Should I use methylene blue?

The pet store guy recommended it saying it treats many guppy symptoms very well but he also seemed like he didn't really give a ... I for sure have columnaris (I think) but not bad just a few white splotches coming and going. And some younger medium sized guppies all of a sudden are missing their tails (have 3 spikes instead). Many fish have had white stringy poop on and off. And I have seen some clamped fins in the last week which is not normal in my tank (I did get new fish 2 weeks ago and didn't "hospitalize" bc hospital tank is full of babies). I really didn't want to use medicine EVER again after realizing through the last disease spread that the medicine seemed to kill fish that were perfectly fine before. But I also don't want things to get worse, its really bugging me.
Have you guys used methylene blue?
What did you think?
Do I need to remove everything?
Will it stain my white gravel blue?
Anyone have pics of the aftermath, what there tank looked like?

THANKS GUYS!!

 

hI sally

I have used MB before to treat what I'm 90% sure was columnaris and it did the trick for me, I cannot remember it it is safe for snails or not though

the only downside is that it stained almost everything blue, some of the gravel, silicone decor ect

but the fish got better which was the main thing

dont forget to take out any carbon you have if you decide to use it

good luck

 

You could do a dip at full strength dose with your fish and a half dose in the tank.

That said white stringy poop is an indicator of internal parasites. You said before in your other thread you had camallanus in some of the fish if they are visible it is more than likely that all of the fish have been exposed and all of them have the worms in them. Another thing the c. worms are resistant to most antI parasitics. Methlyne blue will do nothing for them.

 

thanks for the replies! I did treat the tank with an internal antiparasitic (possibly API) after I saw the c. worm hanging out (of one fish only). then treated with melafix and antibiotic (for columnaris) no fish have died since. I really hope they don't have the c. worm, that is so gross and it is pretty hard to gross me out. I haven't seen it hanging out of a fish since and I watch very closely. Can callamanus exist with out being visible? However the white stringy poop did occur after the medication and I just tried for 2 hours to find the name of this and can't, but one did die of a tumor like bulge protruding from his side that seemed to eat through or break through his skin. It look like his organs were bursting out (anyone know the name?!), one or two other contracted this but I euthanized before they died.

Anyway it seems the only problems at the moment is from the columnaris so does anyone this methylene blue is worth trying? The lfs guy was pretty fixed on it and it was very cheap so I doubt it was for the sale.

 

the blue dye has been a staple cure all for many years it was probably suggested to you since he either does not know what is causing your problems and he just suggested the most broad spectrum treatment he was told to use
or
he was told that he should suggest that first
or
he uses it for everything and so far it has worked for him.

 

When I was new to fish, I used to give every new fish a dip in blue. I didn't QT in those days.