treating fungal infection

[Trevor]

I have akrib that has been beaten up and is now showing signs of fungal
infection (thread like white stuff) in some of his wounds.

I have isolated him and started treating with myxazin as that what what
I had to hand.

I have since read on the net that copper based treatments are also good,
so I am off to the shop to find something for fungus.

Is there anything else in the treatment regime that would help such as
topical applications of something.

Bear in mind that I do not believe any of the shops I have been to stock
antibiotic treatments/food off the shelf and we do not have as large a
range of brand names in South Africa.

I am also making sure he gets good food and have started feeding frozen
bloodworm.

I have not seen him eat any yet but he does not seem to be too ill at this
stage.

Thanks in advance

Trev

[NetMax]

"Trevor" > wrote in message
se.com...
> I have akrib that has been beaten up and is now showing signs of fungal
> infection (thread like white stuff) in some of his wounds.
>
> I have isolated him and started treating with myxazin as that what what
> I had to hand.

I'm not familiar with myxazin, but I understand that it's a broad
spectrum bactericide.

> I have since read on the net that copper based treatments are also
good,
> so I am off to the shop to find something for fungus.

I know that copper is somewhat effective against parasites, but not for
fungus/bacteria.

> Is there anything else in the treatment regime that would help such as
> topical applications of something.

I'd stay with the myxazin. Fungus Cure (by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals) is
very effective against fungi and some types of fin rot. It also turns
your water a lovely lime green colour ;~), but it works well.

NetMax

> Bear in mind that I do not believe any of the shops I have been to
stock
> antibiotic treatments/food off the shelf and we do not have as large a
> range of brand names in South Africa.
>
> I am also making sure he gets good food and have started feeding frozen
> bloodworm.
>
> I have not seen him eat any yet but he does not seem to be too ill at
this
> stage.
>
> Thanks in advance
>
> Trev
>

[Trevor]

On Thu, 18 Mar 2004 23:04:58 -0500, NetMax wrote:

>
>
> I'd stay with the myxazin. Fungus Cure (by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals) is
> very effective against fungi and some types of fin rot. It also turns
> your water a lovely lime green colour ;~), but it works well.
>
> NetMax
>

Thanks Netmax

I did however go to my nearest LFS and they had two different fungal
treatments of which I purchased the cheaper (less volume and locally
manufactured). It has turned the water to the colour you describe above
so I presume its active ingredients are the same!!!!

I also read that I could dab Mercurochrome on the the wounds and fungal
growths, which I have. I'll see how it goes from here. I just presume that
I should not continue treating with the myxazin. The fungal treatment said
to repeat after 4 days if the infection was still there and the myxazin
said toi treat daily until the infection disappeared.

Trev

[Trevor]

Update

The fish in question is no more

I think it had stopped eating - I found it dead this morning

Trev

[NetMax]

"Trevor" > wrote in message
se.com...
> Update
>
> The fish in question is no more
>
> I think it had stopped eating - I found it dead this morning
>
> Trev

Sorry for the loss. I suspected that this might occur. You mentioned
that the fungus was as a result of damage from other fish, but very
often, the other fish's attacks are because they know/sense that a fish
is weak & dying, and they are just hastened it along. Your treatment of
the symptoms (fungus) might not have addressed the root cause, and the
poor condition of the fish would probably not have made it a good
candidate for effective root cause identification & treatment. I've seen
this pattern before. The only fish really worthwhile to treat injuries
on, is one which was actively in battle for pecking order, mating rights
(or mechanical impact damage). Everyone else you have to suspect that
something else was wrong, and the tank-mates just knew about it before
you did.

My success rate of treating healthy fish which got sick (or mechanically
damaged) is about 90%, while my success rate for getting sick fish
healthy is about 10%. The distinction is as follows. A contagion hits a
stable tank, or mechanical damage affects an acclimated fish (success
rate is high). A single fish out of a healthy population falls ill
(especially with fish of the same species unaffected), or the fish
arrives with symptoms of concern (concave stomach, poor appetite, poor
color, atypical behaviour etc), then the success rate is very low. Yours
sounded like the odds were against him.

NetMax

[Trevor]

Netmax

Thanks for your post - a lot of it makes sense.

I think I have also learnt a lesson here. That particular krib was a male
that I bought to go with my mature female. They seemed to pair up and took
to the flower pot cave a provided them and they together became tank
bosses keeping slightly larger malawis (I have no idea what kind) and a JD
away. Then I found the female dead one day. In the mean time the malawis
were growing at quite a rate. One day I noticed that the male Krib had
been kicked out of the cave by the malawi. I provided another temporary
cave (a coffee mug) but the malawi seemed to control both. I realise I
should have taken the krib out at that stage as he had no place to hide.
I think he may have been picked on as a dominance thing as he had appeared
healthy up to then.

I will not keep kribs with malawis again!

Trev