Cotton Mouth / Columnaris neon tetras

[Barbara Turner]

Here are some better pictures

 

[alto]

Do you feel they are looking better or worse - re more "fungus"/frayed fins etc?

Once again, I'd move them out of my community for continuous tx - when the damaged area in the fins travels from outer edges to the body, this is not a good sign
It is possible that none of your other fish will become infected (though I'd be concerned about the ember tetras slowly developing symptoms) despite slowly losing all the neons, but I would hesitate to introduce similar "family" fish for quite some time

 

[Barbara Turner]

They might be marginally better after the PP bath.

The Kanoplex and focus should arrive today so I can start all the fish on an antibiotic feed. hopefully they will like this when combined with freeze-dried bloodworm.
The embers are also going to get the same treatment.

I've also ordered a new nano heater so I can isolate them in a smaller tank, It's currently full of daphnia so there not going to be hungry for a while.

 

[jameson_uk]

Did the meds turn up and have they helped at all?

 

[Barbara Turner]

There 3 days in, seem happy eating the blood worm, focus, kanaplex mix. They might be marginally better but it's not a miracle treatment.
I'm hoping it's going to take a while to start working being an antibiotic based

Just wished it worked as well as the new skimmer that also just arrived.

 

[alto]

I'd try a continuous Kanamycin bath for 3 days then (shrimp may find this distressing so separate bin), in addition to feeding the medicated food

As you're not seeing much improvement after 3 days of medicated food, I'd continue for 7 days
Give them a couple days off & assess
Possibly repeat the 7 day course, or try an alternate antibiotic

 

[Barbara Turner]

I've got a nano tank i could use. I've bought
a new heater fot it, there not going to be hungry for a while as its current full of daphnia.

 

[alto]

I'd just decant the daphnia to another bin temporarily - it's important to continue the medicated food even while using the bath re the degree of infection

 

[Barbara Turner]

I'd just decant the daphnia to another bin temporarily - it's important to continue the medicated food even while using the bath re the degree of infection

All done and half of them transferred over, the last 4 were doing a very good job at hiding.
I have started dosing the tank water every other day along with feeding them medicated food.

All the other non neon fish in the tank still look healthy, even if the main tank is looking very empty.

 

[alto]

Well done

Sick fish = most expensive time consuming fish ever!

 

[Andrew Butler]

Is Esha 2000 no good for this? - Maybe a bit late to the party but it's part question too!
I know it's safe with shrimp.

 

[Barbara Turner]

I've had a few people recommend Esha 2000, I spent a while researching it and it's missing any real active ingredients, I came to the conclusion that its basically giving the fish a vitamins and minerals supplement and relying on them getting better on there own.

 

[Andrew Butler]

it's missing any real active ingredients

If what I read is true then ethacridine lactate and proflavine are amongst the ingredients of Esha 2000 which I I'm quite sure you would class as active ingredients.
I'm unsure what you read the ingredients were?

 

[Edvet]

Both products are antiseptic ( like soap or alcohol) not antibiotics

 

[Barbara Turner]

If what I read is true then ethacridine lactate and proflavine are amongst the ingredients of Esha 2000 which I I'm quite sure you would class as active ingredients.
I'm unsure what you read the ingredients were?

Re-reading the data sheet for Esha 2000, I got the wrong end of the stick.
I'm not sure why halfway through the data sheet for Esha 2000 they start talking about Optima, when I skimmed through it I wrongly assumed they were still describing Esha 2000.
I just read

"is a blend of trace elements, vitamins, and minerals designed to keep you fish in the best health. It stimulates and supports the natural immune defenses and it speeds up full recovery from illness"

There is a link on there website here
http://www.eshalabs.eu/europe/products/esha-2000supregsup.pdf

Reading further down it says it can be used as a disinfectant for fish, plants, and equipment so as you say it's a disinfectant.
I'm surprised the liquid carbon I put in the water hasn't stopped it spreading, after all in concentrate form it's used to clean surgical equipment.

 

[sparkyweasel]

Ethacridine lactate and Proflavine are most effective on Gram-positive bacteria. Columnaris is Gram-negative, so probably wouldn't be much affected.

 

[Barbara Turner]

Hi Sparky,
Are Ethacridine lactate and Proflavine available in the UK?

Ethacridine lactate and Proflavine

 

[Andrew Butler]

Are Ethacridine lactate and Proflavine available in the UK

They are ingredients of Esha 2000 and I think what Sparky is saying is Columnaris is gram-negative whereas the above mentioned are most effective on gram-positive.
I think Ed is also saying the same kind of thing; the above are antiseptics NOT antibiotics.

As my first comment said it was part question and it seems I have been answered!

 

[sparkyweasel]

Only as ingredients in products like Esha 2000, which is probably useful for some conditions, but not likely to help with columnaris.