Quarantined Discus - Is That A Fungus?

I have new discus pair in quarantine for few days now and noticed one of them developed overnight something that looks like foggy part of the tail fin.

Could it be just result of mechanical abrasion as other fish is trying to nip this one occasionally. Or is it beginning of some disease? The subject looks gorgeous otherwise is very active and have great appetite.

Attached pictures with red marked part of the fin I am concerned about.

Ideas? Thank you.

 

Gorgeous fish, but unfortunately it does look like that may be an issue. I don't really know what it is, unfortunately, perhaps some kind of fungus, hopefully not columnaris. That being said, columnaris is unfortunately common, it's probably worth looking into. It can be treated with Furan 2 effectively. A less possible option would be costia, but it's relatively rare in tropical fish, mostly coldwater fish, but there are some tropical strains.
To me it looks more like columnaris than anything else I know.

 

Since it's starting on the very tips of the tail fin, i would consider it to be from the bacteria that causes fin rot. I strongly recommend API Fin and Body Cure. Get it asap even if you have to mail order it. EBay has quick shipping and so does chewy.com

 

This doesn't look like finrot to me. Definitely prepare for columnaris since it can wipe out a fully established tank in under a week. Even if it ends up being something else, columnaris would have to be treated for first.

 

I would go ahead and treat for columnaris as Rtessy suggested. Even though I suspect fin rot, columnaris has been running rampant through the aquarium world like an epidemic over the past couple of months. I'm on this forum everyday and have been able to confirm Columnaris at least 4 or 5 times a week. Since you'll be treating for columnaris which is paracitic, if it's fin rot, that's bacterial. The best treatment for both at the same time is Paraguard. It takes care of both and won't harm the biofiltration.

 

Thank you guys . I ordered both Furan and Body cure just in case for tomorrow delivery. And Paraguard as well.

Will any of these wipes out bioloads in tank filter?

p. s. Good thing it's QT tank.

 

Individually they will do no harm. Usually there aren't many reactions between antibiotics and antiparacitic meds, so you should be good.

 

can you exchange the fish?

 

Would parasite look more like a spots or grains? This one looks like foggy fin, no significant difference across affected area. Would it then be fungus more likely?

 

That's one of the difficulties in diagnosing a disease in fish. Sometimes when a pathogen infects a fish, you may actually see the fish's body response to it before you actually notice other signs. Ich is easy because you see the little colonies of the pathogen as white dots. Some pathogens will cause things like extra slime secretion of the area, a fish scratching itself against objects, loss of appetite, white stringy poop, fading of color, and some other symptoms. The initial symtom that I noticed was just on the clearer parts of the tail telling me fin rot. But columnaris is a microscopic parasite that can begin externally, but it could also start internally effecting organs. Even if I'm right about the fin rot, columnaris has nearly become an epidemic throughout the aquarium world over the past few months. Treating your Discus for columnaris won't hurt the fish and with columnaris becoming so common (and deadly), it's better in this case to be safer than sorry. If your fish losses it's appetite during paracite treatment, don't be alarmed. The fish will be fine for a couple days without eating. It doesn't always happen, but it is a possible side effect during paracite treatment.

 

Last night, Apr 25th 6pm


This morning, Apr 26th 7am



Medicine are to be delivered today. Will start treatment immediately.

 

Also, have UV sterilizer installed since yesterday. May not help here but won't hurt either.

 

It's not fungus. Fungi will eventually grow on any dead tissue from bacterial infection if left untreated. I'm glad your meds are coming today. And actually, you uv sterilizer will help in this situation because it will kill any bacteria that are free floating around in the water...so will the medications. It's a good idea to have a UV sterilizer in aquariums (once tanks have been cycled first).

 

I don’t think this is columnaris. The fish in the picture doesn’t seem to be showing signs of weaknesses or any kind of lesions on the skin and it seems to be swimming well.

To me, an opinion, I think it’s regeneration of a fin after it’s been bitten or nicked itself on something.

The white spot in your “Apr 25th 6pm” photo (error?) shows more of a busted cartilage. Much like a human breaking his/her bone in the middle of the hand.

If the fish seems to be doing well and doesn’t show lesions, breathing well, no slimy film on the body and fins, eating normal and behaving normally why treat the fish for a condition that doesn’t have any symptoms as mentioned?

I think you need to continue to watch the fish. If it’s pooping fine and nothing seems out of the ordinary I would not medicate...unless you see the symptoms.

 

I originally said yesterday that the condition looked like the beginning of fin rot. I went along with going ahead and doing the paracite treatment as just a precautionary possibility because it won't hurt the fish or the tank bio system. But I examined close ups of the tail and I still think treatment should be done with the antibiotics for fin rot. You can just hold off on the antiparacitic to see if the antibiotic doesn't work or the condition worsens.

 

Thanks for great comments, I deeply appreciate all suggestions.

I have received API Fin & Body Care as well as Furan-2, both are antibiotics. In fact I am familiar with both, as first is just a doxycycline and the second is nitrofurazone. They are both used widely in human infection treatments depending on condition.
However, API clearly says the antibiotics may inhibit the biological filter which means the bacteria living in bioload may be reduced or removed from filter media.

Having said that and considering all the risks but also the fact that both fish including subject are acting very normal they are very energetic, vigorous and have a very good appetite with no sign of any disease whatsoever, I'm going to give it another day to see whether the spot on fin disappears as it could be a result of mechanical abrasion as one of you mentioned above or minor injury during nipping or chase which I observe occasionally.

I just took this additional picture and zoomed into the spot on the fin. It does look like affected cartilage in the fin but again I could be mistaken whether it's mechanical or bacterial. Will observe fish carefully during next 24 hours.

Either way, I have meds in stand by. It's long weekend and I am at home observing the fish.

 

I wish this was the first pic you had sent. The enlightenment of the tails on the other pics would blur a little and I would have bet money that the fish had fin rot. But looking at this pic, there's nothing wrong with your fish...except for a dot less harmful than a zit!

 

I already stated my opinion. My Severum had a busted fin and it took about a month or two for it to heal. So I would continue to keep an eye on it.

 

Believe or not...
the quarantine discus pair just laid eggs on the surface of the uv sterilizer...

Look some they both more than healthy fish. Look at pics below...

 

WOW...congratulations. Don't forget that you only have about 3 days to get a small prefilter sponge or a ladies knee high nylon stocking to put over your filter intakes.