White cloud with persistant Columnaris

[Lady Samsara]

Hi all and my thanks beforehand for any assistance here. About a month
a go I noticed a very small,cottony looking patch on one of my white
clouds. I immediately quarantined him and after googling columnaris
gave the following medications:

Maroxy & Maracyn (together) - 1 round on the Maroxy and 2 rounds on the
Maracyn

Waited a few days with very clean water - he still had the cottony
patch.

Fungus Clear - 2 rounds of which the second was completed last week.

The patch is still there. From the front it appears smaller but from
the side I can see it still sticks out from his body. I'd say the patch
is the size of a stickpin edge, if that.

What am I doing wrong? I have never had an outbreak of columnaris in my
tank so this is new to me. I was confused with some of the information
I found on the illness, some sites seemed to recommend treating it as a
"true fungus" hence the Maroxy. Many said use antibiotics, hence the
Maracyn. I have used Maracyn several times in the past for various
illnesses and always had good luck, so I hoped it would do the trick.

I feel so bad for this poor guy, he's all alone in this bare tank. I
want him to get better and go back to his home tank. I also don't want
to keep medicating him if the patch is not getting better!

My thanks to all for any help!!!

[carlrs]

Lady Samsara wrote:
> Hi all and my thanks beforehand for any assistance here. About a month
> a go I noticed a very small,cottony looking patch on one of my white
> clouds. I immediately quarantined him and after googling columnaris
> gave the following medications:
>
> Maroxy & Maracyn (together) - 1 round on the Maroxy and 2 rounds on the
> Maracyn
>
> Waited a few days with very clean water - he still had the cottony
> patch.
>
> Fungus Clear - 2 rounds of which the second was completed last week.
>
> The patch is still there. From the front it appears smaller but from
> the side I can see it still sticks out from his body. I'd say the patch
> is the size of a stickpin edge, if that.
>
> What am I doing wrong? I have never had an outbreak of columnaris in my
> tank so this is new to me. I was confused with some of the information
> I found on the illness, some sites seemed to recommend treating it as a
> "true fungus" hence the Maroxy. Many said use antibiotics, hence the
> Maracyn. I have used Maracyn several times in the past for various
> illnesses and always had good luck, so I hoped it would do the trick.
>
> I feel so bad for this poor guy, he's all alone in this bare tank. I
> want him to get better and go back to his home tank. I also don't want
> to keep medicating him if the patch is not getting better!
>
> My thanks to all for any help!!!

Maracyn is not going work for true columnaris (flexibacter), the
antibiotic in this product is erythromycin, which treats gram positive
infections. Columnaris is gram negative and is best treated by Furacyn
or pimafix, followed by a water change and possibly a Medicated Wonder
shell as a preventive (it contains acriflavin which is also mildly
effective against columnaris.

For more information, there is an article about Flexibacter
(columnaris) at this site:
http://aquarium-answers.blogspot.com/

Carl

[swarvegorilla]

I'd cull the bloody thing meself
but first I'd try a couple of salt baths and maybe a bit of topically
applied anti-septic
tis sounding like an infected wound to me
your treatment has been sound but I'd go primitive on it
salt
can but try and if you fail cull it
minnows are pretty cheap and it's a good chance to get a different bloodline
into the mix.




"Lady Samsara" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Hi all and my thanks beforehand for any assistance here. About a month
> a go I noticed a very small,cottony looking patch on one of my white
> clouds. I immediately quarantined him and after googling columnaris
> gave the following medications:
>
> Maroxy & Maracyn (together) - 1 round on the Maroxy and 2 rounds on the
> Maracyn
>
> Waited a few days with very clean water - he still had the cottony
> patch.
>
> Fungus Clear - 2 rounds of which the second was completed last week.
>
> The patch is still there. From the front it appears smaller but from
> the side I can see it still sticks out from his body. I'd say the patch
> is the size of a stickpin edge, if that.
>
> What am I doing wrong? I have never had an outbreak of columnaris in my
> tank so this is new to me. I was confused with some of the information
> I found on the illness, some sites seemed to recommend treating it as a
> "true fungus" hence the Maroxy. Many said use antibiotics, hence the
> Maracyn. I have used Maracyn several times in the past for various
> illnesses and always had good luck, so I hoped it would do the trick.
>
> I feel so bad for this poor guy, he's all alone in this bare tank. I
> want him to get better and go back to his home tank. I also don't want
> to keep medicating him if the patch is not getting better!
>
> My thanks to all for any help!!!
>

[Tynk]

swarvegorilla wrote:
> I'd cull the bloody thing meself
> but first I'd try a couple of salt baths and maybe a bit of topically
> applied anti-septic
> tis sounding like an infected wound to me
> your treatment has been sound but I'd go primitive on it
> salt
> can but try and if you fail cull it
> minnows are pretty cheap and it's a good chance to get a different bloodline
> into the mix.


Salt isn't really going to do much for Flex. The fish needs to be
treated with the proper antibiotics if the OP wants to save the fish.
Cost of the actual fish doesn't always matter. Sometimes you just want
to save the particular fish.
I personally like Jungle brand Fungus Eliminator (not fungus guard).
It's great for bacterial infections such as Flexibactor (Columnaris)
and Fin Rot.

[swarvegorilla]

"Tynk" > wrote in message
ups.com...
>
> swarvegorilla wrote:
>> I'd cull the bloody thing meself
>> but first I'd try a couple of salt baths and maybe a bit of topically
>> applied anti-septic
>> tis sounding like an infected wound to me
>> your treatment has been sound but I'd go primitive on it
>> salt
>> can but try and if you fail cull it
>> minnows are pretty cheap and it's a good chance to get a different
>> bloodline
>> into the mix.
>
>
> Salt isn't really going to do much for Flex. The fish needs to be
> treated with the proper antibiotics if the OP wants to save the fish.
> Cost of the actual fish doesn't always matter. Sometimes you just want
> to save the particular fish.
> I personally like Jungle brand Fungus Eliminator (not fungus guard).
> It's great for bacterial infections such as Flexibactor (Columnaris)
> and Fin Rot.
>

not convinced it's Flex meself
and with the white cloud lifespan.......
maybe I only say that as someone who has seen 2 turn to a massive horde inna
coupla weeks.
salt is often just as effective as many others.
heck chuck some acriflavine in too
I admit I play the numbers but I also avoid using anti-biotics where
possible.
as should we all

[Tynk]

swarvegorilla wrote:
> "Tynk" > wrote in message
> ups.com...
> >
> > swarvegorilla wrote:
> >> I'd cull the bloody thing meself
> >> but first I'd try a couple of salt baths and maybe a bit of topically
> >> applied anti-septic
> >> tis sounding like an infected wound to me
> >> your treatment has been sound but I'd go primitive on it
> >> salt
> >> can but try and if you fail cull it
> >> minnows are pretty cheap and it's a good chance to get a different
> >> bloodline
> >> into the mix.
> >
> >
> > Salt isn't really going to do much for Flex. The fish needs to be
> > treated with the proper antibiotics if the OP wants to save the fish.
> > Cost of the actual fish doesn't always matter. Sometimes you just want
> > to save the particular fish.
> > I personally like Jungle brand Fungus Eliminator (not fungus guard).
> > It's great for bacterial infections such as Flexibactor (Columnaris)
> > and Fin Rot.
> >
>
> not convinced it's Flex meself
> and with the white cloud lifespan.......
> maybe I only say that as someone who has seen 2 turn to a massive horde inna
> coupla weeks.
> salt is often just as effective as many others.
> heck chuck some acriflavine in too
> I admit I play the numbers but I also avoid using anti-biotics where
> possible.
> as should we all

I totally agree with you about avoiding medication when ever possible.
However, if it is Flex, and they want to save that fish, they need to
treat it.
I have seen strains of Flex that killed in less than 24 hours, and seen
some that linger slowly. These are the ones that can be treated, but if
left without, they died.

[swarvegorilla]

"Tynk" > wrote in message
ups.com...
>
> swarvegorilla wrote:
>> "Tynk" > wrote in message
>> ups.com...
>> >
>> > swarvegorilla wrote:
>> >> I'd cull the bloody thing meself
>> >> but first I'd try a couple of salt baths and maybe a bit of topically
>> >> applied anti-septic
>> >> tis sounding like an infected wound to me
>> >> your treatment has been sound but I'd go primitive on it
>> >> salt
>> >> can but try and if you fail cull it
>> >> minnows are pretty cheap and it's a good chance to get a different
>> >> bloodline
>> >> into the mix.
>> >
>> >
>> > Salt isn't really going to do much for Flex. The fish needs to be
>> > treated with the proper antibiotics if the OP wants to save the fish.
>> > Cost of the actual fish doesn't always matter. Sometimes you just want
>> > to save the particular fish.
>> > I personally like Jungle brand Fungus Eliminator (not fungus guard).
>> > It's great for bacterial infections such as Flexibactor (Columnaris)
>> > and Fin Rot.
>> >
>>
>> not convinced it's Flex meself
>> and with the white cloud lifespan.......
>> maybe I only say that as someone who has seen 2 turn to a massive horde
>> inna
>> coupla weeks.
>> salt is often just as effective as many others.
>> heck chuck some acriflavine in too
>> I admit I play the numbers but I also avoid using anti-biotics where
>> possible.
>> as should we all
>
> I totally agree with you about avoiding medication when ever possible.
> However, if it is Flex, and they want to save that fish, they need to
> treat it.
> I have seen strains of Flex that killed in less than 24 hours, and seen
> some that linger slowly. These are the ones that can be treated, but if
> left without, they died.
>

Yes my friend, I too have seen the different times taken to kill.
Including the terrifieing under 24hours
That is why I lead towards the darkside and cull
Heck treat the survivors
:-)
shame theres no picture, makes it SOOOOO much easier.
I get me customers to take pics with their mobile phones.
Saves me hours of interrogation... which can be a bit much for people who
only vaguely know their ph and have no idea of tanksize or nitrate levels
etc.
How'd it turn out Samara?
hope ya got a happy endin'!