage of h2o2 should I buy?

Treat the whole tank since every fish could be effected. Dose 1 ml per gallon of water. 50% water change before each treatment. Treat every other day for a total of 3 treatments.

Also if 1 ml per gallon if I have 40 gal it means 40ml of h2o2 right? Is that foing to overdose the tank too? I mean should I start at low dosage first or just simply go to what you suggested?

 

With somethings like fin rot or algae issues I usually start low but with this I would do the 40ml. Its actually pretty hard to over dose. I couldn't math one day and I ended up putting in 3ml per gallon. The only thing that died was the algea.

I'm not sure if you can or can't mix the full dose of antibiotics with it. They work in different ways and I can't find any studies on it. Antibiotics help control the reproduction of bacteria were peroxide kills it directly.

 

What percentage of h2o2 should I buy?

What country are you in ?
US is 3%
UK is 6-9%
and one member from Wales said they had 12%
The 1 ml. per gallon is calculated with 3% so it would be 1ml per 2 gallon for 6% or 1ml for 3 gallon of 9%.....