Proper Way To Treat With Methylene Blue?

HI all,

I've scoured the internet, and searched the forums here. I'm looking for specific instructions on how to correctly use Methylene blue baths to treat what I *think* is white fungus on my black mollies and my dalmation mollies.

Tank information: 20 gallon tank. Water temp a constant 76˚F. 25% water change every two weeks. 1 tsp stress zyme every week. pH runs high (7.6 to 7.8), nitrates run high @ 40-ish ppm, no detectable ammonia, no detectable nitrites, many well established plants. Gravel vacuum 1x/month.

Fish information: 2 large catfish, 2 cobra guppies w/ frayed tails, 3 neon tetras (handling the higher pH remarkably well), 1 skirted tetra (the other two have passed on), 2 dalmatian mollies, 2 black mollies, 7 mystery fish that somebody gave birth to about a month and a half ago. They get fed Tetramin flake food 1x/day, just enough so that it's all gone in three minutes.

Disease issue: The four mollies all developed white fuzzy/slimy stuff on their bodies, mouths, fins, etc. I believe that it's some kind of fungus rather than ick. The one male has been actively mating with the three females, so I'm not surprised they've all got it. No other fish in the tank is showing signs of disease, although I'm starting to wonder if the cobra guppies have fin rot (they seem pretty spry, though).

When I first noticed the white fungus (I'm just going to call it fungus), I gave all four mollies a 10 minute soak in an epsom salt bath of 1 tbsp epsom salt to 1 gallon water. The next day the fungus looked worse, not better, so I gave them a 30 minute soak in a methylene blue solution (I added enough methylene blue to 1 gallon of water to turn it a light blue, but that's the extent of my dosage accuracy). The next day, things looked better. For good measure, I gave them another 30 minute bath yesterday. Today, the fungus actually looks worse. The old stuff is much reduced, but there are new and bright white patches appearing on the eyes, fins, and body.

Am I treating incorrectly? Could this be something that methylene blue can't treat? I thought it was considered sort of a cure-all for external issues on fish.

I do have access to malachite green. Perhaps I should switch to using that? Maybe use it to treat the whole tank, but will it kill my plants or disrupt my bacterial cycle? Any suggestions, tips, ideas, etc. much appreciated.

 

Hi, welcome to the forum

I would treat with malachite green over methylene blue I think in this case. Is it a medicine or just a bottle of malachite green? It won't hurt your cycle (at least its never hurt mine) but it is toxic to inverts so I would remove any favorite snails. Methylene blue will kill your cycle right off so don't ever use it in your tank. I'd recommend picking up some API Fungus Cure, it has malachite green and acriflavine in it, should work well for the fungus which sounds like saprolegnia if its fuzzy. Do you have any pics?

On to other things, you should have at least a 30 gallon tank for those mollies, any way you can upgrade?
Also, I would be changing 40% weekly with the bio-load of fish you have. You want your nitrates to be at 20 or below, ideally closer to 10 for optimum health.

 

My guess is its a parasite, or bacterial infection. Fungus, does not grow on fish. It only affects wounds, or damaged skin like damage from a parasite. Pics would really help.

 

Hi, welcome to the forum

I would treat with malachite green over methylene blue I think in this case. Is it a medicine or just a bottle of malachite green? It won't hurt your cycle (at least its never hurt mine) but it is toxic to inverts so I would remove any favorite snails. Methylene blue will kill your cycle right off so don't ever use it in your tank. I'd recommend picking up some API Fungus Cure, it has malachite green and acriflavine in it, should work well for the fungus which sounds like saprolegnia if its fuzzy. Do you have any pics?

On to other things, you should have at least a 30 gallon tank for those mollies, any way you can upgrade?
Also, I would be changing 40% weekly with the bio-load of fish you have. You want your nitrates to be at 20 or below, ideally closer to 10 for optimum health.

I've borrowed a 1% aqueous solution of malachite green from a friend, and I want to dose the whole tank. I've been watching the tank closely, and though the white stuff has diminished on all of the mollies (but one, and I'll get to that in a moment), it hasn't gone away completely. On that one black mollie (female) the white stuff has changed appearance and now looks more like Ick (distinct white spots, like salt). Maybe the tank itself harbors the disease. I know that I'm about to stain the silicone tank calking green, but I can live with that. The three neon tetras and the seven babies (which are now almost the same size as the tetras) might be an issue. I've read I need to lower the dosage b/c those types of fish are more sensitive to malachite green.

My question now is this: how much of my 1% solution do I need to add to my tank, how often, and for how many days? I have attempted to take some photos, but my gosh it's tricky get a crisp shot of a moving target! I included the best, sharpest shot of the black mollie who I discussed above. I also managed to catch one of the cobra guppies with the ragged tail. I am also including a shot of the overall tank, so you can see the big picture setup.







I eagerly await advice on dosage from anyone who knows.

 

Your amount seems to be very high at 1% solution so I would guess from this statement you should use 1 drop per 2g. Hope this helps?

 

Methylene blue is not gonna work, and it will kill your Biological filtration and plants.....

 

Methylene blue is not gonna work, and it will kill your Biological filtration and plants.....

They are using malachite green

 

Just a kindly warning to be careful with these dyes, the colour can stain and get everywhere.

 

I don't know what's going on with this thread anymore. Her guppies and mollies, have a bacterial infection. I don't believe from the sounds of it (body fungus, frayed tails) that it is costia, as cidnI seems to think.
You need a proper antibiotic!!

 

Or could we get an update or more pics/video at least?

 

I don't know what's going on with this thread anymore. Her guppies and mollies, have a bacterial infection. I don't believe from the sounds of it (body fungus, frayed tails) that it is costia, as cidnI seems to think.
You need a proper antibiotic!!

I never said it was costia Whitewolf . I read back to make sure
She said she had malachite green on hand which would work for some "fungus" issues which she described as fuzzy. Malachite green is often a good treatment for that. If it doesn't work I'm all for antibiotics though.

 

So what is the cause of this "fungus"?
I believe you've read my posts before, fungus does not just grow on a fish. Rather than using something with formaldyhyde and a possible carcinogen such as malachite, Methylene blue in a hospital tank with fresh water, the heat cranked up, and heaps of salt will get rid of fungus and some parasites, better and safer than malachite/formalin.
But the root issue, is never fungus. See it so often, people think that fungus just grows on otherwise healthy fish. I use to think that, but its just not true, not unless there is an injury to the skin or fins.
So is the OP even around anymore? lol

 

Geez
Did you try giving the fish a salt bath before you decided to bring harsh chemicals into the equation?

I mean, try what works but start off with something less lethal

 

Sorry if I am trolling, but I believe that this is a simple tail rot epedimic, and all the OP need is some antibiotic medicated food.

 

So what is the cause of this "fungus"?
I believe you've read my posts before, fungus does not just grow on a fish. Rather than using something with formaldyhyde and a possible carcinogen such as malachite, Methylene blue in a hospital tank with fresh water, the heat cranked up, and heaps of salt will get rid of fungus and some parasites, better and safer than malachite/formalin.
But the root issue, is never fungus. See it so often, people think that fungus just grows on otherwise healthy fish. I use to think that, but its just not true, not unless there is an injury to the skin or fins.
So is the OP even around anymore? lol

I don't recommend formalin. I like formulations without it like Seachem Paraguard or API Fungus Cure etc. When someone says they have a "fuzzy" hairlike cotton on their fish I think of saprolegnia and thus "fungus". I know it is actually a mold in technical terms but people refer to it with a common name as "fungus". Cotton wool coating I would recommend treating with nitrofurazone and kanamycin. I do know that saprolegnia will grow on sores, or dead tissue but fish do get it who are sick.

I also like methylene blue for baths along with some salt or even double dosed antibiotics.

I think we're on the same page. I just recommended malachite green as a first alternative because that's what they had on hand. I agree that medicated fish food is always great as well as nitrofurazone, kanamycin or minocycline for bacterial issues. Malachite green is also good for bacterial issues that are not as progressed as columnaris causing sudden death.

The OP was on last night.....

 

HI all,

Sounds like folks have strong thoughts on this. That's good, because I really am quite new to keeping fish. I did try an epsom salt bath at the start (1 tbsp in 1 gallon), then switched to a methylene blue bath when that didn't seem to be helping. The Dalmacian mollies are looking and acting much better. The black mollies are getting worse. This morning, the female looks blind with the white stuff all over her eyes. Hard not to panic seeing that. They're soaking in another methylene blue bath right now, and I dosed the tank with malachite green while they're soaking. I suppose I'll be picking up some antibiotic fish food today, since it sounds from this discussion like it could be bacterial. I'm attaching a few more picks here. The poor female black mollie. The stuff is all over both her eyes!

 

Sounds like a good first start, but rather than treat the secondary symptom, like fungus, in the future, treat the root cause.
WARNING
YOU CANNOT COMBINE MALACHITE WITH ANY ANTIBIOTIC
It will ruin their liver and kidneys overnight.........

 

And wow this is a tough one, it dosent look like a bacterial infection, said lesions are more "inside" the skin looking. It looks more like a parasite, but is always good to have the antibiotic food on hand, it will last for years and save you lots of $$$ in the long run (and work even better than powder, trust me)

 

I'm more worried about your plants TBH, malachite is a salt based medicine, and its not good to use with plants. In the future a bare bottom ten gallon should be kept at all times near by so you can use as a hospital tank without killing all those nice expensive plants lol

 

Can you describe her eyes for us? Is it on the outside? or does it appear to be cloudiness within? Is it fuzzy? smooth? other? That looks pretty bad. If methylene blue didn't help, its worth switching to malachite green as it would help with parasites as well as some bacteria. I'm a little baffled by what that is unless its columnaris that has gotten into the eyes.

Whitewolf I think... generally malachite green is contraindicated with tetracycline and erythromycin, not others that I know of but could be wrong.